Journal :: Why is the FSA Promoting Depolarisation in Doctors? Surgeries?

Published: June 24, 2005
Author: Paul Cadde
Category: Marketing
Permalink: Why is the FSA Promoting Depolarisation in Doctors? Surgeries?

Is it perhaps because some employees of the Food Standards Agency are mistakenly reporting to work in Canary Wharf? That they remember a report the FSA (their FSA, not ours) made a few years ago stating that a large number of food poisoning victims failed to visit the doctor? And that they have somehow confused the need for disclosure of food poisoning with the need for disclosure of a financial adviser?s status? Probably not.

According to a survey by Men's Health magazine and CNN, one-third of men in the States have not visited their doctor in the past year. I am not sure what the statistics are in the UK, but given the macho image most men try to project I would imagine they are pretty similar. Another piece of research, and this one is from the UK, has identified that more and more people are obtaining medical advice from pharmacists and alternative health practitioners for their minor ailments. Yet another UK survey suggested millions of people with medical problems who ought to see a doctor avoid doing so because they are concerned about what might be wrong with them (probably the same people who are not funding their pensions because they cannot bear to think about how they are going to survive in retirement). Finally, it seems 30% of people in the South East ignore their health problems entirely, and the average time people in the North East delay before seeing their doctor about a medical problem is apparently two years.

According to the British Medical Journal, more than 30,000 people in the UK are killed every year by doctors and other medical staff through mistakes, misdiagnoses etc. Which might be the reason most of us seem to avoid visiting the doctor?s surgery. Well, if you haven?t read the BMJ recently and this information is new to you, perhaps this e-mail will reduce still further the numbers of people visiting their doctor ? at least IFAs!

Whatever the reason, statistics certainly seem to suggest a doctor?s surgery might not be the best place to advertise depolarisation. No doubt this is why 10% of the respondents to a survey conducted by Sesame believed depolarisation had something to do with a refrigerator!

In his book on Binge Drinking, published earlier this year, Craig Donnellan estimated that 60% of men in Britain now binge drink. Presumably most do this in pubs and clubs. And certainly not all the customers in a pub are binge drinkers. So one would assume if the FSA wanted to reach a large percentage of the population they would put their message in a pub, not a doctor?s surgery!

But let?s face it, we really didn?t expect the FSA to get their promotion right in the first place did we? Since when have the FSA been known for their ability to market?

If the FSA do not get their marketing right, their Chief Executive down to their clerical staff will all still get paid their salaries. Can you say the same for your business? And are you getting your marketing right?

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