Why Firing Phelps Might Cost Kellogg More Customers

[User]

You know how many people have smoked marijuana in America? A whopping 42%. That is a huge chunk of the country Kellogg has just personally insulted because they are saying implicitly that their behavior is so wrong that they would fire them over it.

But what's worse is the even larger percentage who don't care if anyone else smokes marijuana and are turned off by anyone else who judges them for it. Now, I'm not a pothead. I don't think hemp is the answer for all of our problems (you know someone smokes a lot of pot when they feverishly tell you that you can make pants out of hemp - yes, but is that what you do with it?) . But I - and everyone else I know - could not possibly care less if someone else wants to smoke pot.

Yes, there is still a certain percentage of the country that is mental about this. They have no problem if their son drinks two gallons of alcohol, but a joint and they lose it. I think this is a cultural thing more than anything else. I think pot represents hippies, liberals and all that's wrong with America to them. And yes, this is about 25% of the country.

But what about the other 75%? You annoy them when you side with the prudish minority. You offend their sensibilities when you kowtow to the puritan zealots. Every single person I have spoken to says they are less likely to buy Kellogg products now that they have fired Michael Phelps. Not because we love Michael Phelps, not because we think you can make pants out of hemp, but because it seems like they are choosing sides in the culture war. And it's the wrong side.

Now, advertisers are scared to death of doing anything political. But this firing is political. You are choosing sides with the minority of the country that cares about so-called moral improprieties like this. As a business, is that the side you want to be on? Do you really want to go against the interest of the sizeable majority?

The country has changed dramatically since the 1950's. And it appears the only people who haven't caught on to this are advertisers. You are no longer protecting your brand when you are prudish and overly careful. You just seem out of touch. Ozzie and Harriet don't exist anymore, so why are you still trying to sell them products?

Unfortunately, this outmoded way of thinking for the advertisers has enormous implications for our media, too. The sponsors are the boss. If they want plain, vanilla, boring, unchallenging programming - that is exactly what they'll get. They are scared to death of advertising in anything that pushes the envelope. So, interesting, edgy programs get edged out (or they go to HBO).

So, this antiquated mindset isn't just annoying and counterproductive, it causes the watering down of all entertainment. Whenever a big advertiser comes into a new program, the first thing they want you to do is tone down everything you do. It makes everything on television more boring, less challenging and ultimately more fake. Sponsors believe fake sells. If you're too honest or if you act like a real human being, as Phelps did the other day, then you have to be avoided at all costs. Otherwise Ozzie and Harriet will be offended. That would be true if they hadn't died thirty years ago.


News Hawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: The Young Turks
Copyright: 2009 The Young Turks
Contact: The Young Turks: Contact The Young Turks : News : Politics : Commentary
Website: The Young Turks: Why Firing Phelps Might Cost Kellogg More Customers

[infoman]

yea corn flake makers,,,just used a rolling pen to make my kelloggs corn flakes smaller,,,,then fed them to the birds,,,,will switch to oatmeal,,,,and right now,,its BONG TIME,,,,f.g.s,,aka,,,infoman,,,aka,,,drinfo,,,,ohi o,,,

[Slowpuffer]

Amen !!

[spanky409]

umm... just putting it out, kelloggs had to get rid of Michael Phelps. Because it is a child based product, and you can't advertise Phelps as a childrens hero when all the publicity is bringing up his pot incident, this is not about a war this about keeping our children away from thoughts of drugs, we want our children to grow up become adults then they will be given the chance to use marijuana. Again not every action is against our fight but there are some decisions that are required for us to make for the sake of our children. if Phelps was not on the news there would not be a big deal about Phelps and kelloggs but due to circumstances they had to make a big decision. these are difficult times, we need to legalize cannabis but still keep our children away untill they reach adulthood. So if any of this makes sense please respond, and don't boycott kelleggs because itsnot about you its about the children, remember they are advertising to children

[FloCash]

Originally Posted by spanky409

umm... just putting it out, kelloggs had to get rid of Michael Phelps. Because it is a child based product, and you can't advertise Phelps as a childrens hero when all the publicity is bringing up his pot incident, this is not about a war this about keeping our children away from thoughts of drugs, we want our children to grow up become adults then they will be given the chance to use marijuana. Again not every action is against our fight but there are some decisions that are required for us to make for the sake of our children. if Phelps was not on the news there would not be a big deal about Phelps and kelloggs but due to circumstances they had to make a big decision. these are difficult times, we need to legalize cannabis but still keep our children away untill they reach adulthood. So if any of this makes sense please respond, and don't boycott kelleggs because itsnot about you its about the children, remember they are advertising to children

Honestly, how many children do you think have seen the photo of Michael Phelps hitting a bong or even heard of the incident? Kelloggs may advertise to children, but they certainly don't advertise the fact that he smoked marijuana on a cereal box.

[FATMIR]

Originally Posted by spanky409

umm... Just putting it out, kelloggs had to get rid of michael phelps. Because it is a child based product, and you can't advertise phelps as a childrens hero when all the publicity is bringing up his pot incident, this is not about a war this about keeping our children away from thoughts of drugs, we want our children to grow up become adults then they will be given the chance to use marijuana. Again not every action is against our fight but there are some decisions that are required for us to make for the sake of our children. If phelps was not on the news there would not be a big deal about phelps and kelloggs but due to circumstances they had to make a big decision. These are difficult times, we need to legalize cannabis but still keep our children away untill they reach adulthood. So if any of this makes sense please respond, and don't boycott kelleggs because itsnot about you its about the children, remember they are advertising to children

what child do you know that sits in front of the telivision eating corn flakes and watching cnn? None i bet, sorry but you better eject, u just got shot down!lol

[FATMIR]

Lol didnt see your quote flocash. Nice call!

[strongone70]

When my kids grow up and the worst thing they do in life is smoke a joint, I will think I did a great job as a parent.

[CnstntGrdnr]

It's always about "the children" when it comes to the curtailment of the liberties of others. Censored music, it's about the children, censored television, it's about the children, censored sexual education, it's about the children. Grow the f*ck up people, because one day your children will and when they do encounter the things you've chosen to keep them from they'll have no idea how to react to it. It's called the real world with real choices that we all have to make on a daily basis. Wouldn't you want your child to be educated on these options before they encounter them in a peer pressure situation?

Stop using your children as scape goats *.

[spanky409]

Originally Posted by FloCash

Honestly, how many children do you think have seen the photo of Michael Phelps hitting a bong or even heard of the incident? Kelloggs may advertise to children, but they certainly don't advertise the fact that he smoked marijuana on a cereal box.

sorry for putting in myopinion meant to put that at the begining, but what children know about it? well when my 8 year old came up to me the other day and wanted to know about the story because he had previously heard or saw what was going on thats all.

and again im sorry i put an opinion out there in the open, just to have you guys scratanize my words and bring shame to me. i guys ill keep any opinions or thoughts to myself . i enjoy this site for the community and if i cant even post a comment without getting punched in the gut, then i dont know what

[strongone70]

Its cool man.........I just would never lie to my kids and tell them pot is so bad when we all know its not, drinking is far worse and can even kill you if you take in to much at once. A person can only get so high and no matter how high you get it will not kill you.

[CnstntGrdnr]

Originally Posted by spanky409

sorry for putting in myopinion meant to put that at the begining, but what children know about it? well when my 8 year old came up to me the other day and wanted to know about the story because he had previously heard or saw what was going on thats all.

and again im sorry i put an opinion out there in the open, just to have you guys scratanize my words and bring shame to me. i guys ill keep any opinions or thoughts to myself . i enjoy this site for the community and if i cant even post a comment without getting punched in the gut, then i dont know what

I think our frustration lies in the fact that kids aren't told the complete truth about marijuana. Like others have said before, alcohol and cigarettes are deadlier to kids than marijuana, yet parents continue to allow their kids to be exposed to those substance simply because society says those substances are acceptable, but pot is not. It's a purely hypocritical standpoint that many, many parents in society take, and it's complete bullsh*t.

I'm not about to stand here and say nothing when the world's best swimmer also happens to toke up. Why should the use of marijuana erase any good character or achievements Michael Phelps may have? Would you prevent your kid from meeting Michael Phelps now that he has been caught smoking pot?

Painting marijuana in the same spotlight as c*****e, h*****e, or other hard drugs is EXACTLY why marijuana is called a "gateway drug." It's because kids are told that marijuana is just as bad as those other drugs, then when they do try marijuana they found out they were lied to and they end up trying those other, harder drugs because they assume that they were lied to about those drugs as well...THEN they overdose, then marijuana is to blame because it was the first drug they tried. When, in fact, the fault of overdose deaths is due to government propaganda concerning marijuana in the first place.

If our kids were just told the TRUTH in the first place instead of playing games with their heads none of this would be an issue. But, no, we have to assume our kids are completely stupid and incapable of making the right choices when given the right information.

[Slowpuffer]

Yes Spanky 409;
I was,nt trying to down you personally. I just know what people like you represent, and i hate it !! And you can make most statements on this site, but be prepared to except critisim. I don't encourage children smoke pot, but i'm not gonna turn the tv off , so my kid can't hear the truth on the news. You lie to them about one thing and then they'll think you was also lieing when they try heri*on or coc*aine, and then you get that call saying they have overdosed on god knows what. Good luck to you and yours.

[infoman]

hello,,my kid will use gods green herb, before he will use man-made chemicals, like the drugs ridilin,,etc,,,,and,,,,my kids dont have any alphbet troubles,,,i make them run,,,play,,,get out and get dirty,,,get them so tired they want to got to bed,,its easy,,,just let them be kids,,f.g.s.,,,aka,,infoman,,,aka,,,infoman,,,ohio ,,,peace

[Bonehead]

Originally Posted by CnstntGrdnr

Painting marijuana in the same spotlight as c*****e, h*****e, or other hard drugs is EXACTLY why marijuana is called a "gateway drug." It's because kids are told that marijuana is just as bad as those other drugs, then when they do try marijuana they found out they were lied to and they end up trying those other, harder drugs because they assume that they were lied to about those drugs as well...THEN they overdose, then marijuana is to blame because it was the first drug they tried. When, in fact, the fault of overdose deaths is due to government propaganda concerning marijuana in the first place.

Great point CnstntGrdnr.