{"id":6182,"date":"2013-06-24T11:48:00","date_gmt":"2013-06-24T11:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pharma-mkting.com\/should-novo-nordisk-dump-deen\/"},"modified":"2019-02-21T01:17:24","modified_gmt":"2019-02-21T01:17:24","slug":"should-novo-nordisk-dump-deen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ec2-54-175-84-28.compute-1.amazonaws.com\/pharma-mkting.com\/blog\/should-novo-nordisk-dump-deen\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Novo Nordisk Dump Deen?"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE (27 June 2013): Novo Nordisk “Dumps” … err, “Suspends” Deen:<\/p>\n

\n“Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed.<\/p>\n

Novo Nordisk would like to acknowledge Paula\u2019s involvement in our Diabetes in a New Light\u2122 campaign, where she has helped make many people aware of type 2 diabetes and the lifestyle changes needed to control this serious disease.”<\/p>\n

By now everyone should know that Paula Deen — celebrity chef and Novo Nordisk’s Victoza diabetes drug spokesperson — admitted in a videotaped deposition as part of a discrimination suit that \u201cYes, of course,\u201d she has used the “N” word.<\/p>\n

As a result, the Food Network has opted not to continue her contract. Should Novo also “dump Deen?”<\/b><\/p>\n

Some time ago, before this latest Deen PR fiasco erupted, I asked if the Novo Nordisk deal with Paula Deen was “Brilliant or Dumb?” (see here<\/a>). To date, the responses are evenly split between “brilliant” and “dumb.” If you haven’t already taken this poll, here it is again:<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
From a marketing perspective, is the Novo Nordisk deal with Paula Deen Brilliant or Dumb? <\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nBrilliant!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDumb!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIt remains to be seen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

  \n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/a><\/div>\n

You can also listen to a 2-minute audio snippet of my interview of Ambre Morley<\/b>, Associate Director, Product Communications, Novo Nordisk, in which she talks about vetting Paula Deen as a paid celebrity spokesperson for the Novo’s Victoza diabetes drug franchise and the importance of measuring celebrity return on investment (ROI). Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In light of all the new negative publicity and comments surrounding Deen (see videos below), perhaps Deen’s ROI has reached a point of diminishing returns and Novo should dump her immediately — I hope there is a clause in her contract with Novo that permits this before the contract expires.<\/p>\n

Here are a couple of brilliant Daily Show pieces about Deen and the N word (I did not know that her family once owned 35 slaves — “That’s a lot,” says Deen. But at least it’s less than the number of slaves owned by Thomas Jefferson.):<\/p>\n