The Greens oppose the CPRS not because it is too weak, but because it will point Australia in the wrong direction with little prospect of turning it around in the timeframe within which emissions must peak, says Senator Christine Milne.
The Coca Cola Chronicles: in need of some new PR tricks
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Crikey reader Gary Muratore recently contacted Coca-Cola in response to an advertisement featuring Australian actress Kerry Armstrong. Here is the response from Coca-Cola and Gary’s return correspondence, which he kindly sent onto us.
Thanks Coca-Cola Team, A week plus to get an answer. Maybe you are busy or maybe you read my letter in Crikey. I truly believe you are digging a PR hole of which you will never recover. I understand what your product is and based on that use (to be correct used to use) in moderation. Trying to convince the public a series of urban myths exist and then trying to make the product out to be something it is not is despicable. Coca-Cola should hang its head in shame. Further to underestimating the public’s intelligence you insult me by not even answering my original question (How much did “myth-busting” Kerry get?) and then you sign your belated response as the Coca-Cola team… like it is some sort of Mickey Mouse Club. Could you not find one person in your organisation with the testicular fortitude to put their name to a consumer query? It’s poor marketing form, it’s poor PR form and it is an insult to all consumers. I pointed out in Crikey that I wrote to Glaxo Smith Kline when they tried to spin the “More Vitamin C than Blackcurrant” lie. In that case GSK realised they had been caught out and I received a telephone call form GSK’s Managing Director admitting their mistake, apologising and giving a commitment that they would in future take consumers seriously. So Coke team (can I be so informal and just call you Coke?) give up on this poor PR programme, admit your agency gave you bad advice on this one and get on with some responsible product marketing. Regards, Garry Muratore (Sorry not enough of me to form a team.) Ex Diet Coke Consumer, new Pepsi Max drinker. |
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4 Comments
It’s just addictive sugar water. We all know it’s bad, but not that bad. Everyone relax.
I notice that the “Coca Cola Team” talk of using Coke in moderation. - Perhaps the team would define what they mean by moderation?
One or two bottles per day perhaps, or maybe like the alcohol advice, no more than 4 standard drinks per day!
Anne: so using your rationale, it would’ve been OK for Ms Armstrong to endorse say vodka or cigarettes, given that “The well-being of other children, if it is indeed threatened, is their parents’ responsibility”. AND
“…she’s a hard-working single mum and it’s possible that she needed the money.”
I’d suggest you check out the meaning of ‘social conscience’ & ‘mutual obligation’ before you embarrass yourself publicly again.
How much Kerry Armstrong received for her participation in the ads is nobody else’s business: I go so far as to suggest that it’s a bloody cheek to even ask! So far as I know, she’s a hard-working single mum and it’s possible that she needed the money. If that is so, and if it were me, my kids’ welfare would come first, by a long shot. The well-being of other children, if it is indeed threatened, is their parents’ responsibility. Kerry Armstrong as an actor and an activist has always stood high in my opinion and she will continue to do so, Coke ads notwithstanding. She’s ‘good people’, and I’m confident that she knew what she was doing. You and I don’t know ‘why’, but I’m inclined to give her the benefit of doubt, if, in fact, we presume that she needs it.