A few days ago we praised a news anchor for walking off the set in protest of covering the Kardashians. (We still love you, John!)
And yet here we are, writing an article with the K-word in 30-point font. But this isn’t really about a Kardashian as much as it is about the dangerous precedent set by companies who pay celebrities to promote products for which they have zero qualifications to lend their voice to. The practice has become so common that regulators can’t effectively monitor drug promotions anymore, and so lucrative that it would only be mildly shocking if Eminem were to start boasting about Vicodin on Snapchat.
Such was the case when Dr. Kim recently promoted a drug that remedies morning sickness on her Instagram. It concludes with glowing recommendation to “ask your doctor about the pill with the pregnant woman on it” that only an insane marketing budget could produce.
Seriously, though, I wouldn’t want the name ‘Diclegis’ on my mind either.
Within a week, the Food and Drug Administration stepped in and issued a warning to the drug’s manufacturer, Duchesnay Inc., about Kim’s failure to inform her minions of its risks – including drowsiness, dizziness, stomach upset, diarrhea, constipation, headache, and trouble sleeping, which, depending on combination, are arguably equal to or worse than morning sickness.
The company was ordered to “immediately cease misbranding,” which I guess is one relatively beneficial outcome of the Kardashian ad. The posts have since been removed.
This sort direct endorsement seems a hell of a lot more damaging to young, impressionable minds than a photo of Miley Cyrus smoking a joint, which many people also freaked out about.
Quite fittingly, she also said the Internet will hurt your brain more than weed.
Covering Kardashian, quoting Miley…the day can only go up from here. And if it doesn’t, I’ll just pop the latest pill Taylor Swift says will make me happy.
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