Competing to be the real thing

[cbayer]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2014/03/religion-and-advertising

Mar 8th 2014, 12:01 by B.C



TWO recent bits of news will be of interest to people who worry about the offence which advertising and other marketing tools can cause to religious believers. As it happens, both items concern Christians in Britain, but one could find many similar stories from other countries and faiths. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), a self-regulatory body, rejected a complaint from 30 people who said they were upset by a Christmas commercial for KFC, a fast-food chain. The ad poked lightish fun at some secular aspects of the winter-holiday celebration (like shoppers squabbling over an item they both wanted) and showed carol singers trying to soften the heart of a Scrooge-like figure with what they self-mockingly called "stupid songs". It was the latter two words which offended some; but as the ASA noted, the singers were just making a point about their grumpy listener's state of mind.

Meanwhile a sandwich-shop chain, Pret A Manger, said last month that it had withdrawn a brand of tomato-flavoured crisps called "Virgin Mary" after receiving protests from Catholics. In a message to the complainers, the company said "we are extremely sorry that the crisp name we had selected has offended you...[the CEO] has taken your advice and decided to remove all of the crisps from our shops...we will be donating all the unsold crisps to homeless charities that we support across the country,"

Advertising regulators across Europe face many such complaints and they use broadly similar guidelines to deal with them, recommending that marketers avoid material that will either cause widespread offence or intense offence to a small group. Admittedly, religion-based protests are only a small percentage of the total number. The European Advertising Standards Alliance, which groups 37 self-regulators in Europe and beyond, recorded about 60,000 complaints in 2012, of which 16,000 related to "taste and decency"—as opposed to, say, misleading content or unfair competition. About half the "taste" protests concerned issues of gender (usually, ads deemed degrading to women) while about 3,400 were about "offensiveness", including the religious sort. But one of the most complained-about ads was one that could have given offence on either feminist or religious grounds; it promoted a Polish energy drink by showing a woman on a bed clad in white lingerie, under the slogan "be sinful..."

If the proportion of religious protests sounds low, that is probably because most marketers would see no advantage in a sales strategy that might prompt a significant share of consumers to boycott their product. So many religious complaints are either anticipated successfully or nipped in the bud. But Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle-maker, has tested the limits with a billboard in French-speaking Quebec, where a vigorous debate about secularism is in progress. It is a composite picture of two female faces wearing both a hijab and a helmet, under the slogan: "Á Chacun Sa Religion"—roughly "to each her religion" (see picture).

more at link

[pinto]

1. In other news, I know plenty of Catholics who have a Bloody Mary now and then. And know the origin

of the name - Mary I of England, anecdotally. Go figure.

[cbayer]

7. Everything seems so reactionary these days.

No one seems to be able to use critical thinking or choose their battles.

And so many feel they are entitled to make a federal issue out of something because they personally are offended.

Whether it be too much religion or not enough regard for religion, it sad.

Bloody Mary crisps? Memorial crosses by the road side?

I just think we've all gone too far.

[trotsky]

11. And the common denominator has been religious believers.

Whether it's imposing their religion in the public square, or being righteously offended when someone doesn't give their religion the special treatment they feel it deserves.

But keep thinking both sides are equivalent, I know that's what your agenda requires.

[goldent]

2. I think using religion in advertising can work

you just need to be careful, consult the religious, most importantly use common sense. I think they failed on all accounts with Virgin Mary chips.

[pinto]

3. I don't get it overall. Maybe to be somewhat "edgy", attention grabbing?

[goldent]

4. I think advertisers are always looking for something different

like a talking gecko. You don't expect to see religion in an ad, so I guess that is the angle.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. The head of Pret a Manger is Catholic himself

An online advertisement for the salty snack reads: "Our Spicy Virgin Mary crisps are flavoured with Worcestershire Sauce and chilli, just like the real thing but drier! Dairy free, Egg free, GM free."
...
Pret A Manger's CEO Clive Schlee responded by stating: "It happens that I am a Catholic. I have examined my conscience about the naming of our crisps.

"The term Virgin Mary is widely used in the market today to describe a well known cocktail: a tomato juice with Worcester sauce and without vodka.

"I have consulted a lot of people in our office about this and that is what they all think of when they see our crisps packet. Please, please don't take offence. None is intended."

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/virgin-mary-catholics-pret-manger-protect-pope-430821

The "Protect The Pope" website looks a nasty piece of work - obsessed with homosexuality, and marking out Catholic groups as 'dissenting' . I see one commenter calls the author "the Catholic Ian Paisley". It's a shame anyone gives in to them about anything.

FWIW, this happened over a year ago, but The Economist only seems to have noticed it now.

[Jim__]

5. "... commercial products and images are now the defining "archetypes" ..."

What a sad comment!

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Unless one is offended by the mere sight of a woman's hair I don't understand the problem

with the Harley ad.

I'm sure such people exist, but I'm not sure anyone should give a shit.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. There's a contingent of Muslim hardliners who don't think women should be driving...

...anywhere, on anything.

And then there is some question among fundamentalists as to whether it is modest for a woman to ride a bicycle.

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Hopefully not such an issue in Quebec though.

If such groups aren't fully marginalized there... Well. Then there really is no hope.

[Brettongarcia]

9. When I lived in the Middle East I went out with modern muslim ladies. Like the ad; Muslims on bikes

To speak against this ad is offensive to modern Muslim women... : )

(Hi Aysha!)