RICE KRISPIES BUSTED FOR FALSE HEALTH CLAIMS

KELLOGG'S ORDERED AGAIN TO STOP SAYING
THAT ITS CEREALS MAKE YOU HEALTHIER

NEW YORK - For the second time in a year, Kellogg Company has been called to the principal's office at the Federal Trade Commission and slapped on the wrist for misleading customers into thinking its cereal products offer unproven health benefits. This time, Kellogg's ad claims that Rice Krispies benefits the immune system of children. On the back of the packaging, customers were told, “Kellogg’s Rice Krispies has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy.” Problem is, Kellogg had just been caught red-handed making false claims about their Frosted Mini-Wheats product. In that case, ads and packaging for the cereal claimed it had been “clinically shown to improve kids’ attentiveness by nearly 20%.” Except that wasn't exactly true. As part of their settlement in the Frosted Mini-Wheats dust-up, Kellogg swore not to make “claims about the benefits to cognitive health, process, or function provided by any cereal or any morning food or snack food unless the claims were true and substantiated.”

So the FTC was understandably upset when they saw Kellogg blabbing about how Rice Krispies was some sort of miracle food. Reaching a settlement once again, expanding the order from just a few month's ago. Under the new agreement, Kellogg is barred from “making claims about any health benefit of any food unless the claims are backed by scientific evidence and not misleading.” Said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz: “We expect more from a great American company than making dubious claims - not once, but twice - that its cereals improve children’s health... Next time, Kellogg needs to stop and think twice about the claims it’s making before rolling out a new ad campaign, so parents can make the best choices for their children.”


Misleading claims are considered part of any marketing strategy. But be caution when they are talking about health and specially children's health. So, you shouldn’t always believe what you read - specially if you’re reading the back of a cereal box. Advertising should include trust and reliability.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Working in advertising is a big responsibility. ... The truth is that the principles of advertising such as suggestion and creativity can be put at the service of ecology, health, education, culture. These themes are so important to mankind that never the work of publicists can be ignored. ... Conscious advertising and conscious commerce are not a problem. The publisher has an important social function, so he is prompted to put forward campaigns for the common good. He must know the true priorities of mankind, which of course are not sex or gambling, or drunkenness. It is a fact that we all need to focus on pressing issues, and advertising can not remain indifferent to this longing.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
“Conscious Advertising” - “Vedic Wisdom Collection”
http://www.sabiduriavedica.org/sv.php?id=109_81
http://bhaktipedia.org/espanol/index.php?n=sabidurias_vedicas.publicidad_conciente