Original Zoloft Commercial
Why Hacker News recommends it
Mostly cited as a recognizable example of antidepressant advertising in debates about pharmaceutical marketing and the serotonin theory.
What it is
A one-minute animated commercial for the antidepressant Zoloft, described as the original that inspired later sequels and parodies.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2019 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Cites doitLP · 2019-06 · on “Evidence of a nocebo response following a nationwide antidepressant drug switch”
It’s pervasive, especially in the early days of marketing antidepressants to the general public. Example, probably the most the most recognizable anti-depressant ad ever (at least in the US): [this video] @ 0:20
Critical banads · 2020-01 · on “Medications that change who we are”
>Citation required [this video] >"Depression may be related to an imbalance of natural chemicals between nerve cells in the brain. Prescription Zoloft works to correct this imbalance."
Critical coding123 · 2022-08 · on “TikTok videos leave teens thinking they have rare mental disorders (2021)”
The drug industry does the same thing. Has anyone else watched a anti-depression medicine commercial and suddenly felt they are depressed? [this video] I mean watch this and tell me you don't want what they're selling.
Critical 42772827 · 2025-02 · on “The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic review of the evidence (2022)”
> People who having passing familiarity with neuroscience often assume that psychiatric medications work by correcting deficiencies, but this isn't true. They think this because that’s literally what the commercial for Zoloft said. [0] [0] [this video]