Lyrica commercial
I’m glad that there are commercials about how lyrica can help fibromyalgia. However, why did they have to use an automaton? Watching this lady read from her journal & describe fibromyalgia in such general terms is just painful. Add to that the fact that she’s obviously never heard the word fibromyalgia before. She says the word the same way that computers read something outloud. It’s just creepy. It’s better than nothing, but it’s still creepy.
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:56 am
I am not in the states so I had not seen the ad yet. Went to the site to see it after I read this, and I agree with your take on it. I have had a few friends and family mention this new medication they heard about for ‘what you have’ (because no one it seems can ever remember its name). Now seeing this ad I am cringing because even though some people (though I personally have not talked with anyone who has had a positive overall result from Lyrica) may gain benefit from the medication, it is NOT going to take someone from full on FMS to bouncing around teaching an art class. And weighing 100 pounds!
I also find it more than a bit disconcerting that one of the primary marketing points is that it is FDA approved. That means nothing to me. Yuck. I don’t miss the drug ads from the US!
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 pm
The part that had me snickering was when they’re giving the requisite warnings about side effects. They say you should contact your doctor if you experience muscle pain or a tired feeling.
Um, hello, does anyone have any idea what they’re talking about? I know those can be an indicator of serious side effects, but how are we supposed to tell the difference?! If the people writing the script had actually bothered to learn anything about the disease, they might have phrased that a little better.
December 24th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
The thing that bothers me most is that you can hear her saliva when she speaks. Nothing on this planet disturbs me more than hearing people all much mouthed and hearing their spit when they talk. Good. God. That turs me off from this ad immediately.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:32 am
I WAS TAKEN BACK BY HER READING THE JOURNAL BUT I NOTICED THAT SHE HAD OTHER ISSUES LIKE MAYBE ANOREXIA? I WOULD THINK ANY PAIN WOULD BE HARDER FOR THE FACT SHE HAD NO SKIN ON HER BONES. IT WAS HARD NOT TO NOTICE.AND LIKE THE FIRST COMMENT, IT WAS CREEPY.
December 29th, 2007 at 3:47 am
yeah i totally agree with kathy..but i liked the commercial though
January 1st, 2008 at 3:39 pm
My complaint about it is that we have pretty good insurance but that doesn’t matter – even with our insurance, getting a months prescription of Lyrica (for cancer and fybromyalgia) cost us I think about 125.00 USD.
I don’t know who can afford to pay that amount of money on a medication which is fairly new and not necessarily going to work for fybromyalgia.
Better off going for a walk is my opinion.
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January 12th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I’d say change the writers and the concept of how Fibromyalgia was introduced. Actual visualization plays a great role in advertising. Pfizer can do better.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:04 am
I am 29yrs old and have FMS. I have gained weight-expectedly though. I have had it for 4 yrs and up until last yr I took Nortriptylne. Lyrica works much better. same weight gain-which I like to think is worth having the extra pounds so I can be productive and live my life as best as possible.
The commercial wasn’t very accurate compared to the majority of people who suffer from this. With the amount of pain I have, the last thing I have energy for would be journal time. at least the word is getting out and we are not shoved under the rug any longer. I supose they need to ease into this illness, as more people have this then is publicized.
February 14th, 2008 at 6:33 am
This commerical is painful- I hate the sound of the saliva clicking- that’s all you hear. It’s one of the ads on the Regis and Kelly site before you view their videos, and it just gives me a headache. It’s so long, and the saliva is louder than her voice! What a turnoff. Re-record commercial.
February 14th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I am all for fibromyalgia awareness (I don’t have, but my friend does). But like previous two commenters, all I can hear is how drippy and wet her mouth is on the voiceover. AHHH, drives me crazy.
February 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 am
I haven’t seen the commercial yet, but my daughter has. Does anyone know how effective Lyrica is supposed to be? Has anyone tried it yet?
February 26th, 2008 at 5:18 am
I detest this commercial. “So tender to the touch”, who talks like that? I think they should have used someone in her 30′s or 40′s also. I understand that “Lyrica” is to help block the pain part of this nasty illness I have, but, it is not alway’s the biggest problem….there’s so much more to it. A Family member who doesn’t believe in the illness, made fun of this commercial to me. My Sister has tried this med and could not tolerate the side affects. As someone else said, alot of the side affects, we can have without the drug.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I’m glad to see someone finally at least bringing up the issue to the world. I personally have kept a “pain journal”. It was useful to my Dr. in keeping up with medicines I’d taken and how they’d affected me. I think the actress was very sincere, and I’ve taken medicine before that actually made me look anorexic I suppose, as it made me not want to eat, not to mention that severe pain usually leaves me with no appetite. Therefore, the potrayal was very “right on” in my opinion. Don’t be so synical about drug companies finally trying to find medicines for us. Sure, they’re out to make money, and can taint the 30 second commercials to benefit them, but at least there is beginning to be dialog about it in mainstream society, and maybe we don’t have to “hide” anymore, as I have for years.
March 29th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
My complaint is the sterotyping particularly the “artist”. It makes it look like we can’t do our hobbies anymore. Personally it impacted my job as a software engineer researcher in artifical intelligence, and when it hit full blown I was doing software development for a physics organization. It affects artist’s jobs too of course, but the stereotyping is less than optimal. Even her low weight and affected speech and wording sounds like the female yippee “just a little earthy-crunchy nuts” stereotype instead of the seriousness this illness really is. It’s a start though. It can’t hurt for people to know a drug company is taking it seriously. Too bad it’s “fibro-MY-algia” instead of “fibromyagia” too. My problem wasn’t that I couldn’t be an art teacher any more. It was that I couldn’t prepare a simple meal and feed myself anymore nor always recognize all the letters in the alphabet anymore.
I also wish the drug didn’t sound so dangerous. Some people love it, but it seems to have an addicting (have to keep increasing the dose and increased symptoms with withdrawal) effect that sounds intimidating. For some people it seems to be a lifesaver though.
September 24th, 2008 at 4:24 am
I actually enjoy watching this commercial. Having moved away from New Orleans after Katrina, it is nice to see so many familiar sites. Funny though, the opening scene is not filmed on a restaurant patio, but actually in front of the Presbystere on Jackson Square. Also, when the first wide shot moves back, you c an see my former apartment builing, the Lower Pontalba. I lived 2 doors to the right in the scene. Typcial New Orleans film magic, but funny. I thought for a drug commercial its a pretty pleasant 45 seconds.
January 17th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I think the woman is gorgeous! She has the most perfect hair!
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Not really New Orleans. Trollies look real as well as street scenes but the is not Jackson Square. The St. Louis Cathedral is much bigger and there is no fountain, rather a large statue of Jackson on a horse in the square. Also, the Cathedral is between two large museams which are not shown. Lots of editing liberties taken with this one. I like it as it brings back fond memories, but it’s not the real New Orleans.
February 21st, 2009 at 7:31 am
Thanks I am not suffering with this problem.But I am glad on getting this info because a friend of mine is suffering with this problem so I’ll forward this info to her . Hope she will utilize .