I've seen quite a few strange adverts for IBS products over the years, trying desperately to advertise laxatives or anti-diarrheals without mentioning the words bowel, diarrhea, constipation, toilet or poo.
And the ad I just heard on the radio for Dulcoease is a real master of this genre. Dulcoease, for the uninitiated, is a stool softener, and the advert involved a girl and a group of her bubbly friends (because you always buy stool softeners in groups, it doubles the fun) going to the local pharmacy, and then noticing how attractive the pharmacist was, and saying "Check out the talent here too!", and collapsing into a giggling fit.
Because a good time to pick up men is right after they have provided you with crap-related products, and the pharmacist guy was thinking "Wow, I'm definitely in there - it's a shame her stools aren't very soft, but I shall love her in spite of her flaws."
Just to point out that I have added another comment to the ‘A classic conversation with a doctor’ post, in response to Alan’s latest comment.
I haven’t heard that advert, Sophie, but I know the kind of thing you mean! It’s all to do with the social attitude to anything bowel-related. Either one is supposed to be completely coy, and sweep the whole thing under the carpet because it is all so taboo and unmentionable - I remember you mentioning a long time ago how annoying it is when a colleague is off sick due to a stupid cold or something, and they come back to work acting like a hero who’s been through unheard of torments, and tell everyone all about it in great detail, and get loads of sympathy, while someone who was off due to IBS (which is a million times worse than a cold) is not afforded that luxury – or it’s all treated like some kind of big joke. Why can’t everybody just grow up? I’m not saying that society needs to get to the point where we all sit around for hours earnestly discussing the workings of our bowels. However, it would be nice to be able to mention gut-related issues without getting the classic reactions of either complete embarrassment or a snigger. As many readers of Sophie’s blog will probably agree, IBS isn’t such a wonderfully amusing joke when it happens to you.
Back to the ad – on the plus side, if you are savvy enough to work out what the product being advertized is actually for, at least it is giving the impression that even glamorous, popular types can suffer from bowel-related problems, which, I guess, is something of a PR victory! I saw a TV advert for some kind of haemorrhoid-related product once, where the man in need of it was made to look like a moany, fidgety (and definitely unglamorous) nuisance, who couldn’t sit still at the theatre and was thus disturbing his long-suffering wife’s play-watching experience.
On the same subject, have you seen those TV adverts for live yoghurt-based drinks that can be taken to alleviate ‘digestive discomfort’?! That’s special advertizer’s code for wind and bloating, I’m guessing.
Hello
I have IBS, but only quite mildly compared to what Ms. Lee and others on here have to put up with.
I would just like to say that I think you are all wonderfully brave, strong and noble people, and I wish to the almighty that a full functioning cure for IBS comes about sooner than soon.
This website is a brilliant idea, and good on Sophie for trying to make something positive out of something quite uniquely horrible.
Thanks, Neil, for your kind words. It means a lot.
I agree about Sophie's blog and website. I am so glad I found them!
Hey Debbie - yeah, I've seen those digestive discomfort ads - we get some beautiful euphemisms! My favorite is another probioticy thing, says something about "increasing the rate of digestive transit". Hmm, you mean it makes you poop? I'm sure they'd sell more products if they explained themselves a bit more clearly!
And thanks for your comments Neil, I appreciate it!