Havidol

Australian based artist Justine Cooper created this parody marketing campaign of fictional medication called “Havidol” (have it all), chemically named “avafynetyme” (have a fine time) to treat the also fictional psychological disorder Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD). She is playing around with ideas concerning the prevalent modern trend to seek medication when feeling un-happy, and the notions that medications mask problems but do not solve them. It is dealing with ideas associated with Disease-mongering. She is also looking at the social parameters we, as a capitalist society construct for ourselves and the way in which these exacerbate an anxiety of the post-modern human condition. I find the concepts she’s working with very interesting and I like the route she has gone down to try and draw attention to her points. I believe satire to be a very effective way of proposing alternative conceptions to things. She parodies the tactics used by the pharmaceutical industry to sell prescription medication, but in a humorous and subtle way.



The campaign recreates the entire drug marketing process, from the branding process, naming the drug, designing logos and promotional merchandise. Its look mimics others so accurately and the design is so slick that it is reported that many believe it to be an actual drug, although it has obvious ironic notes in the copy.

Visit the Havidol web-page here, it is an insightful trip.