A few years ago, my uncle gave me an old book created by the German pharmaceutical company Madaus, which is nowadays part of Rottapharm Biotech, to celebrate their 50th birthday. There is no publication date, but since Madaus was founded in 1919, it’s probably from 1969. The book’s visual style also fits that era.
It must have cost Madaus a bundle to publish, as it’s printed on high-quality paper and contains lots of cardboard pop-outs and special effects like paper mice that squeak when squeezed.
What struck me is how likable the company comes across, especially compared to the marketing materials of today’s pharma companies. The most obvious difference is the humor, which is irreverent considering that it’s supposed to be corporate promotional material.
Here are some examples:
“He who is a good shepherd, feeds his animals (and turns them into cash)”. The green stuff is real fake grass.
“Not only the piggy bank generates money when dissected properly.”
“Genius at work.”
“We live from what we do”. And not too badly either, it seems.
Nehaveigur 