When it Comes to Healthcare and Humor, Where do you Draw the Line?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8al4KTkuB2M
If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know I’m an advertising junkie. I’ve blogged about one of my heroes in the business – Mike Hughes of The Martin Agency. He is battling cancer, but has managed to keep his wonderful wit and keen observations throughout it all.
In fact, he has a thoughtful, poignant blog of his own called “Unfinished Thinking. You can find that here. Another ad hero I follow is Luke Sullivan, who used to work for Mike in Richmond and wrote the bestselling advertising book “Hey Whipple: Squeeze This.” Luke also has a great site here.
Recently, I noticed one of Luke’s Facebook posts mentioning that Mike had written to him asking for “new material.” New jokes to make light of his own situation. W+K CD Jim Riswold, also a cancer patient (and the writer behind some of the all-time greatest NIKE ads), sent Mike and Luke this incredibly dark and funny bit from “The Jeselnik Offensive,” which you can watch here.
As a creative director and writer in the healthcare world, it made me think, “Where do you draw the line between being entertaining and engaging and being offensive?” Cancer is a very serious subject – but I also know cancer patients and survivors who never lose their sense of humor. So, watch it and let us know your thoughts.