The Usage of Various Species in Advertising Medicinal Products
For instance, Dyer’s Witch Hazel provides a specific example on how companies utilized artwork which contained both people and animals to imbue their products with a sense of innocence and harmlessness. For people, Dyer includes the fictional character of Witch Hazel, while the animal component is represented by several white birds. Since Dyer is marketing their salve as a natural product, it is important to demonstrate a cooperative link between humanity and nature. Additionally, the peaceful interaction between Witch Hazel and the birds portrayed in the artwork expresses an atmosphere of calm, relaxation, and innocence. Moreover, there is abundant use of the color white for Witch Hazel’s dress and the feathers on the birds. Since white is a color associated with purity in Western culture, the choice of color further strengthened the tranquility shown in the artwork. Overall, the people and animals in the artwork work to develop a sense of innocence when viewed. Importantly, Dyer targets a sense of innocence through the artwork in order to make their product seem harmless and safe for consumption. Making their product seem painless and without side effects is essential in boosting sales. In sum, Dyer’s Witch Hazel is an example of how advertisers use both people and animals to make their products seem innocent.
Wonder of the age [inscribed] illustrates a meadow with a small boy, a small girl, and a lamb. The purpose of the card was to advertise painless teeth extraction and elucidate the special features of the product. The card highlights how the product’s gold fillings are able to stay bright. This is foreshadowed by a farmhouse where some trees stand in the distance. The children and lamb further promote the product as they publicly display affection. Throughout the various medicinal cards, different forms of species played a critical role in advertisements.
Capturing a consumer’s eye in a capitalist consumer market is no easy task because there is massive competition for every human necessity possible. This competitiveness only increases when taking a look at the medical industry. There are hundreds of treatments and medicines for every possible pain, ailment, disease, etc. Thus, creating a product and brand that stands out is the only possible way to compete. Using species in marketing has always been effective due to the empathy that humans feel towards animals and each other. Using species can also elicit various emotions from people. A great example is “Alcool au sel de Brázay est indispensable” in which a woman is placed on the front of the card. There is no relation between the woman and the product, but she is placed there to capture the attention of male consumers. Her promiscuous features are a prime example of sexual appeal in marketing which strongly continues to work today. Another emotion that can be brought out is a sense of power which leads to belief in the product. The wizard on the front page of “St. Jacobs Oil Conquers Pain” is clearly powerful as he holds the bottle of oil in his hand. On the backside, the wizard is a frail old man discovering the oil. This creates a storyline where the oil made him a powerful wizard. This story gives consumers a reason to believe that the oil is a product that does more than it states.
Upon reviewing all of the medicine trade cards in the UCLA Library collection, it was evident that many included illustrations of young children. The image to the right (the trade card for Jayne's Tonic Vermifuge) is an example of this. In many of the trade cards, the representation of these youthful figures didn't exactly correspond with the advertised product (the product was not intended specifically for children's use). Taking this into account, it could be inferred that the abundance of illustrations in medicinal trade cards that included young children were strategic advertising strategies to either imply that their products may be safer, as the chosen representatives to market these products are, by nature, the personification of purity and innocence. The inclusion of children may have simply been a tactic to market to mothers, who were very likely the individuals expected to make purchasing decisions for the medicine in their households.
Bell-cap-sic plasters are another example of a medical product that has used the imagery of a child in its advertising. The front of the card shows a young boy, presumably a happy and healthy child, sitting next to a box with a dog on it. The image is meant to create a positive association between the product and the child's well-being. The card also includes information about the medical product being advertised, such as its benefits or how it can help the child stay healthy. Using children in advertising is a well-established marketing strategy that has been used for decades. Companies believe that children can influence their parents' purchasing decisions, and products linked to children are more likely to be purchased. Another reason why companies use children in their advertising campaigns is that children are seen as innocent, pure, and free from bias. Therefore, when a product is associated with children, it can create a positive emotional response in consumers, leading to increased brand loyalty and sales. Moreover, children have an enormous influence on their parents' decision-making when it comes to healthcare products. Parents want their children to be healthy and happy, and if a product is perceived to benefit their child's well-being, they are more likely to purchase it.In reality, children have the power to influence family purchases, particularly when directed towards them. Bell-cap-sic plasters have used this strategy effectively, selling its product to parents concerned about their children's health and pain relief.
"Dr. Mettaur's Headache Pill" is a medicine promoted to alleviate headaches. The image on this medicine card displays a picture of a sleeping baby watched over by a shaggy dog, which could appeal to parents with young children who are having trouble sleeping due to headaches. This also attracts parents looking for a solution for their children with sleeping issues. The illustrator intentionally crafted this image to appeal to parents of young children by making them feel comfortable taking this medication by providing a picture of a baby deep in sleep and not crying about its headache. This image of the sleeping baby on the card also has a significant power to trigger emotions as well. Advertising a pill with a positive image could grab the reader's attention by providing the best care for their children because parents want their children to be healthy and happy. Lastly, the illustration of the dog watching over the sleeping baby is interpreted as a sign of protection and security, which means that the child would feel safe and secure by taking this pill and that parents would not have to worry about their child not feeling safe.
This page has paths:
- Student Projects Chien-Ling Liu Zeleny
Contents of this path:
- Innocence and Beauty: How People and Animals Advertise "Harmless Cures"
- Advertising Purifying Blood All the Way to Teeth Extraction
- The Art of Capturing a Consumer's Eye in the Competitive Medical Market
- Popular Themes in Nineteenth Century Patent Medicine Trade Cards: Representations of Youth and the Family Unit in Marketing
- When Animals and Luxary Sell Medicine: A Critical Look at Trade Card Marketing Tactics
- The Art of Trading Cards