Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

I thought the commercial was a parody of ubiquitous pharmaceutical ads. The announcer starts, "Grow lashes. Grow longer, grow fuller and darker lashes."

Unfortunately it was a real ubiquitous ad. Thank God the FDA has approved Latisse — "the first and only prescription treatment for inadequate or not enough lashes." Seems the same company that brought us Botox — botulism for beauty sake — recently launched a cure-all for wimpy lashes. I'm no alopecia hater. I've even worked on clinical trials for hair growth. Clearly everyone is entitled to eyelashes but this is further proof that elective cosmeceuticals are the growing trend.

Get used to it folks. There's less hassle for pharmaceutical companies in products that focus on lifestyle and not just life. People in wealthy developed regions choose to pay for these treatments. Therefore price pressures and perceptions of health entitlement aren't in the mix. Heck, diseases like Cancer and HIV are just too hard and take too long to research. I only wish the same developed regions wanted to pay for treatments that helped them breathe better, increase mobility or prolong quality of life. Research dollars would flow.

Luckily, I was graced with long, dark, luxurious eyelashes. No Latisse for me. But unleashing a little botulism on a few laugh lines…hmmmm.