Interesting Dear Doctor Postcard.

Thanks for this thread as I have just started collecting "Dear Doctor" postcards myself. There is a web site devoted to these cards that is very helpful (a quick google search will point you to it.)

The cards sent by Abbott Pharmaceuticals for Sodium Pentothal were first sent in 1956 and the advertising campaign lasted until 1968. The later cards are typically much more difficult to find and some of the most challenging are those addressed to a "Nurse" as opposed to the much more commonly seen "Dear Doctor." There are also cards from Abbott sent to other countries in the appropriate foreign language. (Ie non-english)

Similar cards were sent by other pharmaceutical companies for many years with a variety of ad campaigns and for various products. The interesting thing in these cards for me is that these were not just "souvenirs" but did travel through the mail and did serve a legitimate advertising purpose.

A Dear Doctor card from Saarbrucken -

I have a "Dear Doctor" card mailed from Goa (Portuguese India).

*bump*

A Dear Doctor distant French cousin sent from Tangier (1953). It's an oversize card, 180x110 mm:


Plasmarine is a mineral supplement, still being sold.


Comparatively dull view considering the red and black ad

EDIT:
The same basic postcard was used on exactly the same date with the same franking to French addressees, for Amora, a maker of mustard and other food items. Of course, it has a different message signed "Amora", so assume the receiver would recognize the name immediately. This product also still exists.

Adding my versions of Dear Doctor PPC - I learned from hy-brasil today what Dear Doctor Postcards are all about. I found it really interesting as a marketer. These were sent to the owner of a Department store in Eagle Pass Texas where my Aunt worked as an accountant.

Just found this "Dear Doctor" postcard from Ifni, my only postcard from there!

Perfinned - nice find, don't recall ever seeing a piece of mail from Ifni.

My late father was a doctor and I have many first day covers, mainly GB, that were used for medical advertising for a range of prescription products from several pharmaceutical companies. All this type of advertising has been prohibited in the UK for many years.

However during the phonecard era in the UK many drug companies produced phonecards with drug adverts on the basis that doctors on their rounds needed to find a phone and use a prepaid card while on their rounds. These were also produced in limited numbers so are still very collectable.