Ads that drive me crazy

Hi all. Just riffing on odd pet peeves in the D world…

Anyone else get riled up over the TV ads from the Diabetes Care Club? They push new meters that have as benefits “they hurt less” and “you don’t have to code them”. Both of these seem completely ridiculous, if not outright stupid, to me. The meter you use has absolutely nothing to do with the “hurt”…its the lancet that matters. The claim of using less blood and therefore less pain is also rather misleading, but to equate the meter with the pain of a finger prick is just plain stupid to me.

And the coding issue is another dumb benefit. Coding your meter for a new box of test strips takes like what, 3 seconds? big deal.

Aren’t accuracy, speed of read-out, ease of use more important qualities? I would think so. Anyone else think so?

I hate the one that shows the Jonas brother with his meter, and how his METER helps him control his diabetes.

Agree with you, Marie. How about all those meter commercials that ALWAYS show 104 or 98 or some other perfect bg reading? Real world there. Bet it would generate more reaction if they showed a 285 and then a “boy, I better do something about that!” comment…

the 104 is a like a joke here, and on Twitter. Danny has done a good job of keeping up the laughs. yes, wouldn’t you just love to see a 285 every once in a while? or even 185!

For me I think speed, accuracy and size of a monitor matter. Nothing against the women with the huge purses but I need a monitor that fits in my pocket. Coding, and “pain” have nothing to do with me picking a monitor. And like Ken said… what does pain have to do with a monitor anyway? Perhaps there should be more commercials about different pokers and pancets instead of blood monitors.

Well, as a guitar and mandolin player, having B. B.King hawking a meter that required less blood than the dinosaur meter I had been using did get my attention (and now I’m on CGMS). But you’re right, and I laugh at the commercial that touts being able to “personalize” your meter by choosing one of four or five colors for it.

Frankly, I’d like to see TV commercials that led us Ds to test and correct 6-8 times daily. What would be the best ad campaign for that?

My meter must-haves are size (small), speed, and memory capacity. But I’m also a sucker for pretty colors. If I’ve got to use the thing 8+ times a day, why can’t it look as good as the rest of my fabulous accessories?

I disagree that the no-code feature is dumb. No-code meters are of benefit to certain members of our diabetes family. If you have poor eyesight, memory problems, and/or manual dexterity problems, a no-code meter may help ensure less user error. Many people living with type 2 diabetes are elderly, so meter manufacturers design some products with that in mind.

All ads for Diabetes products are dollar signs for the pharmacy folks. If someone would have told me 50 years ago that Diabetes would be part of big business I wouldn’t have believed them.

Commercials that get on my nerves:
(a) any that talk about eliminating the “painful” finger prick. I’m sorry, you’re bleeding, it’s going to hurt a little.
(b) promotes a diabetic sock, foot cream, diet plan, or includes Wilford Brimley pronouncing it "beetus"
© and (since you guys mention Jonas) does it bother anyone that Nick is out there pimping his Bayer meter and the Omnipod? Wouldn’t he be using the meter on his PDM? I just don’t buy that he actually uses the Bayer meter if he’s a podder.

I agree that accuracy, speed, and ease are important. And for some users with eyesight issues - large readout and no coding…but don’t get me started on the stupid, antiquated proprietary coding that meter companies need to do away with in the first place.

I’m with you all on how annoying these ads are & I’ll pass on ever seeing Nick Jonas & his meter again. Hey Nick, since you’re not exactly hurting for bucks why don’t you donate your endorsement money to research for a cure.

Wilford Brimley–arrgh.

Ouchless lancets–yea, right–ha!

I’d trade some speed for greater accuracy. Unacceptable how inaccuate they are. Don’t care about colors or meter skins. We need accuracy.

The Glucerna ads everywhere get on my nerves also. Overpriced junk food for diabetics.

the perfect advertisement would be a meter that looks like it could be in a mp3 comercial. I want something slick, edgy, and easy to carry around but i want the screen large enough to tell me my number and heck i want a back light to it (heck if it could hold some music that would be cool, maybe even a photo slide that could apear behind the number, you know like one of your family or you doctor!!!). In the perfect meter world it would have no coding, cuz coding is stupid. It would have a matching finger poker. And you know what since i’m being demanding i want the finger pricks to have a pain solution to them (yeah right). And can the meter say some awesome phrases in a sexy accent like “wow you’re doing great!” or “are you not feeling well have a snack” or maybe you could have a app that does a slot machine roll of your numbers, and you get money when your sugar is right!

honestly the only thing i ask of my meter is this: please don’t make me prick my finger twice just because the stupid strip couldn’t suck up the blood the first time.

Love your creativity, Domo! Technology design wizards of the world, take heed! There is market for pizazz in the BG meter universe!

What gets me is not the meter it’s that they want you to buy their TEST STRIPS. Agree?