Using Human Misery As An Advertising Gimmick

pro_gnostic_8

It is a long long time since I posted on this forum, but I feel compelled to do so now after just seeing an advert on RTE for a leading mineral water company. I cannot believe the crassness and insensitivity employed in this advertisement tbh........ I'm still somewhat shell-shocked by it! Honestly, I find it incredible that a commerciallly orientated firm would use images and "sound bites" of African privation as a Unique Selling Point for their own product. Considering that this company's product (water) is a basic necessity attractively packaged for a well-off Western customer base makes it more obscene to use the shortage of drinking water in Africa as an incentive to buy.

Anyway, the advert -- to a background of images of desperate sub-Saharan people -- asks you to buy this company's bottled water with the promise that a bit of the purchase price will go towards relieving water shortages in Africa.

I'm angry enough to fire off a letter of complaint. But to who ............. the Advertising Complaints Authority, the advertising company or the botlled water company itself?

DadaKopf

I haven't seen the ad but it sounds dodgy.

Who advertised it?

I think if it's as bad as you say, contact all of them.

Also, raise the issue with come Irish campaigning NGOs. www.comhlamh.org might be a place to start - they've done work in this regard in the past. Or maybe try www.dochas.ie. They could get you in touch with people.

DadaKopf

Actually, isn't it Tipperary Water that's teamed up with Concern?

pro_gnostic_8

Indeed yes, DK, it is Tipperary Water. Tagging along on the coat-tails of either Concern or Trocaire -- I'm not certain which ........... I was just too aghast listening to the sound commentary.

Anyway either Concern or Trocaire should also be ashamed of this. Co-opting an altruistic and humanitarian mission onto the sleazy attempt by a pedlar of a luxury item (bottled water) to increase sales via an ad campaign of images of water shortages in Africa. If the advert wasn't so downright nasty and offensive it might be described as some surreal kind of black humour.

Here in this country we are blessed with drinkable tap-water. Tipperary in their ad induce us to buy their totally unnecessary product through engendered guilt feelings about the dire supply of water in Africa. Wouldn't it be far more beneficial to the unfortunate people in drought-stricken areas for us to forego a bottle of mineral water, send that money (the price of the bottle of water) to charity and slake our thirst with tap water instead.

Re-reading this post I am kinda concerned that it makes me out to be some kind of crank ............. a crank inclined to rant and complain about anything. I do apologise for this but this advert really did stir me up. I'm still very annoyed about it. It's like if MacDonalds ran an advert saying "Buy a Big Mac and help the starving in Niger".

All three parties to this philistine advert will be getting a letter from me ....... and I won't be buying any of their bottled water either.

pro_gnostic_8

I've just come across this press release:


It is clear from talking to Pat and Marie Cooney that they are most excited about their new venture “I have been involved building the brand name of Tipperary Water for over 20 years and I can honestly say this is the most exciting project with which I have ever been involved,” Marie Cooney said.

Both Pat and Marie Cooney travelled in July to Eritrea.While visiting a well that had been developed by Concern, Marie saw small fragile women carrying large containers of water. It was an image she will remember and it brought home to her the hardships these women have to endure. “The women spent up to five hours carrying these large water containers from the wells back to their homes,” said Marie.

It was another reminder to her that 1.2 billion people or 20 per cent of the world’s population lack access to clean drinking water. Each year over three million people die from diarrhoea caused by unclean drinking water.

The Cooneys are convinced that they can play a small part in improving the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. Over the next 18 months every bottle of Tipperary Water will carry a label explaining the link up with Concern.
“If nothing else it will show you where Eritrea is,” Pat Cooney said.

The company sells 15 million 500 ml bottles of their water annually along with another 2.5 million five litre bottles and 600, 000 19 litre containers.
The new venture is inevitably a business decision by the company but talking to the Cooneys they make it abundantly clear that they have discovered a new way of advertising, which makes everyone a winner.


"The most exciting project" ................. "A new way of advertising" ........... "everyone a winner" ??????
Pass me the sick bag. It's a bad day when we have come to the stage of using dying people as a marketing tool for a luxury product.

Rev Hellfire

Personally I dont see the problem, more outrage for the sake of outrage, ohh I'm angry so very very angry.

The way I look at it everyone is a winner, the Tipperary Water get to advertise their wares, concern get some extra money and therefore the concerns 'clients' can be helped.

I curious as to what you yourself are actually doing to help those less fortunate in the sub-Sahara, quite a lot a lot of people seem to take the moral highground but actually provide nothing themselves, it really is a case of put up or shut up.

pro_gnostic_8

Reverend, I have no intention of disclosing on a public forum my annual contribution to charity. Quantifying such amounts is only game-playing for one-upmanship at best and ego masturbation at worst. Anyway, it is inconsequential to the debate at hand.

Rev Hellfire wrote:

Tipperary Water get to advertise their wares,

Certainly, in the commercial world Tip Water are fully entitled to advertise their wares but it is the manner of that advertising that I have a serious problem with. Focussing on the distress of a fellow man to puff a product and subliminally suggest a "caring-and-sharing" corporate policy is bordering on the obscene.

You say that Concern get some extra money ................... I don't know how much but I would venture it is not a huge percentage of the retail price of the product. Repeating myself from a previous post, wouldn't it be much more advantageous to Concern if we were to forego buying a bottle of water (something to which their is a free alternative in tap water) and donate the full cost to charity?

Rev Hellfire

The simple fact is that it is profitable for both parties to be involved in this venture. The idea that people will not buy Tip water and give the money to concern is just plain unrealistic, no one is going to do that. Quite simply if I want a bottle of water I'll buy a bottle of water, not donate the money
Now if I happen to get my ego massaged by doing a ‘good’ deed at the same time so much the better.
As for the percentage of money they get that’s totally unimportant, put it this way 0.01% is still better than 0.0%
As for the amount you donate, you are correct the amount is unimportant and I certainly for one was not looking for a break down. The point was that many people here will post comments like yours without offering any workable alternatives.
The simple fact is most charities welcome corporate assistance, and while you may not approve of this relationship the charities and those they serve most certainly do.

Dades

I'm afraid I'm with the Reverend on this.

What if the company offering to donate to charity sold, say, furniture?
Would that be alright then - because people aren't dying of lack of furniture?

Is it just the fact that they have advertised using images of the people that they want you help?
What's the point in having this offer if you're not going to advertise it in the most effective way possible?

pro_gnostic_8 wrote:

I don't know how much but I would venture it is not a huge percentage of the retail price of the product.

Perhaps it might be worth finding out?
If they make a net profit from this promotion then yes - I would be cynical.
But some money to a good cause is still better than none.

seamus

Are Concern equally as sick and disturbing for using people's suffering as a way of encouraging more donations?

If not, what if the ad was a Concern ad saying "Please buy some Tipperary water so that we may have more donations"? Is that equally as sick?

How is that any different?

BuffyBot

Reverend, I have no intention of disclosing on a public forum my annual contribution to charity. Quantifying such amounts is only game-playing for one-upmanship at best and ego masturbation at worst. Anyway, it is inconsequential to the debate at hand.

Well not entirely inconsequential when you're criticising the efforts of others at fund raising.

Anyway, as Seamus said, Concern using these images in their own campaign to attract funding is ok, but because this is a co-operation between Concern and a company it's not?

Dades

BuffyBot wrote:

Anyway, as Seamus said, Concern using these images in their own campaign to attract funding is ok, but because this is a co-operation between Concern and a company it's not?

Without changing my 'stance' on this I would have to say these are entirely different situations.

The corporation's first and foremost goal is to sell their product.
Concern's is to highlight famine and suffering.

That said I defend anyone's right when/if there is a substantial donation forthcoming.

seamus

The Atheist wrote:

Without changing my 'stance' on this I would have to say these are entirely different situations.

The corporation's first and foremost goal is to sell their product.
Concern's is to highlight famine and suffering.

I do recognise that, but ultimately it's still a joint effort. Tipp water are using the "we donate to concern" slant to sell their water, and concern are using the "look at the poor people" slant to encourage people to buy the water to increase their donations.

pro_gnostic_8

As stated above, Concern showing images of suffering to gain funding is a totally different set of circumstances. Whereas Concern's motive is entirely altruistic, Tip Water's sole target is to sell more bottled water. It is a profit orientated commercial company not a charitable concern. If Tipperary Water were to make a no-strings contribution to Aid agencies then I would rightly laud them but this is a situation where self-interest is the driving force.The amount of money which they will donate is index-linked to an increase in company profits.

Fair 'nuff ............ you all put forward valid argument and reasoning. Perhaps I am over-reacting and reading this issue all wrong. I dunno, I just find it incongruous for a purveyor of expensively packaged water to set themselves up as the conscientious and concerned focal point for the relief of drought in Africa.

Thank you all for your opinions on this mateer.
Regards.

KnowItAll

as if the leftist media gives a sh*t about africa. Their god is money

Rev Hellfire

An excellent point there succinctly highlighted by KnowItAll.
Just to recap for those who may not have got the point which so eloquently put across. It's as if the leftist media gives a shít about africa, when really their god is money. Its an importent point which we may have forgotten about when talking about the ethics of corporate sponsorship and product tie-in's with charities.

DadaKopf

Actually, this discussion brings up a more important point.

In return for aid, many sub-Saharan African countries are being made privatise their state water supply companies. The IMF, World Bank, the British development department, they all say that increased competition will bring down prices for the average African. All that seems to happen is incredibly poor people who used to have access to safe drinking water now can't afford it, so either they drink dirty water, steal water or don't send one of their kids to school to pay the water charges, or they just don't drink. Of course, this is really just part of a new scramble for Africa's bargain basement capital. The 1980s boom in Europe was created by asset strippers, now they're doing it in Africa with state sponsorship.

Water must be a right, not a privilege.

I think the rich world's commodification - no, obsession with bottled water is crazy. Our obsession is down to our being manipulated by marketing gurus. What's wrong with tap water?

But I'd really like to see Tipperary spring water take a stand against water privatisation in the developing world. Not a drop in the ocean, real action.

For more info, visit http://www.wdm.org.uk.

seamus

KnowItAll wrote:

as if the leftist media gives a sh*t about africa. Their god is money

That's funny, I would have though "lefties" tended towards socialism, not capitalism.

Dades

DadaKopf wrote:

I think the rich world's commodification - no, obsession with bottled water is crazy. Our obsession is down to our being manipulated by marketing gurus. What's wrong with tap water?

What's as crazy are the varying prices.

Get over the fact that you are buying something that comes free from your tap, and you are given a choice of water brands between circa €1.50 and €0.35 for 2 litres. [Ballygowan, and Tesco's red and white own brand].

But how many people do you see at the till with the Red & White bottles instead of Ballygowan?

Forget the Tipp water/Concern promise - buy the cheaper water and put a Euro in the collection bucket on the way out.

rsynnott

The Atheist wrote:

What's as crazy are the varying prices.

Get over the fact that you are buying something that comes free from your tap, and you are given a choice of water brands between circa €1.50 and €0.35 for 2 litres. [Ballygowan, and Tesco's red and white own brand].

But how many people do you see at the till with the Red & White bottles instead of Ballygowan?

Forget the Tipp water/Concern promise - buy the cheaper water and put a Euro in the collection bucket on the way out.

Or, you know, use the tap. Never saw the point of bottled water, myself... It's all General Ripper's fault.