Mornidine

I was initially hesitant to blog about this advertisement for Mornidine because to be honest I thought it was too easy! It shows the illustration of a smiling woman in a long, baggy white blouse. She is standing in front of a stove and frying eggs and bacon on a skillet. On the other side of the stove sits a kettle. Above her the advertisement reads, "Now She Can Cook Breakfast Again," and below her, "…When You Prescribe New Mornidine." I ultimately decided that this add needs to be addressed. The main problem with the advertisement is who the drug is targeting as its potential costumers. It is not aimed at women, the people who would actually be taking the drug in question. Now, assuming that does not have any negative effects on the child, which I doubt but am willing to put aside for the sake of argument, I don't have any problem with the drug itself. Morning sickness can make one feel quite miserable and a drug that is capable of relieving such a state would be welcomed by many pregnant women. But this add isn't for them. It's for men. The illustration suggests that the problem with morning sickness isn't the morning sickness, it's the the fact that you as a white, middle-class, working male are no longer awaken by the heavenly fumes of bacon on the frying pan. But instead, imagine, you are now ripped from your dreams of golfing with the president and now have to deal with your wife puking her guts out all over the bathroom. How unattractive. THE BREAKFAST ISN'T THE PROBLEM HERE. The problem is supposed to be the medical issue that this medication is supposed to cure, isn't that right?
Another issue is the whole "when you prescribe her.." part. The "you" in question, the husband, can't prescribe anything unless you also happen to be her physician. The add assumes that the husband has the right to chose what is best for his wife, and that what kinds of medication she uses is up to him. It isn't. It is between the doctor and patient (now I fear that I'm beating a dead horse here, but just to be clear, the patient is the pregnant woman, not the hungry husband).
As strange as it sounds, this add is a good sign of where we are today. I thought this add was "too easy," because the problems with it seem so apparent to today's consumers (at least I hope that they do). Women are no longer breakfast machines, we're slowly making our way to being full-fledged, badge carrying human beings. That gives me comfort at least.