• by John Gaffney , June 5, 2002

Medical Journalism Riffs: I have decided that the toughest job in the world is no longer being Eminem's shrink. Or R. Kelly’s lawyer. The toughest job in the world may well be planning and buying media in the pharmaceutical category. Information abounds. So does BS. How can you tell the TV show or print publication you choose to buy ads in is dealing above board on its presentation of drug information? I don’t have the answer, but I do know that yesterday this issue went over the top. If you missed it, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported “published studies are sometimes misleading and frequently fail to mention weaknesses (of drugs or drug tests). Some problems can be traced to biases and conflicts of interest among peer reviewers, who are outside scientists tapped by journal editors to help decide whether a research paper should be published.” Whoa. Et tu, doctore? We can’t even trust medical journals, and they don’t take advertising. I’ve been reading everywhere that Botox is safe, effective and the next wonder drug. Then last week a newsletter called The Medical Letter tells me that it has side effects that include “drooling.” Who’s right? I would encourage planners and buyers to be good reporters. Know your stuff about products, whether it’s the one you’re marketing or the one that says it is providing a trusted editorial environment. Tough job. Enough to give a young man wrinkles........

Radio Booze Riffs: The Radio Advertising Bureau says 80 percent of its membership is loading the guns for hard liquor ads. Radio is perfect for hard liquor ads. It is built to avoid the problems TV networks have to overcome, of which the main one is audience definition. If you run a spot for Chivas Regal in prime time, are you encouraging kids to drink it? Nobody wants to mess with that. But I can guarantee you nobody under the age of 18 listens to Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh or classical music stations. Booze on radio? Bring it.......

Record Business Riffs: I wish I wrote the piece that appeared in Wednesday’s USA Today that took the record industry to task for being boring, paranoid and duplicative. I have always felt that business success depends on your ability to differentiate your product. That goes for advertising, too. The record business won’t get behind a new act unless that new act sounds like somebody else. Bad business. If you were involved in an ad campaign that totally duplicated a past effort you’d get fired. And rightfully so.