A Day In The Life…Of An NYC Acupuncturist
This artifact from 1996(1997?) is odd in many ways, but mainly because the caption makes almost no sense. “Maybe your inner child would prefer a cartoon,” it reads. As opposed to what, a sharp needle in the eye? Perhaps the implication is that one ought to visit a cartoon shrink (the very droll Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist) rather than risking one’s life with an acupuncturist. But I make too much of this. Clearly, this is, and was, a fun ad campaign that managed to take chances. And certainly it’s not meant to be picked apart.
For me, the most fun aspect of this is that I was the acupuncturist hired to do the mock up for the ad. And they paid handsomely; all I had to do was find a buddy who would model for it. At the time I was working at a pain management clinic along with Alan Steinfeld, currently of New Realities. It was a terrific first job, where I was able to treat sciatica, chronic knee, shoulder, and elbow pain, along with insomnia and anxiety. So I found Alan and, after offering him a cut of my commission, off we went.
The address took us to a chill little Chelsea photo studio. After a brief wait, Alan lay back face up on a treatment table, and I ended up giving him my patented facial rejuvenation treatment—not that he needed it, of course.
Voila! Instant acupuncture.
Of course, they ended up photo-shopping the pins onto that ‘model.’ Still and all, I was tickled when the ad came out.
Call it just another day in the life of a New York acupuncturist.