ABSTRACT

The present article develops the specific case of Ventolin, a medication that has achieved iconic market status by virtue of its fifty years of existence, the attributes of the object that dispenses it (the inhaler), its consumers (asthmatics), and the brand itself. We start by situating Ventolin’s birth in the historical context of the search for asthma remedies. We then discuss how the Ventolin inhaler went from problematizing the bravery of asthmatics by symbolizing weakness and cowardice to becoming an emblem of villainy thanks to the association with Darth Vader. We conclude by discussing the hijacking of this medication brand and the role of materiality in that process.

摘要

本文介绍了 Ventolin 的具体案例，这是一种凭借其 50 年的存在而获得标志性市场地位的药物、分配它的对象（吸入器）、其消费者（哮喘患者）和品牌本身的属性. 我们首先将文托林的出生置于寻找哮喘药物的历史背景中。然后，我们将讨论 Ventolin 吸入器如何通过与 Darth Vader 的合作，从通过象征软弱和怯懦来质疑哮喘患者的勇敢变成了邪恶的象征。我们最后讨论了这个药物品牌的劫持以及物质在这个过程中的作用。