Robitussin D is the most recognizable cough syrup brand, so
how can a competitor break into the market and suppress Robitussin enough to
usurp its cough syrup crown? Well, another company could make a superior, more effective
product, but that takes time and effort. I was thinking of an easier way: smear
Robitussin D with a campaign of attack ads!
So, how to accomplish an attack ad against Robitussin D?
Well, they certainly make it easier by leaving that ‘D’ there for us to make
fun of! Here’s a suggestion: make the ‘D’ into “D-bag”: short for “douchebag”.
So here’s how this might work:
Some guy with a bad cough is making everyone’s life
miserable in an apartment building. He coughs all night, and it keeps all of his
neighbors awake. We see that he’s taking Robitussin D for his cough, but it’s
not working well enough (in the ad, anyway), so he keeps coughing up a storm
and driving everyone crazy. Then the announcer says: “Have an awful cough?
Don’t be a Robitussin D-bag! Use Mucinex, and stop the cough, so you and your neighbors can get some peace
and quiet, and some sleep!”
(Of course this is just a joke. But there are product attack ads out there, so
this really isn’t so far-fetched of an idea, as silly as it is.)
