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-'''Alka-Seltzer''' is an [[effervescent]] antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the [[Miles Laboratories|Dr. Miles Medicine Company]]. It was developed by Treneer<ref>http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/12926667.html</ref> in Elkhart Indiana.<ref name="Sold on Radio">[http://books.google.com/books?id=RwVkMMLqMdkC&pg=PT207&lpg=PT207&dq=miles+laboratories+history&source=bl&ots=qUcAxcazQY&sig=xUxTbOEeAWYljdOKlZtk2zLnnPU&hl=en&ei=VOnTSt2MLZGk8Ab8hYz6DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=miles%20laboratories%20history&f=false Google Books], Sold on Radio: Advertisers in the Golden Age of Broadcasting By Jim Cox pp 197-199 ISBN 978-0-7864-3391-9 May 23, 2008</ref> Alka-Seltzer is marketed for relief of minor aches, pains, inflammation, fever, headache, heartburn, sour stomach, indigestion, and hangovers, while neutralizing excess stomach acid.<ref name="Sold on Radio">[http://books.google.com/books?id=RwVkMMLqMdkC&pg=PT207&lpg=PT207&dq=miles+laboratories+history&source=bl&ots=qUcAxcazQY&sig=xUxTbOEeAWYljdOKlZtk2zLnnPU&hl=en&ei=VOnTSt2MLZGk8Ab8hYz6DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=miles%20laboratories%20history&f=false Google Books Sold on Radio: Advertisers in the Golden Age of Broadcasting] By Jim Cox pp 197-199 ISBN 978-0-7864-3391-9 May 23, 2008</ref> It was launched in 1931.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=nJkBrSsA3RwC&pg=PA239&dq=%22alka+seltzer%22+1931&hl=en&ei=USbUTMT2FsednweK_-iHBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBTge#v=onepage&q=%22alka%20seltzer%22%201931&f=false The book of answers: the New York Public Library Telephone Reference Service's most unusual and entertaining questions] By Barbara Berliner, Melinda Corey, George Ochoa. Simon and Schuster, 1992</ref>
-Alka-Seltzer is currently owned by [[Bayer Schering Pharma|Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany]]. The name "Alka-Seltzer" has been extended to incorporate an entire line of [[medication]]s sold [[Over-the-counter drug|over the counter]] and taken by means of rapidly dissolving tablets that form a carbonated solution in water.
-[[Image:Alka Seltzer in water.JPG|thumbnail|250px|Cherry Alka Seltzer Plus Tablet dissolving in water]]
-== Product information ==
-At the current time, Alka-Seltzer comes in foil packets, each containing two tablets. Prior to 1984, it was also available in long glass tubes.<ref name="75thAnniversary"/> It comes in various flavors.
-Alka-Seltzer Gold is a combination of [[sodium bicarbonate]], [[potassium bicarbonate]], and [[anhydrous]] [[citric acid]], used for the relief of heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach. Unlike original blue Alka-Seltzer, Alka-Seltzer Gold does not contain aspirin, or any other pain reliever.
-It was once marketed as something of a cure-all; at one time, its ads even suggested taking it for "the blahs". Subsequent promotion has taken into consideration that aspirin is a drug that is not tolerated by everyone, and the product is no longer advertised in this fashion. Alka-Seltzer should not be used for heartburn without pain, due to the aspirin content of the product.<ref name="AboutAlkaSeltzer">[http://alkaseltzer.ie/about-alka-seltzer About Alka-Seltzer]</ref>
-===Chemistry of the effervescence===
-Though important to the overall effect of the medication, the aspirin ([[acetylsalicylic acid]]) does not contribute to the [[Effervescence (chemistry)|effervescent]] action of Alka-Seltzer; the effervescence is produced by the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and citric acid reacting to form sodium citrate and carbon dioxide gas.
-{| style="margin-left: 2.5em; text-align: center".
-|-
-| C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>7(aq)</sub>
-| +
-| 3NaHCO<sub>3(aq)</sub>
-| →
-| 3H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>(l)</sub>
-| +
-| 3CO<sub>2(g)</sub>
-| +
-| Na<sub>3</sub>C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>O<sub>7(aq)</sub>
-|- style="font-size: smaller; line-height: 1em"
-| [[citric acid]]
-| +
-| [[baking soda]]
-| →
-| [[water]]
-| +
-| [[carbon dioxide]]
-| +
-| [[sodium citrate]]
-|}
-==Marketing==
-The product has been extensively [[advertising|advertised]] since its launch in the U.S.  Print advertising was utilized immediately, and in 1932 the radio show ''Alka-Seltzer Comedy Star of Hollywood'' began, with ''National Barn Dance'' following in 1933, along with many more.<ref name="Sold on Radio" /> The radio sponsorships continued into the 1950s, ending with the ''[[Alka-Seltzer Time]]'' show.
-Two years after its launch came the repeal of Prohibition in the US, and Alka-Seltzer became Miles' new flagship product, displacing Miles Nervine Tonic.<ref name="Sold on Radio" />
-In 1951, the "Speedy" character was introduced. Created by [[George Pal]] of the Wade Ad Agency as Sparky, the name was changed to Speedy by a sales manager to promote that year's promotional theme of "Speedy Relief". He appeared in over 200 TV commercials between 1954 and 1964. Speedy's body was one Alka-Seltzer tablet, while he wore another as a hat; he proclaimed Alka-Seltzer's virtues and sang the "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz" song in his high, squeaky voice (provided by voice actor [[Dick Beals]]).<ref name="75thAnniversary">[http://alka-seltzerplus.com/75/index.html 75th Anniversary]</ref> In December 2010, Alka-Seltzer began a series of new commercials featuring Speedy, using [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] effects to recreate the [[stop-motion]] puppetry of the 1950s and 1960s, with Speedy now voiced by a woman, [[Debi Derryberry]].
-[[Image:Alka Seltzer tablet.JPG|right|thumbnail|250px|Alka Seltzer Plus packaging and tablet]]
-===TV commercials===
-Alka-Seltzer TV ads from the 1960s and 1970s were among the most popular ad campaigns of the 20th century, ranking number 13, according to [[Advertising Age]]. In an effort to increase sales in a relatively flat business, Bayer has revived several of the vintage spots.<ref name="NYTimes"/>
-* [[George Raft]] starred in the 1969 Alka-Seltzer commercial "The Unfinished Lunch." It consists of Raft incarcerated and in the prison lunchroom. He takes a bite of the awful [[prison food]] and recoils. Suddenly he bangs his cup on the steel table loudly in the lunchroom. It ripples throughout the room. He starts intoning "Alka Seltzer, Alka Seltzer..." Soon, the other hundreds of inmates do the same.
-* An animated mid-1960s commercial, animated by [[R.O. Blechman]], shows a man and his own stomach sitting opposite each other in chairs, having an argument moderated by their therapist in a voiceover.<ref name="NYTimes"/> The stomach (voiced by [[Gene Wilder]]) accuses the man of purposely trying to irritate it.  The man accuses his stomach of complaining too much about the foods he likes. The therapist suggests Alka-Seltzer, and further suggests that the two must take care of each other. The closing words are of the stomach saying to the man: "Well, I'll try - if ''you'' will". It is not known who did the voiceover for the therapist.
-* Alka-Seltzer had a series of commercials during the mid-1960s that utilized a song called "No Matter What Shape Your Stomach's In," a different version of which was recorded by [[the T-Bones]] and was released as a single, which became a hit in 1966. The ads were unique in that they featured only the mid-sections (no faces) of people of all shapes and sizes.
-* In an Alka-Seltzer commercial from 1969, an actor (played by [[Jack Somack]]<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0813755/otherworks Jack Somack - Other works<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>) in a commercial for the fictional product "Magdalini's Meatballs" has to eat a meatball and then say "Mamma mia, that's-a ''spicy'' meat ball-a!" in an ersatz Italian accent. Take after take is ruined by some comedic trial or another. By the commercial's end, "Jack" has eaten so many meatballs that it's "Alka Seltzer to the rescue". With his stomach settled, Jack does a perfect take, except that the oven door falls off. The director (off-camera) sighs and says, "OK, let's break for lunch."
-* Another 1970 commercial shows a newlywed couple in the bedroom after his wife (played by [[Alice Playten]]) has finished serving him a giant [[dumpling]]; the implication is that her cooking skills are severely lacking. She lies on the bed in delusional triumph. She offers her beleaguered husband a heart-shaped [[meatloaf]]; he disappears to take some Alka-Seltzer. When she hears the fizzy noise coming from the bathroom, he quickly covers the glass of dissolving Alka-Seltzer as she wonders aloud if it is raining. Just when he has recovered his well-being, he hears her misreading recipes for dinner the next night: "[[Marshmallow]]ed [[meatballs]]," and "pouched (actually [[Poaching (cooking)|poached]]) oysters". He returns to the bathroom for more Alka-Seltzer.
-* A 1971 commercial featured the catch-phrase, "''Try'' it, you'll ''like'' it!" It was remade with [[Kathy Griffin]] in 2006.<ref name="NYTimes">[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/19/business/media/19adco.html?ex=1308369600&en=547d07b6d0bf4e89&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss NYTimes June 19,2006]</ref>
-* In 1972, an actor spent the commercial moaning, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" while his wife made sarcastic comments and finally advised him to take some Alka-Seltzer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Elliott |first=Stuart |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/19/business/media/19adco.html?ex=1308369600&en=547d07b6d0bf4e89&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss |title=Try It; You Liked It Once, and Alka-Seltzer Hopes You Do Again - New York Times |location=New York City |publisher=Nytimes.com |date=2006-06-19 |accessdate=2010-12-30}}</ref> In 2005, this ad was also remade, featuring [[Peter Boyle]] and [[Doris Roberts]] from the 1996–2005 TV [[sitcom]] ''[[Everybody Loves Raymond]]''.<ref name="NYTimes"/>
-* [[Sammy Davis, Jr.]] recorded two versions of the famous "Plop Plop Fizz Fizz" jingle in 1978, one of which (the "big band" version) was featured on a television commercial. Both versions, the big band and rock versions, had additional lyrics (with at least one verse unique to each song) written by Tom Dawes, former lead singer of [[The Cyrkle]].
-* In 2009, the brand was featured in television commercials supporting the United States Ski Team that included [[Alpine skiing|alpine skier]] [[Lindsey Vonn]] and [[Nordic combined]] skier [[Bill Demong]].
-==Popular culture==
-Alka-Seltzer is referenced in the track 'Supersonic' by British band [[Oasis_(band)]], with the lyrics ''I know a girl called Elsa, She's into Alka Seltzer, She sniffs it through a cane on a supersonic train''.
-On March 28, 2006, the 75th anniversary of Alka-Seltzer was celebrated in Las Vegas by a [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]]–setting buffet, which included 510 items and was hosted by actress/comedian [[Kathy Griffin]].<ref>"http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/03-28-2006/0004328705&EDATE="</ref>
-On March 22, 2003, [[Expedition 6|Expedition Six]] [[NASA]] ISS Science Officer [[Don Pettit]] performed a series of microgravity experiments with water spheres and Alka-Seltzer, which were described as "effervescent antacid tablets".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/video/station/expedition6/category/ndxpage10.html |title=Expedition 6 Video Index |publisher=Spaceflight.nasa.gov |date=2003-03-22 |accessdate=2010-12-30}}</ref>
-Alka-Seltzer was mentioned by [[Metallica]] in [[Master of Puppets]]'s leaflet. <ref>"http://www.chapinc.com/disco.php?recordID=14"</ref>
-==References==
-{{reflist}}
-==External links==
-* {{Official website|http://www.alka-seltzer.com}}
-[[Category:1931 introductions]]
-[[Category:Aspirin]]
-[[Category:Bayer brands]]
-[[Category:Drugs acting on the gastrointestinal system and metabolism]]
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