September 2005

'Progress' group releases first ads

'Think Again' campaign shows chiropractic's broad reach

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) has released final designs for an ambitious series of public service display ads that organizers say could help the public understand that the benefits of chiropractic care go far beyond back pain in adults.

The 12 ads each start with the line "If you think..." and plug in a different common misconception about health or chiropractic. They end with the tag line: "Think again! Think chiropractic."

The ads ‑‑ in a rainbow of strong primary colors ‑‑ hope to encourage people to rethink such ideas as "colds and runny noses are natural in this climate," "aches and pains are part of growing older," and "chiropractors only treat bad backs."

Gene G. Veno, president and CEO of F4CP ‑‑ which was conceived and founded by Kent Greenawalt, president of Footlevelers, Inc. ‑‑ reported that the foundation initially retained a marketing research firm to study public perception and the global opportunities and for chiropractic. Based on what they learned, they hired a nationally known public relations firm to create the marketing program. So far, F4CP has received pledges totaling more than $3 million over the next five years.

The print ad campaign will be complemented by radio and television ads, which are currently in production. In an open letter to the profession, Veno noted that the foundation needs "volunteers who are willing to spread the word about the Campaign for Chiropractic and get pledges signed by their colleagues; and ambassadors who are willing to organize their associates, friends and member organizations to distribute contribution‑seeking materials."

He also asked for financial support from doctors. "We are very enthusiastic about this campaign to build greater public awareness. But like any major effort that will determine the future of the profession, we need your vote of confidence. We want to hear your ideas and comments, and of course, we want to hear from you with a financial commitment each month to sustain the Campaign for Chiropractic."

In forming the Foundation, Greenawalt explained his motivation. "Chiropractic is health care's best kept secret," he stated. "People need to know how crucial chiropractic care can be to maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle. We want to help chiropractic move forward and we are putting a substantial amount of funding into this effort to make it happen."

Not everyone was pleased with the ads, however. In an e‑mail circulated by J.C. Smith, DC, Joseph C. Keating, Jr., PhD, was quoted as saying: "I suppose from a marketing point of view these ads pass muster: eye‑catching rhetoric, colorful, cute. However, the very first one I opened ('If you think... chiropractors only treat bad backs...') offers up the same sorry old Meric system rationale for why chiropractic is good for whatever ails ya... chirogobbledygook ad nauseum ‑‑ the nervous system connects all parts of the body and chiropractors 'adjust' the nervous system ‑‑ so 'Headaches. Stomach problems. Muscular disorders. Loss of energy. Reduced performance. Even allergies can possibly be affects...' Kent's group really doesn't need to hire an outside agency to produce this stuff; all they need do is go to the web and existing pamphlets for this sort of traditional chiroBS."

The Keating quote continues: "[I]t seems to make no difference to many chiropractors; they will make their unsubstantiated claims no matter what ‑‑ to hell with evidence, it just works, get the BIG IDEA, yadiyadiya. I guess I misunderstood the notion that this new ad campaign was going to promote the chiropractor in a fashion that was consistent with the public's expectations and with the limited data available (DC as spine‑musculo‑skeletal‑head/neck/and low back expert). I suppose I naively hoped that there would be a commitment to an evidentiary basis for the campaign. Boy am I stupid. This stuff is chirobabble ‑ business as usual... No doubt someone will retort that if Keating knows better he should write the ads. Sorry, I'm no marketer, just a crap detector, and this stuff is full of it."

Keating, who currently works as a freelance writer in Phoenix, Ariz., served as professor at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic and is a member of the board of directors of the National Institute of Chiropractic Research (NICR). He also serves on the editorial board of several journals including Clinical Chiropractic, the Chiropractic Journal of Australia, Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics. A prolific writer, his most recent book, co‑authored with Drs. Louis Sportelli and Lawrence Siordia, is "We Take Care of Our Own: NCMIC & the Story of Malpractice Insurance in Chiropractic."

Smith, winner of the American Chiropractic Association's "Service to Chiropractic" award in 2003, did not identify where the quote from Keating originated, though it appeared to be from a letter or e‑mail sent to Smith.