What Damage Control is Like When the Name of Your Product Is "666"
August 14, 2013 8:08 PM Subscribe
From the depths of the old internet (Deuce of Clubs), here is a prank call to the Monticello Drug Company about their "666" Cough Preparation, which was followed up by a cease-and-desist letter to the site, and explained the source of the "666" branding. DoC replied, and received letters of support from folks, including the CEO of Montiecello, who found the whole thing to be a laugh. The CEO also sent weird labels to the Deuce of Clubs, including a box of/for "Ghost Scent," a re-labeled version of a body odor eliminator that was initially intended for older individuals, but found a following with hunters. To finish this journey into the internet past, DoC collected images of products, and a painting of a rural scene, complete with a "666 Cold Tablets" sign on a tree.
The Monticello Drug Company is indeed a real company, who really does sell a line of products under the 666 brand or header, though their earlier ads were a bit more bold with the brand.
The Monticello Drug Company is indeed a real company, who really does sell a line of products under the 666 brand or header, though their earlier ads were a bit more bold with the brand.
Ah superstition! It's so much fun!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:45 PM on August 14, 2013
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:45 PM on August 14, 2013
Paul K., a lawyer representing Monticello: "However, it was always Monticello's belief that the mark of the beast "666", was not evil unless it was written on human skin."
First, wow.
Second, do not apply topically.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:07 PM on August 14, 2013 [6 favorites]
First, wow.
Second, do not apply topically.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:07 PM on August 14, 2013 [6 favorites]
The so-called 'cease and desist' letter is nothing of the sort. It makes no demands, it makes no threats. It's not even from a lawyer, as the CEO's letter reveals:
The young man who first wrote to you was Paul K., not by any means an attorney. Paul and his firm were responsible for putting our Company up on the Internet. He was very focused on creating a good site for us, and probably overly concerned about any negative publicity. When you called him an attorney I thought I was going to lose him. He was offended about being called an attorney, and could not understand how you could have attacked his "kind and respectful" plea to pull us off of your site.posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:08 PM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's a super amusing story but the company mostly displayed a good sense of humor about all of it.
Even Paul K's not cease and desist reads as a bit tongue in cheek, "While the 666 brand name does present some marketing challenges..."
posted by Drinky Die at 9:12 PM on August 14, 2013
Even Paul K's not cease and desist reads as a bit tongue in cheek, "While the 666 brand name does present some marketing challenges..."
posted by Drinky Die at 9:12 PM on August 14, 2013
Huh. Apparently this "Nullo" stuff is a real thing. Whoda thunk it.
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:39 PM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:39 PM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think the brand has real potential. '666 - when you've got a beast of a cough, we've got its number!' '666 - end time for that sniffle!' '666 - for passages as slick and clear as the Whore of Babylon's!'. Maybe not that last one.
posted by Segundus at 1:11 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Segundus at 1:11 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I love this!!!!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:13 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:13 AM on August 15, 2013
Ah superstition! It's so much fun!
My daughter was born in early June, 2006. We were surprised at how many people asked us if we would do something to avoid seeing her born on the 6th of June. Honestly spoken we thought about it too. In Sweden everyone is given a "personal number" as a national ID which begins with your birthdate. We didn't want our daughter to have to deal with people's superstitious reaction to 060606 her whole life.
Apparently, it was a thing back then and more than a few mom's went to great lengths to avoid giving birth to Satan's spawn.
So we knocked on wood, avoided cracks in the sidewalks, and black cats and she was safely born (thanks to the great efforts of the NHS team in London where we were living at the time) some few days after that auspicious date. Thank God.
posted by three blind mice at 1:45 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
My daughter was born in early June, 2006. We were surprised at how many people asked us if we would do something to avoid seeing her born on the 6th of June. Honestly spoken we thought about it too. In Sweden everyone is given a "personal number" as a national ID which begins with your birthdate. We didn't want our daughter to have to deal with people's superstitious reaction to 060606 her whole life.
Apparently, it was a thing back then and more than a few mom's went to great lengths to avoid giving birth to Satan's spawn.
So we knocked on wood, avoided cracks in the sidewalks, and black cats and she was safely born (thanks to the great efforts of the NHS team in London where we were living at the time) some few days after that auspicious date. Thank God.
posted by three blind mice at 1:45 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
This nullo thing is fascinating. There's a pretty deep web rabbit hole about it and other chlorophyll supplements.
posted by NoraReed at 1:52 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by NoraReed at 1:52 AM on August 15, 2013
I thought us humans stink for several different reasons, I wonder how is this odor elimination thing supposed to work.
posted by Dr Dracator at 1:56 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by Dr Dracator at 1:56 AM on August 15, 2013
Listening to the consumer helped the Jacksonville-based Monticello Co. to find a niche for a 40-year old product called Nullo that it had been selling primarily to nursing home and elderly care facilities.
Nullo is a pill that eliminates all body odor, making it helpful to people with incontinence.
Does this seriously work? An anti-stinky pill? I may have to purchase this for certain men I know...
posted by Gordafarin at 3:43 AM on August 15, 2013
Nullo is a pill that eliminates all body odor, making it helpful to people with incontinence.
Does this seriously work? An anti-stinky pill? I may have to purchase this for certain men I know...
posted by Gordafarin at 3:43 AM on August 15, 2013
Oh my goodness. I want an anti-stinky pill and the cough syrup of the beast.
As for baby superstition, I have the same name as the mother in The Omen. I sorta want to name my first kid Damien for giggles, but I don't know if he'd be in on the joke.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:47 AM on August 15, 2013
As for baby superstition, I have the same name as the mother in The Omen. I sorta want to name my first kid Damien for giggles, but I don't know if he'd be in on the joke.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:47 AM on August 15, 2013
I love this
posted by asilonline at 4:56 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by asilonline at 4:56 AM on August 15, 2013
MARKOFCAINE -- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD
MARKOFCAINE -- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD
MARKOFCAINE -- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD
posted by Strange Interlude at 5:56 AM on August 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
MARKOFCAINE -- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD
MARKOFCAINE -- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD
posted by Strange Interlude at 5:56 AM on August 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
From the depths of the old internet
I miss the old internet. Hell I miss the old world.
posted by cybrcamper at 6:27 AM on August 15, 2013
I miss the old internet. Hell I miss the old world.
posted by cybrcamper at 6:27 AM on August 15, 2013
Man, if just ONE of those Nicene councils had dumped Revelations & gone with the book of St. Thomas...
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:55 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:55 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
His thoughts were red thoughts: The so-called 'cease and desist' letter is nothing of the sort.
Cease-and-desist was shorter than "please take your webpage about us down," so I went with that.
cybrcamper: I miss the old internet. Hell I miss the old world.
MetaFilter archives are there for you! For example, there are six prior posts that link to Deuce of Clubs, the most recent being from 2006.
Cease-and-desist was shorter than "please take your webpage about us down," so I went with that.
cybrcamper: I miss the old internet. Hell I miss the old world.
MetaFilter archives are there for you! For example, there are six prior posts that link to Deuce of Clubs, the most recent being from 2006.
- There is NOW a genuine effort in Congress to eliminate the income tax! (May 26, 2001)
- Online museums to "internet icons", including the Mojave phone booth (October 6, 2001)
- Salvation Mountain (November 14, 2001)
- "You can't beat Wagner's Meat" (June 2, 2003)
- No more hot dogs: Hasil Adkins passes (April 28, 2005)
- Future events such as these will affect you in the future!: a post on the Amazing Criswell (April 11, 2006)
"The nighttime sniffling, sneezing, snarling, wailing, gnashing teeth, evil, so you can reign in blood medicine."
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:09 AM on August 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:09 AM on August 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
« Older Need to exercise? Listen to or exercise with your... | The real Necronomicon? Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
The management team feels that articles like yours undermine their efforts, and as so are requesting that you remove the page (and links) from your site in addition to any other know on-line versions of the article.
It also does seem plausible to me that nobody would have had a problem with the name until The Omen. The Bible has a lot of stuff in it that nobody thinks about unless culture focuses attention.
posted by Drinky Die at 8:32 PM on August 14, 2013 [2 favorites]