Tuesday, September 19, 2006

She looks pretty good for a cancer sufferer, doesn't she?

(click image)
Ah yes. The Fake Patient. Look at the healthy glow. The neutral expression. Have you seen these ads in the New York Times and New York magazine, seemingly featuring portraits of Sloan-Kettering cancer patients? Probably some of you figured out these attractive—but not too attractive— people are just carefully-selected models, maybe some of you didn't, or didn't care. Usually, hospitals willl include a "model used for illustrative purposes only" disclaimer line in the ad. Not S-K. Pretty damn deceptive for an internationally recognized top cancer treatment center, don't you think? Well at least if any of the models ever do get the Big C, Sloan-Kettering will probably be the first place they call.

previously:
1. Welcome to the (fake) people_ready business.
2. The Fake Testimonial. Now with more Fake.

6 Comments:

Blogger Matt Brand said...

I haven't seen a single decent ad for a hospital. They're about as good as the food.

11:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just because you can't see her stumps doesn't mean she can't look good for her portrait. Wait, what?

12:02 PM  
Blogger dancing at gunpoint said...

This probably makes women with cancer feel even worse. Like, "Wow, I look like shit compared to her. Great."

6:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This may be a naive question, but: how does the fact that the "cancer patient" is reasonably attractive, "sell" Sloan Kettering? Why would the same add, featuring a heavier more homely patient, be less effective from S-K's standpoint?

8:52 PM  
Blogger Jim Hendry said...

ehh, I guess. But it is possible to look somewhat "normal" during cancer & cancer treatments [although this is perhaps gilding the lily and taking the idea of photogenic a little too far].. having struggled with it for 18 months, I can say that.

However, I do agree with you in that it is disingenuous on their part to go with "carefully-selected models"... given that they are the best in the world for treating the disease, the idea of needing to advertise seems rather pointless... seems like a no-brainer to me [albeit not someone in the advertising biz like yourselves]

Oh, and the food at MSKCC is actually pretty good.

12:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well they sure as heck couldn't sell any product or have people running to their hospital if they used someone like me in their ad.
I look too sick! I walk with a cane and my face swells, my hands are all swollen and red most of the time and I have a constant red rash across my face.
Go figure. I wouldn't make a great model for an ad....even for sick people. Now that made me laugh today.

10:16 PM  

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