From Friday’s New York Times:

A recently recalled artificial hip made by a unit of Johnson & Johnson, designed to last 15 years or more, is failing worldwide at unusually high rates after just a few years.

One of the most troubled orthopedic implants of the past decade, this artificial hip — known as the A.S.R., or Articular Surface Replacement — was originally promoted as a breakthrough in design that would last longer and provide patients more natural movement.

That reminded me of my experience back in the mid-’80s as advertising copywriter for the Charnley Total Hip Replacement, the pioneering implant developed by Sir John Charnley in the 1960s.

Twenty years later, the Charley hip implant was 1) still the industry standard, and 2) the highest-profile account of the Boston advertising agency I worked for.

At one point, since I was already in England as arm candy for the Missus on a business trip, I traveled to Charnley headquarters in Leeds for a client schmooze.

Upon arriving there, I learned that the great Sammy Davis Jr. had received a Charnley hip implant.

So I created a new ad campaign for the company based on Sammy Davis Jr.’s endorsement and this theme:

Charnley: The Hip Hip

Not surprisingly, we lost the account.