"Candy is a treat. Please consume in moderation."
I like it when companies are being honest with us. Take, for instance, the wrapper below. This is the print on the inside of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy wrapper. In addition to the “secret code” for eBay auction points, if it’s not too small to read, take a look. And, I must admit, I don’t know why I read this, I wasn’t planning on cashing in the points, especially since in the past I don’t know how many point-earning systems I’ve abandoned and lost track of. Anyway, I’m digressing.
My point is, read the last two sentences…”Candy is a treat. Please consume in moderation.” ( FYI: I just now heard a radio commercial for this same promo and that also included these last two sentences as part of the verbal fine print.)
I consider this “warning message” to be respectful and fair. I am curious to know whether these two sentences were placed by eBay or Hershey. But, either way, it definitely enhances my view of both companies. (Kind of along the lines of Tylenol’s “Stop. Think.” ads which basically say to use-our-product-properly-or-don’t-use-it-at-all. )
This is in stark contrast to one soda company executive I heard interviewed on tv recently. This exec was questioned in response to recent legislation that was passed to get soda (i.e., not diet, only regular, plus other “sugary” soft drinks) out of the schools in order to help combat the obesity epidemic.
This CEO was asked by a reporter: “Isn’t this further proof that soda isn’t good for us?” And the executive answered something like this: “No. It’s more about schools being a unique environment which should be free from commercialization.” I thought that was a rather corporate-spin type of answer.
