You’re An Idiot

Or at least that’s what the ACCC believes. This nonsense about their crack down on the Coca Cola myth busting campaign is rubbish. Consumers realise Coke isn’t good for you. If Coke wants to try and change their image, then let them do it.

You don’t walk into Maccas and assume their burgers are healthy just because they offer a salad on the menu. And this is not the first time the ACCC has assumed you’re a complete moron, they did it last year with a Skins campaign.

Sure you old guys and girls think there’s a lot wrong with Generation Y, but one thing going for them (us) is their (our) scepticism. I would suggest, with the help of the Internet, that today’s consumer is smarter than ever before.

The ACCC needs to step off and let marketers do their work. No lines were crossed in either of these cases and consumers are smart enough and sceptical enough to know this. And if it changes their buyer behaviour, well done to the work of the marketers.

No Comments
  • Daniel Oyston
    Posted at May 2, 2009 11:03pm, 02 May Reply

    Mmmm the line you refer to is very very thin ….

    With out trying to flog a dead horse too much, I always took your view in this post with regards to the witchery girl/jacket campaign.

    I never really cares less whether it was real or fake. It kinda seemed irrelevant to me … it was a story. Some I hear are real. Others are fictional. So what? They entertain.

    We do have to be careful though. While the skins controversy was around them saying that they don’t pay athletes to wear them, there are claims that garments of this type make that are not scientifically proven e.g. prevention of injury during exercise.

    The only scientifically proven benefit of skins et al is that they aid recovery. But no one kicks up a stink that they make unproven scientific claims.

  • lauren
    Posted at May 3, 2009 6:56pm, 03 May Reply

    zac, i think that you are an incredibly intelligent and articulate person, probably with an excellent education and a good sense of proportion about the world.

    which means, sadly, you are not a representative of the average consumer in australia – young or “old”. unfortunately, consumers here are pretty ignorant. i’m not suggesting that ANYONE needs to treat them like idiots, but 90% of people who find self-worth in the goods and services they consume do choose to believe most of the hype. even if they know it’s bad for them. (see under recent hike in mcd’s turnover thanks to GFC spin). and if there’s a ‘story’ behind it – awesome. we love stories in australia – we’ll even support a morally suspect character/company/supply chain if we like the idea of a yarn or trickery or play.

    companies like coke (and mcdonalds), with a tremendous amount of power over the public/consumer, will always have ACCC decisions ruled conservatively against them. (which i personally am quite OK about really.)

    i think rather than calling into question the ACCC, the goal is to actually BE a company – product and business practice – that is authentic, transparent and ethically unquestionable.

  • Ben Shepherd
    Posted at May 4, 2009 12:05am, 04 May Reply

    “The ACCC needs to step off and let marketers do their work”

    Zac … dude, no. The ACCC plays a very important role in protecting consumers … who I think do need to be protected from grey claims from advertisers looking for any way (correct or not) to try and establish a point of difference.

  • Zac Martin
    Posted at May 4, 2009 1:36am, 04 May Reply

    Interesting post of view. Of course I agree they do some good things and restrictions have their place. But using Oyster’s example of the Witchery campaign, what if they tried to implement restriction on such a campaign?

    I just wonder sometimes who is policing the police?

  • AndrewD
    Posted at May 4, 2009 9:17am, 04 May Reply

    Unfortunately the ACCC to do its job, needs to look to protect the lowest common denominator. Not people like you

  • Ben Shepherd
    Posted at May 4, 2009 1:04pm, 04 May Reply

    Remember too – the ACCC’s mandate is generally to tackle larger issues than incorrect claims from lying marketers.

    Disclaimer: My fiancee works for the ACCC.

Post A Comment