My summer job provides me the liberty of working from home when I need to and from time to time I find myself watching daytime TV. Daytime TV is not quite filled with the top notch programming money can buy. I can't stand Oprah, Dr. Phil, the ridiculous soap operas and any of the reality courtroom shows. Even Maury, which once entertained my sister and in the mornings when we stayed home from school with wacky makeovers and fun feel-good stories, has now dedicated 99% of his efforts to determining who will be paying child support or who is and isn't cheating.
But I've come across two shows that, while slipping into the same silly daytime TV category, manages to impress me for its value beyond entertainment. These are The Doctors and Dr. Oz. The Doctors typically involves four exceptionally attractive American physicians sitting in front of a desk on a stage, decked out in doctor garb like lab coats or OR scrubs. The group seems to discuss some health topic each episode, involving the studio audience and flashing their pretty smiles. Dr. Oz isn't particularly different, although he might have guests from time to time.
It is clear that these shows are very entertaining for people or else they wouldn't be on TV. The social marketing is extremely blatant: beautiful people in clothing they wouldn't normally wear outside of actual medical practice. However, the information they provide is very important. They speak about general health topics and stuff that in many cases might be taboo for others to speak about. So much of the basic health information they convey is unknown to most of us, especially all those people in the USA without access to primary health care.
Who cares what the medium is? I learn stuff on that show all the time. Of course, that doesn't make me an expert, but it is basic stuff that can really benefit my health. Now, if there is something specific, go see your actual doctor. But there is a lot of stuff about healthy living that we can learn without going to a doctor.
This is social marketing at its best. One of the most difficult aspects of spreading important, educational messages is actually marketing it to people so they care. How many millions have been spent on campaigns to get people to eat better, quit smoking or stay fit? Some are effective and others not so much. But I've never come across something so broad that will appeal to so many people in such a way. And what better way to convey otherwise boring and monotonous medical information than through entertaining parts of daytime talk shows?
