There was an interesting article from the Independent on Sunday yesterday on celebrities advertising junk foods.
Health campaigners plan to make a fresh attack on food and drink companies in an attempt to ban them from using celebrities to advertise their products. The finger isn’t just being wagged at celebrity ambassador veterans David Beckham and Gary Lineker, London 2012 Olympians are also under scrutiny for backing salty Subway rolls.
Journalist Paul Gallagher reports that the food and drink industry should be condemned for acting irresponsibly for fooling customers into thinking they can look like celebrities by eating the product they’re endorsing. RIDICULOUS. As clever as PR and marketing is, people are born with an innate detector that helps them to recognise ‘spin’ when they hear or read it. Who would fall into this ludicrous trap? Wait. I really don’t want to know.
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that food and drink companies must act responsibly, they can’t think for people. Campaigners are hardly giving the Government’s Responsibility Deal for Public Health a chance. This voluntary scheme, which has new pledges thrown at it almost weekly, has attracted hundreds of businesses who want to make it easier for their customers to eat healthier, including Unilever Food Solutions.
If celebrities can grow food and drink sales by association, I say ‘well done’. I don’t call it demon marketing. Adverts don’t create fat nations, people do. And recession, according to rival paper The Guardian today.
