The Botox Blur

October 24, 2017

It seems unlikely that the makers of Botox Onabotulinumtoxin or the their ad agency looked this deeply into the symbolism of this advertisement. Personally, it’s what comes through loud and clear every time I see it.

Let me state, I have never had a migraine and hope never to have one. I’ve had friends who have suffered from them, and they can be debilitating. So I fault no one for seeking medical relief from the condition. Even if that medical relief is in the form of having injections of botulism to resolve it. I’d likely try to find other options than having a potentially fatal toxin injected, but that’s me.

The problem I have here is the advertising. Not the long list of potential issues that might arise from use of the toxin. But from the visuals of the ad itself.

The woman in the ad, presumably the recipient of the injections, walks through a fuzzily drawn rendition of her world. Stopping to wave to the occasional passer by, but never engaging with her family or anyone she comes across. The subtle message being that if you have these treatments your life may become a disconnected blur.

Is that really the message that any company wants for their product? Even if it can have that effect… potentially.

Tags: botox, botulism, onabotulinumtoxin