Waiting in a doctor’s surgery is not usually a highlight of anyone’s day.
But for one woman, her 50-minute wait for an appointment turned into something of a lesson in advertising as she was subjected to a rotating screen of medical-awareness messages.
Can’t take my eyes off this fun and informative tv channel in my GP’s waiting room pic.twitter.com/6cwvnmgeK9
— Helen Zaltzman (@HelenZaltzman) September 4, 2018
Podcaster Helen Zaltzman shared the images in a series of tweets which have been liked and shared more than 9,000 times.
It’s not hard to see the comedy value when a message about fridges accompanies a couple on a sun-drenched white beach.
The message reads: “Avoid food poisoning by using your fridge correctly”.
That is exactly what I was thinking. My fridge is missing its annual outing to the sea. It is too much trouble really, it gets full of sand and it hardly ever goes in the ocean anyway. It has way more fun at the water park.
— /bin/bash/Allen -Baranov (@abaranov) September 5, 2018
While you’ve barely had a chance to work out the link between fridges and beaches, another PSA pops up.
— Helen Zaltzman (@HelenZaltzman) September 5, 2018
One ad simply says “flu jabs” five times and in different sizes – although the message did sink in about what was actually on offer.
In a follow-up tweet, Zaltzman said she hadn’t had a jab yet, explaining: “This was a SNEAK PREVIEW of flu jab season, which premieres late September (for the over-65s, children and cancer patients).”
It’s a phrase that can easily get stuck in one’s head…
F L U J A B S F L U J A B S f l u j a b s
— Katie (@supermathskid) September 4, 2018
I'm retweeting myself because this is officially the most popular thing I've ever said. Put it on my grave. https://t.co/CkgsdmYL4q
— Rob Vicars (@RobVicars) September 7, 2018
…and bring out people’s creative side.
— Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) September 6, 2018
The pictures prompted other people to share similar experiences.
I recently sat in our doctors with my 12yo son, the screen showed a several-minutes-long animation about how to use a home stool sample kit, very edutaining for both of us!
— Andrew Fermor MPhys (@Kyrall) September 5, 2018
My surgery uses their monitor to showcase bad doctor jokes!
— Martin Phillp (@MPComplained) September 6, 2018
Mine plays an animated video about when to go to A&E which features a song to the tune of YMCA. It's something else!
— Rebecca Holt (@BexHolt16) September 5, 2018
Here’s that video in all its glory:
If that’s on a loop with the sound playing, you’ve got to worry about the reception staff.