Got the following response from MNB user Larry Lyons to yesterday’s column by Kate McMahon in which she wrote about how General Mills responded to concerns about how a Yoplait commercial might send a “problematic” message to people suffering from eating disorders:
Where does it end!?
I’m not diminishing the fact that there are some people with eating disorders, however they are a small minority of the public.
If you follow this logic, nothing sweet should be advertised, lest we put undue pressure on diabetics.
No ads for casinos…gambling addicts.
No church ads…don’t want to offend the atheists.
Can’t advertise beef, pork, chicken,…might sicken the vegans.
Car ads…tens of thousands of Americans are killed in car crashes each year, yet we are bombarded with ads about how powerful the next generation of cars are. Very slick ads showing the cards sliding through curves, big tough powerful trucks leaping ditches and plowing through river beds. Where’s the outrage?
Can you imagine a football game and not see a beer ad!?
C’mon people! Toughen up and quit whining about every little thing…PLEASE!
You don’t like the ad…don’t buy the product…the ad will go away on it’s own…unless a lot of people DO like it.
Now can someone help me down off my soapbox?
I get your point, but ... having had a relative hospitalized at one point for an eating disorder, I sort of appreciated the fact that General Mills tried to be sensitive. I get that there is a thin line between being sensitive and overly sensitive ... but I have to admit that I thought General Mills did the right thing.
One MNB user had the following thoughts about how Tesco is bring mobile shopping to South Korean subway stations:
Amazing how Tesco have broken the mould in South Korea with such a fantastic idea, yet they seem to have made such poor decisions with Fresh & Easy. (all self-service, no coupons, insufficient brands, etc).
Fresh & Easy, I believe, is a work in progress. Think about all those small stores as delivery depots for something else, something bigger. The possibilities are endless, and I suspect the evolution is still in its early stages.
MNB user Ann Hernandez wrote:
I second your ‘WOW’. THIS is innovation. I can’t wait until these ‘mobile’ stores show up in my waiting places. How about a “catalog” that I could browse and shop from as well while the train is in transit...?
I think it exists online. That’s sort of the point - to make it visual and ubiquitous ... where the customer wants it, how the customer wants it, when the customer wants it.
Another MNB user wrote:
Great use of technology, customer focus, and the ability to drive (I assume) profitable sales. You could start shopping at your pick up point and complete the shopping trip at your drop off location.
Wonder what is the delivery charge, can they scan coupons, and how do they publicize sales promos?
The bigger challenge if you try that here: How do you keep the POG pictures from being “Graffiti Central”?
BTW...if you did not see the original story, check it out .
Finally, I can’t help but smile as I share the following email, which responds to the person who suggested (tongue in cheek, I think) that “the number of people that that start out their day reading MorningNewsBeat instead of working is costing America Business millions in lost productivity.”
This made me smile! I love catching a glimpse of MorningNewsBeat open on so many monitors as I navigate through the cubicle maze each morning. It’s what we do… we get our coffee, sit down at our desks, check for urgent emails, then read MorningNewsBeat.
Facebook may be costing us in productivity, but your page is a net positive because we don’t have to spend time hunting for articles that are relevant to our jobs in order to stay informed.
Thanks. It’s always nice to hear...
Where does it end!?
I’m not diminishing the fact that there are some people with eating disorders, however they are a small minority of the public.
If you follow this logic, nothing sweet should be advertised, lest we put undue pressure on diabetics.
No ads for casinos…gambling addicts.
No church ads…don’t want to offend the atheists.
Can’t advertise beef, pork, chicken,…might sicken the vegans.
Car ads…tens of thousands of Americans are killed in car crashes each year, yet we are bombarded with ads about how powerful the next generation of cars are. Very slick ads showing the cards sliding through curves, big tough powerful trucks leaping ditches and plowing through river beds. Where’s the outrage?
Can you imagine a football game and not see a beer ad!?
C’mon people! Toughen up and quit whining about every little thing…PLEASE!
You don’t like the ad…don’t buy the product…the ad will go away on it’s own…unless a lot of people DO like it.
Now can someone help me down off my soapbox?
I get your point, but ... having had a relative hospitalized at one point for an eating disorder, I sort of appreciated the fact that General Mills tried to be sensitive. I get that there is a thin line between being sensitive and overly sensitive ... but I have to admit that I thought General Mills did the right thing.
One MNB user had the following thoughts about how Tesco is bring mobile shopping to South Korean subway stations:
Amazing how Tesco have broken the mould in South Korea with such a fantastic idea, yet they seem to have made such poor decisions with Fresh & Easy. (all self-service, no coupons, insufficient brands, etc).
Fresh & Easy, I believe, is a work in progress. Think about all those small stores as delivery depots for something else, something bigger. The possibilities are endless, and I suspect the evolution is still in its early stages.
MNB user Ann Hernandez wrote:
I second your ‘WOW’. THIS is innovation. I can’t wait until these ‘mobile’ stores show up in my waiting places. How about a “catalog” that I could browse and shop from as well while the train is in transit...?
I think it exists online. That’s sort of the point - to make it visual and ubiquitous ... where the customer wants it, how the customer wants it, when the customer wants it.
Another MNB user wrote:
Great use of technology, customer focus, and the ability to drive (I assume) profitable sales. You could start shopping at your pick up point and complete the shopping trip at your drop off location.
Wonder what is the delivery charge, can they scan coupons, and how do they publicize sales promos?
The bigger challenge if you try that here: How do you keep the POG pictures from being “Graffiti Central”?
BTW...if you did not see the original story, check it out .
Finally, I can’t help but smile as I share the following email, which responds to the person who suggested (tongue in cheek, I think) that “the number of people that that start out their day reading MorningNewsBeat instead of working is costing America Business millions in lost productivity.”
This made me smile! I love catching a glimpse of MorningNewsBeat open on so many monitors as I navigate through the cubicle maze each morning. It’s what we do… we get our coffee, sit down at our desks, check for urgent emails, then read MorningNewsBeat.
Facebook may be costing us in productivity, but your page is a net positive because we don’t have to spend time hunting for articles that are relevant to our jobs in order to stay informed.
Thanks. It’s always nice to hear...
- KC's View:
