They look and feel awful. More importantly, they don’t work. Buckley’s Mixture is positioning itself as an effective alternative to chicken noodle soup and the repulsive homemade remedies—featuring ingredients of questionable provenance—that cold sufferers resort to

Timed for cough and cold season, the “No-Nonsense Relief” campaign from Saatchi & Saatchi is built around a trio of 15-second spots, “Chicken Soup,” “Concoction,” and “Laugh,” running across TV and social through March. Media was handled by Publicis Leon.

Two of the spots highlight common cold remedies—from grandma’s chicken noodle soup, to a glass of green liquid that resembles something conjured up from a book of Medieval potions—while a third humorously disproves the old adage that laughter is the best medicine by showing someone maniacally (and futilely) laughing into a mirror.

Each spot concludes with a person grimacing as they swallow a spoonful of Buckley’s, followed by the “It tastes awful. And it works” tagline that has powered the brand’s advertising since the mid-1980s.

The agency deliberately focused on the brand’s iconic tagline, while maintaining its “authentic humour,” said Saatchi & Saatchi’s VP, executive creative director Rob Gendron. “ACDs Luke Skinner and Jonny Ciordas…hit the tone right on the money.”

The spots were directed by Chris Woods of Scout’s Honour, with The Vanity for VFX and colour and Inlaws Audio for sound.