Hungry Jack’s double burger, double cheese, double bacon is bad for the industry
Self regulation is one of those boring-sounding but vital things for the marketing industry.
For brands, it means behaving responsibly – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it is in the interest of the whole industry.
The latest draconian crackdown on cigarette packaging is a pretty brutal demonstration of what happens when governments decide you need regulating.
Alcohol has also been a big focus. And the next target is in the responsible promotion of food products.
Good on you, Mr Burrowes.
It’s very difficult to sit through this: http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html
…and not come to the conclusion that fast-food is the new cigarettes.
Libby Trinkett (ex swimmer) is the face of KFC!
What on earth is she thinking of? how can a responsible olympian do something like that? I dont care if the slimmer wraps contain little calories, it’s the salty chips and coke that slaps on the fat.
Hey ho someone at an agency has designed the advert and sleeps at night…
Bankers and agency workers are the two occupations in the world that get the most reward yet deliver the least to society…
It is even sadder that the kids / fast-food debate usually forgets that there is no gate-keeper in the process.
This gatekeeper is called the parent. If they are unable to effectively maintain this education role – “food and exercise go hand in hand, son” and gatekeeper role “no you can’t have a lardy-burger every month” then they are the key problem here.
what is really sad is that there are people who work in this industry who crap on about self regulation … advertising agencies are here for one purpose … selling stuff… and yes that includes burgers and booze and a whole host of other stuff too with or without double bacon. The point about government regulation is hilarious… don’t confuse a price hike on fags wrapped into a crackdown as anything other than a tax plunge on poor old smokers. Lets be honest the emphysema always guarantees that they are the slowest moving in the herd for the ATO… The point of highlighting fast food as the new advertising demon is ridiculous… who among you can put your hand on your heart and vouch for the business ethics of every single piece of business you work on… those with their hands in the air who deal with financial institutions get your hands down right now.
It’s not as bad as the ‘Double Down’ burger KFC are currently promoting in the US – in place of the bun it has two original recipe (or grilled) chicken fillets, two rashers of bacon and two slices of cheese – “so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!” http://www.kfc.com/doubledown/
I’m with AdGrunt + anothermous … we have ad agencies who produce campaigns to sell our clients product. Its up to the final decision maker (i.e in this case the parents) to say make what decision is good and bad. Having worked on a client who sold Kids Toys for a number of years … parents can say no, its just alot of the time they just don’t wish to.
Agree with AdGrunt: I’m a gatekeeping parent and its up to us if we want load our kids with saturated fat and salt. Parents who do fill-up the kids every morning and night with McCrap and KFC are surely bordering on child abuse. JUST SAY NO you softies, because you CAN beat that taste.
The solution to any problem is debate and education, not censorship
gcole, nice that you’re a gate keeping parent but surely we all know that there’s a relationship between SES and obesity ? If you’re in doubt check out the Medical Journal of Australia http://mja.com.au/public/issue.....703-3.html
Who are the ads pitched at ? Dirty secret of the ad world no doubt but it’s ppl in low paying jobs with a knowledge base that is doubtless not as sophisticated as yours.
You might well say that your kids wont be eating KFC tonight with some degree of moral pride but does that mean that other parents who don’t have the same information set are culpable for responding to the sophistry of TV advertising in the way the advertisers intended ?
Hmmm. The research you cite doesn’t draw any link, never mind causality.
Using your (unsupported) logic low SES shouldn’t be allowed to watch TV or even breed at all?
These same people (according to this same logic) will likely never smoke as they never see cigarette ads. Except we know that isn’t true.
The reality is advertising emphasises one choice over another using their particular monkey dance. If you respond mindlessly to every ad you see then you have problems beyond fat kids.
Can you believe the rantings of patronising twerps like “NoReally?” ?? Of all places on a marketing site??.. high and mighty phrases like “Dirty secret of the ad world” and “sophistry of TV advertising”… Jesus good thing all those mindless people in lower socio economic groups have people like you to protect them from the evil Colonel!! What a chump!
He he!
So much for freedom of choice when you cannot acces the facts(really!)
How does john or jane doe understand what a decent product is when there is not even contemporary government web site info on the various products on offer?
Industry must declare to government exact composition of fat, sugar, salt amd GI etc if we are all to understand what we are getting ourselves into period
the education system also needs to be upgraded to teach more life skill ie nutrition for example
Home ec rarely covers balanced nutrition, that is , how to live in a fast food society whilst maintaining adequate monitoring of health effects etc
One thing that really stands out is that one size does not fit all
Love and fun guys
Chi xo
I’m going to invite the esteemed Ricky Gervais to cast a humorous light on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXTq2_3LfXM
Honestly, if one really doesn’t know what’s comparatively healthy to eat, or where to look, or who to ask, or why you’re mysteriously getting increasingly fatter then I’m inclined to mark you down as suitable for natural selection.
Noreally? My moral code is irrelevant in the context of this discussion. As, I’m afraid, are your comments. Clever sophistry- bah humbug! And where can I get me one of them information set thingys to shield me from evil ad agencies? Do tell.
Fast food is the new cigarettes.
It is.
Ask any public health doctor.
Doesn’t matter where you put the responsibility for obesity – parent, kid, government. That argument is irrelevant from the government’s POV.
What is relevant from a public health POV: Obesity is on the rise, it’s killing loads of people, destroying others’ quality of life, and it’s costing a lot of money. Things need to be done about it.
When companies like Hungry Jacks so blatantly target kids, one of the things that becomes more likely is government regulation of fast food and fast food advertising. None of us want that. (That was the point of the article above, to me.)
The fast food companies have to start behaving better, or they’ll be forced to. No two ways around it. (See Bloomberg’s initiatives in NYC.)
Tom, you missed the gatekeeper bit, didn’t you.
A bit like kids reading adult mags, movies or video games and all those other media beat-ups. Gatekeepers exist and if they are failing, then they must be held to account.
No ten year-old is saying “stuff your balanced dinner mum, I’m off to BK instead.”
Someone takes them there, or gives them the money, or doesn’t notice the little shit is getting really porky.
Moreover the BK is likely the thin end of their appalling dietary wedge. Jamie Oliver’s programs show this acutely in the USA.
It’s about personal responsibility for oneself and one’s family, see. Maybe like other lethal responsibilities like driving and shooting, a licence should be required to become a parent?
Oh… it’s going to be like punching Jello so I’m not going to bother.
BTW AdGrunt, I’m in violent agreement with you regarding the parents’ role. They are the first line, and if your kid is fat then shame on you. You are a shit, shit parent.
My point was that if obesity continues as it is, the government will do stuff – regardless of “who is responsible?”
If the fast food industry keeps targeting kids, one of the things it will do is regulate.
No one wants that. (At least, I don’t.)
The industry has to stop being dickheads, or the government will force them not to be dickheads (and tying in a 3000 calorie burger with a toy is being a dickhead).
anothermous , hate to break it to you but there’s ethical advertising and unethical advertising. if you’re working on a tobacco company account right now then I’m sure the distinction is lost on you however that’s what this debate is about and it applies to fast food and alcohol and numerous other profitable and high volume consumer markets. The question being kicked around is; what is an appropriate ethical position for the ad industry as a whole to take when charged by client to disregard ethics and simply increase sales at any cost ? Responsible conduct in alcohol advertising has already been imposed by government regulation eg; can’t engage in promotions which encourage binge drinking. Fast food is next unless peeps take the self-regulation point V seriously indeed.
I saw this ad whilst watching IM2 with my 7-year old on Sat. I almost hurled on the bloke in front! Who-T-F would even eat such a thing?
How long before we get a Heart Attack Grill in Aus?
http://www.heartattackgrill.com/
Over 350lbs? EAT FOR FREE!!!
Without being to moral and righteous, this is all just a bit too grubby.
Leverage and promotion; hey, no problem there, but this is just on the nose.
HJ have the right to flog a fat arse burger, but lining it up like this? Pretty average effort.
It’s no wonder we get blamed for contributing to obesity. With this sort of thing going on, it’s no wonder at all.
NoReally … no I have never handled a tobacco account, having said that where is the evidence to support the regulation that has been placed by Government around them has prevented one single teenage girl from blazing up over the last few years. Self regulation to the degree that you are suggesting demonstrates a total ignorance of the role that agencies play in the development of products. Good luck with your “ethical” approach just make sure that you don’t run a fence around everyone
If as some seem to be suggesting, ads bypass all human cognitive process, then surely a public information campaign on a balanced diet would solve the problem forever?
I still want to see a ten year old eat a double Angus burger meal. Then hurl and never eat BK again. Where’s the Chaser when you need them?
I must have missed it….when do you see that massive burger and then the toy together – or even a toy mentioned? Strategically, a burger brought to you by a movie with a month’s life span at best – and then what – why did the annoying Scottish guy go?