The movie “Network” – Full version
Some may find the title of this post a little crass or “disgusting”, however, in the spirit of Kotex’s new “U” campaign, I feel it fits perfectly. Kotex aims to “break the cycle” or re-frame the perception (or social stigma?), around tampons/pads, therefore I thought we should approach the post honestly, in terms of what the product actually delivers to the end user, i.e. your vagina.
Don’t get me wrong, I commend them for this first commercial that they put out:
I always found it weird/sad why dudes were so uncomfortable purchasing tampons/pads for their/a woman (I’m guessing that primary woman would be their queen); I liken it to be actually worse than that pre-pubescent moment of most guys lives when they are nervous buying their first box of rubbers: At that point you were likely an, understandably, self-conscience teenager, but by the age you reach when a woman might ask you to actually buy her tampons/pads, you should be mature and comfortable enough to be able to do it.
This “U” campaign is just too much for me. I simply love how it continues the current trend in North American advertising – creating bullshit product ads which focus on the fashionable aspect of your personal hygiene rather than the product attributes themselves.
This is how we sell little square pieces of paper which you use to wipe feces from your sphincter:
..
And babies, don’t forget to look cool pooping your pants:
I wonder why none of these ads have yet to use Del’s classic song as a backdrop yet?
So keep your bloody vagina’s looking fashionable ladies!
“I ain’t mad at cha”.
And dudes, if she asks you to buy tampons or pads for her, man up and go get them…
Mar 192010
As the human race continues its mass migration towards living solely in cities, we tend to forget (or not care?) where our food comes from. I can say with quite some confidence that the majority of my generation has never actually met a farmer, unless it was on a field trip for school when they were younger or perhaps at a saturday morning “farmers market” in order to buy fresh produce.
Now although we are choosing to embrace concrete jungles over the beautiful and harmonic relationships we once had with nature, food must still be produced somewhere. Over the last couple of decades, large multinationals have stepped in as our modern day “farmers” (I put that in parentheses because 99% of what they do can hardly be call farming in the traditional sense) setting up giant industrial operations in the hinterlands of countries throughout the planet.
There’s a great quote that I have heard many times over the last couple of years which clearly states our current predicament in the majority of the western world: “If we knew where our food came from, how it was prepared, we definitely would not eat it!” I’m not sure who the quote can be attributed to, however over the last couple years several documentaries have been produced for the masses of “city folk” to try and shed some light on this relatively obscured and overlooked subject. Most notably the toned-down Food Inc., or the more gruesome (and highly recommended) Earthlings.
The large multinationals have Marketing/PR/Advertising departments with budgets in the millions of dollars. We know this. We (city folk) claim that we no longer fall for the “marketing and advertising tricks” that companies excessively interrupt us with on a daily basis. For the most part this may be true when it comes to selling insurance or that brand new, must have widget all the kids are talking about, however, when it comes to food, we tend to overlook it. Or worse we simply dismiss it, both intellectually and emotionally rationalizing our choices. And you do have choices.
Giant agri-businesses thus continue to paste our milk cartons with pictures of the idyllic farms that are generated and framed into our minds as young children. They continue to lobby the government against the mandatory labelling of GMOs (genetically modified foods), against fair trade, continue to spend billions of dollars annually to keep you in the dark. Whether through misleading positive marketing and brand positioning or utilizing their massive legal muscle when necessary.
Last monday, Greenpeace posted a video on Youtube to help us get a better sense of just how one of North America’s favorite snacks is made. I’m sure Jane Goodall is smiling. From their campaign site:
“Nestlé, maker of Kit Kat, uses palm oil from companies that are trashing Indonesian rainforests, threatening the livelihoods of local people and pushing orang-utans towards extinction.
We all deserve to have a break – but having one shouldn’t involve taking a bite out of Indonesia’s precious rainforests. We’re asking Nestlé to give rainforests and orang-utans a break and stop buying palm oil from destroyed forests.”
Here’s the spoof video that created a ton of buzz on twitter, among other social media sites:
Nestlé banned this video about KitKat
Uploaded by visionontv. – Watch funny animal videos.
[if the above video has been removed or no longer works, click here to view it on Vimeo]
Excellent video, no?
It is what happened next that truly created a firestorm on Twitter. Nestle used their legal team to have the video removed as quickly as possible from YouTube, citing copyright infringement. Within about 2 hours it was gone. Here’s how one YouTube user (onlinejournalist) believes they went about this:
From a social issues stand point, we should not support companies such as these who are ruining the earth in order to make a profit. Palm oil monoculture farmlands are popping up all over the third world as it is a cheaper, more robust crop to grow. It’s one thing to have traditional farmlands converted to monocultures (which is still EXTREMELY BAD!) but it’s another thing to willfully destroy rainforests which are thousands of years old in order to cut costs. The loss of the rainforests not only is a problem in regard to the HUGE loss of biodiversity (in this case it is the plight of the Orang-Utans which is highlighted) which is lost with each hectare ripped away, but it is also very important that the rainforests are kept thriving due to their specific role in the fight against climate change – the rainforests are basically the earth’s lungs.
Now every time that I have ever made a statement such as: “We/you should not support companies which have such destructive practices” I get a ton of angry (usually unaware people) who quickly snap back: “But EVERYBODY, EVERY company does these things. I wouldn’t be able to eat ANYTHING.”
I cannot stand that argument as it is just a cop-out. And it is absolutely not true. You do have choices. From now on, don’t eat any kit kat bars. As a matter of fact do not eat, drink or buy anything that Nestle produces (or it’s subsidiaries). If you find out that literally “every” candy bar company lacks ethical & socially-responsible pratices – then don’t buy from ANY of them. Make your own snacks at home.
It is your moral obligation to the planet and future generations that you are not complicit in these destructive activities and also your obligation that you make yourself aware and fight back against them.
“So, no Mcdonalds? No Burger King? No Tim Hortons? No Kraft? No…”
Yes, a big NO to all of them. As consumers and human beings we have the power and duty to ensure that these companies are constantly striving to be 100% sustainable and until then, we should not give them a penny.
Lastly (for now), yes, I am aware that it is not only Nestle who engages in such practices. And I am also aware of the tons of other terrible practices which Nestle engages in in regard to labor, milk, baby formula, bottled water, etc, etc…
Use the internet to find out more information about your favorite brands and products to learn the true story behind them, not just what their ads convey. A good start is to begin researching any of the following companies & their subsidiaries:
Now on to the marketing/PR perspective of this fiasco. Nestle screwed up. Big Time. It’s good to see that they are at least trying to manage their online reputation by at least listening (although passively) to what those in the social media spheres are saying (proved by their quickness in spotting the video and having it removed) however, they obviously don’t understand how the internet/social media works.
Nestle has yet to have actually responded to the video. No (real) human being has given an explanation for the removal of the video or simply commented on their position in regard to using palm-oil suppliers which destroy precious rainforests and subsequently destroy the habitats of thousands of different species. Strike one.
Strike two is that they didn’t realize that when you try to force the internet to hide something nowadays, it simply infuriates those who support the open internet and that which you try to hide or suppress will simply pop up in other places, in this case Vimeo (or Dailymotion, or vodpod or…) within 30 minutes of the Youtube removal.
Strike three comes when you try to suppress or hide a spoof video such as this one from becoming viral, your actions simply make it more viral. Your high-paid marketing/PR department should be aware of this. It’s elementary human nature. Especially the nature of the internet.
It’s 2010. Traditional top-down command & control of how information flows no longer exists.
Get use to it.
If you’d like to read more about Greenpeace’s kit kat campaign as well as their response to Nestle’s PR department for the removal of the video from YouTube, click here
Thank you for connecting,
Mar 162010
I actually had an old post in the archives (which never saw the light of day) which was based solely on the following picture. It was a lengthy piece regarding how over & over, marketers continue to still make the same mistakes when it comes to packaging – it being non-complimentary towards the product, the lack of consistency in the branding of the end product in regard to the packaging, how packaging is often overlooked for the more “sexy” aspects of marketing a product, etc, etc…
I might one day put up the full post, but for now I’ll let this picture speak for itself.
Welcome to When Marketers Fail: The Package Opener
Thank you for connecting,
Nov 242009
Time that it takes to read this post: 5 mins (approx.)
These booths disgust me. I am disgusted by both the credit card companies and the educational institutions which take part in these bogus affinity programs. Every college and university is a business, and if its funds or funding are inadequate they should create better programs to raise money then this.
As a matter of fact, the laws in Canada should be immediately amended in order to outlaw such relationships. It is sad enough that financial literacy courses are still not made mandatory for all students (which should include several courses delivered at multiple ages/levels of education) but the fact that schools actually allow for these loan sharks to hock their products to students is abhorrent. Not to mention the conflict of interest that the schools have in keeping these programs thriving on campuses all around the world.
A student gets high interest rates, unexplained terms and conditions and pre-approved credit pushed on them, all in exchange for a free t-shirt, coffee mug or personal travel fan.
Financial literacy should be as mandatory and respected in the curriculum as math, sciences and english.
Therefore I decided to put together a quick list of tips for all of you who are approached with the aggressive sales tactics of these irresponsible companies. Although aimed at students these tips are also applicable to all credit card holders.
Don’t Fall For The “I’ll only use it for emergencies” Trap: If i had to make a bet I would say that at least 90% of all students convince themselves with this reasoning when acquiring their first credit card. Stop bullshitting yourself. Talk to me in a year and we can see all the “emergencies” you’ve actually used it for.
Only Use CASH: When it comes to getting out of crushing debt, the first step most debt consultants will make you take is to cut up or hide your credit cards and debit cards. The amount of your own personal wealth which is eroded over the months and years by transaction fees and interest on credit can quickly add up to several hundreds to thousands of dollars. Use cash as much as possible. This way a quick peek into your wallet/purse will let you know if you can really afford that purchase. If not stopping you all together, this method will at least force upon you a quick moment to think twice about that useless, unneeded, spur-of-the-moment purchase anyway.
Become Financially Literate On Your Own Time: It really is up to you personally. The majority of educational institutions still adhere to the false assumption that it is solely the parents responsibility to teach their children about money management. I do agree with this to a limited extent. However, all schools should have mandatory courses on financial literacy, with different courses delivered at different stages in one’s educational career. Since this unfortunately is not the reality at this time, you must learn financial literacy on your own. The internet has a wealth of free information. Read the business sections in newspapers, watch reports on television. However, be wary of biases and conflicts of interest when receiving information. How to handle your money is probably the most important thing which you will need to learn in your life in this day and age. Talk about it. Learn about it. One smart piece of advice I was given at a young age was to look towards those who are accumulating real wealth when chosing to model techniques. You don’t want your financial advice from someone who is broke. A broke person will teach you how to remain broke. Look to the wealthy for tips. And lastly, don’t be afraid to invest your money for your future as well as a “rainy day”. Learn and understand compounding interest, stocks, money market funds, etc. This goes out to the ladies just as much as the men, learn how to handle your own money and do not blindly trust him with your finances.
Don’t Let A Credit Card Choose You: If you signed up for a credit card on campus it is most likely not the best card for you. Tell them where they can shove that free t-shirt, mug or personal travel fan. Shop around because there are hundreds of different cards (“student cards” aren’t always the best for students either). Always read through the terms and conditions (and understand them!), understand fees and interest rates, etc. You should know what a grace period is, what interest rates are, the terms regarding missed/late payments, penalties, what’s the annual cardholder fee and so on.
Do You Really Need A Credit Card? Get A Line Of Credit Instead: Interest rates around the world are still currently at historic lows in some countries. In Canada, line of credit interest rates are set in accordance with The Bank of Canada’s rate (“prime”) plus 1-5% depending on the bank and your financial situation. This means that you can have credit extended to you at under 10% instead of the more common 18-30% found on most credit cards. Be aware however that a line of credit used irresponsibly can land you in the same predicament as a credit card will.
You Only Need One Card: You may be tempted to apply for that second card but you should refrain yourself. Every card for which you apply for shows up on your credit report, and this could indicate to the credit reporting agencies that you are having trouble paying off your finances, not to mention that you are simply increasing your risks of falling into a vicious trap of accumulating more and more debt. Which usually happens.
Stay Within Your Credit Limit And Keep It Low: Credit card companies will hit you with steep penalties once you step over your credit limit at any given time. The best way to build good credit is to show your capacity to be able to pay back your debt on time, and to keep you balances less than 50% of your available credit. Also keep your credit limit low. A higher credit limit doesn’t reflect a better credit score. And do you really need more than a 1000$ limit on that card? You are using it only for emergencies right? Also realize that by law credit card companies cannot simply raise your credit limit without informing you, so read those statements once you receive them.
Pay Off Your Balance In Full Every Month: They’ll eat you alive with interest and fees. Pay it off in full. Credit scores are also impacted by the difference between what your credit limit is and the what you owe on a monthly basis. Keep that difference as wide as possible.
Make Payments On Time: Your credit score is most adversely affected by late payments, any collections being made on your account and bankruptcies. So pay on time. As aforementioned, interest can build up to rediculous amounts over time and keep you stuck in the cycle of being broke, paying off only interest and barely scrapping the principal. Credit card companies love your missed payments or simple minimum payments-it makes them rich.
At Least Pay The Minimum Payment: Unable to pay off your full balance this month? Are you just making excuses? If you really can’t pay off the full balance always make sure to make the minimum payment, on time. Your credit score is highly impacted by late and/or missed payments. If you use online banking, a great way to ensure that you don’t “forget” to make your minimum payment is to set up pre-authorized post-dated automatic transactions that will put money towards a credit card monthly so that you don’t miss a payment. Calculate a monthly average that you tend to owe and make a post dated transaction each month.
Double The Minimum Payment: Do not let yourself get caught in the vicious cycle of only paying the minimum payment. You will not get anywhere. Aim therefore to at least pay DOUBLE the minimum payment to ensure that you are at least taking a chunk out of the principal as well as paying off the accumulating interest.
Don’t Even Think About Taking Out A Cash Advance: They will suck you dry. Usually, on a cash advance you will pay a 2-5% cash advance fee PLUS the finance charges on any amount you withdraw. When paying off your credit cards, payments will go towards purchases first, leaving you accumulating more interest (at a higher rate) on the cash advances themselves.
Demand/Ask For A Lower Interest Rate: Credit card companies love students because research shows that students are most likely to carry on the same card from school into their professional lives. They have calculated lifetime value and are trying to create a sense of loyalty. If your rates are high, don’t be afraid to call your company and ask for a lower rate (and have research to back up your request). If they don’t want to compromise with you, don’t be afraid to cancel your card and switch to someone else.
Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt: So you got yourself more than one card? Accumulating interest all over the place and barely making a dent in one debt due to another. It is time to consolidate your debt. Transfer your high interest rates balances to the your lowest interest rate credit card. Apply the interest rate savings towards your outstanding balance and you can pay off your debt more quickly.
Think Long Term: It is important that you plan ahead for your different obligations in life. Be proactive and not reactive concerning your finances. Remember that there is “good” debt and “bad” debt. Consumer debt is “bad”.
Review Your Credit Reports Periodically: You should always request a copy of your credit report at least once a year. Then actually read and review it! Make sure to always check for inaccuracies, outdated and/or disputable information. You must dispute this in writing with the credit bureaus. In Canada, the two major Credit Bureaus are TransUnion and Equifax. Although they will try to trick you with their commercials to pay for personal credit reports with personalized credit profiles and such, by law they must provide you with a free credit report at least once a year (YOU must request it by phone or mail). This is free, therefore obtain a copy of your credit report at least once a year.
Avoid Opening Joint Accounts With A Friend Or Significant Other: You love them now, I understand. What will the future bring? Who knows. And friendships can also go sour quickly over money disputes. Don’t believe me? Tune into one of the “Judge” shows on tv.
Use Rewards/Perks Wisely: The majority of credit cards now come with some sort rewards program whereas you can get 1-3 points (or Airmiles, etc…) for each dollar which you spend. The best cards (in terms of rewards) are definitely those which allow you to trade your points for financial rewards. For example, on my last credit card for every each $1000 I spent, I could trade in the points for $25 RRSP voucher. FREE MONEY! Kind of. I could have also traded them in for a Starbucks gift card or a Nintendo Wii, even for shampoo I believe, but that would just be stupid. Make sure that if you will be choosing a “rewards/perks” card, that you choose your rewards wisely – you’ve earned them. Their are even some rewards programs which will allow you to pay down a loan.
I hope this quick list of tips can be of benefit to you either now or in the future. I am so fortunate that I learned about many of them at an early age so that I didn’t make many of the same costly mistakes as some friends did.
Have any of your own personal tips regarding credit cards? Let me know!
Thank you for connecting,
