5th July 2012

Not a remedy for colds and sore throats

“Wow! We have had an amazing growth in sales but now it is stagnating... we need to do something else to make this graph point northwards again”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. Maybe we can thing of some other benefit that Listerine can offer.”

“So what do you have in mind?”

“Let's see, what was it that we started with”

“A strong surgical antiseptic that was used to prevent infections during surgery.”

“Right, so it kills germs”

“Yes...”

“What are other areas where germs can be a problem?”

“Your kitchen, your floor...”

“No, no. We have already sold it as a floor cleaner; we don't want to go there again”

“What about bathrooms?”

“Right, do you think people would want to rinse their mouth with the same thing they use to clean their toilets?”

“Hmmm”

“I get it, the flu. The sore throat is also caused by bacteria or virus. Listerine kills germs so we can say it kills germs that causes sore throats.”

“But is it proved?”

“Is big bang proved? Everything doesn't have to be proved. People just need to perceive it as truth and that is what matters. Perception is more real than any proof.”

So it was marketed as a remedy for colds and sore throats but then "jhooth ke paon nahin" (the lie doesn't have feet) so it didn't get too far and in a judgment where this claim was challenged, Listerine was asked to stop claiming that it cures cold and sore throats and to include in the next 10.2 million dollars' worth of Listerine ads specific mention that "contrary to prior advertising, Listerine will not help prevent colds or sore throats or lessen their severity."