Modern Family TV Show Propecia References

General Discussion Media & Awareness
#1

Guys -

Has anyone else noticed Propecia being “product placed” during prime time on a major network show? Last night I watched the Modern Family episode about Phil’s vasectomy. About 3 minutes into the show, the two gay characters had a discussion and one talked about how he was using Propecia. This is the second time that Propecia has been mentioned on the show(It was also mentioned in a positive light during season 2).

I don’t know how you feel - but to be watching TV and hear that F****** name is like a slap across the face - I actually got so upset last night after they talked about it on the show, I turned the TV off.

I am not privvy to how TV shows and advertising work, but I am guessing the Propecia reference(made in a positive light) was not just coincidental. I am sure Merck gives NBC a pretty penny to drop that name during the show. It just pisses me off so much, knowing that Merck continues to give all of the victims of PFS the figurative middle finger by not acknowledging their mistakes , and it also upsets me that men watching this show may be swayed to take Propecia, because, hey, after all, it was on a popular TV show. Am I the only one that has boiling blood about this issue? Has anyone heard Propecia “product placed” in other shows or movies?

#2

Write them a letter…

#3

I remember reading about how the Stephen Dorff character in a Sofia Coppolla film used Propecia but didn’t see the movie. It didn’t seem to be blatant product placement as described above, that’s definitely Merck pushing it.

Would be funny if some sitcom had a character who got dumped or had a lousy sex life and someone suggests it might be that Propecia he’s taking. At least that would be realistic.

#4

Yeah…absolutely. I’m guessing Merck wouldn’t pay for THAT episode. But much closer to the truth.
Broken - I directly tweeted all the people involved with Modern Family that I could find - it seems like a more direct(albeit lazier) way of communicating in the modern day.
By the way - you should follow @recallpropecia twitter feed…it is helping get the word out.

#5

I do follow the recallpropecia feed on Twitter…

#6

TV shows are created to sell advertisements. In light of piracy, they are becoming even more aggressive with product placement as it can’t be edited out without destroying content like commercials can. Product placement is almost certainly not given away unless it’s the subject of satire, and even then it’s possible that it’s paid for - see this clip for example:

colbertnation.com/the-colber … nsortunity

There’s very little chance that the TV show gave the product placement away for free.

#7

My gf said Propecia was mentioned on a Two and a Half Men episode - the Charlie Sheen days.

#8

It has been on The Simpsons.

#9

It’s a cable show but Daniel Tosh briefly mentioned it on his show Tosh.0 a little while back.