Jamie Oliver should either be mad or laughing in rage at the irony
Now, this is traditionally the kind of piece I wouldn’t write. You know the sort, the one where a chap who isn’t the world’s best marketeer tries to talk about Marketing in a way that Seth Godin could appreciate and then use for his own mundane blog writing.
Anyway back to my point, which I hope is quick and easy to understand. The other night I was watching Jamie’s American Food Revolution. For those of you who don’t know, Jamie Oliver is a television chef, and one who after seeing the state of kids school dinners thought he had to do something about it. I think he is a saint personally, he’s someone who got off his backside and did something about a problem that the UK faced. His American revolution was spurred by the same anger and upset he first felt when he took on the British school canteen.
I am not going to write about the show now, but 4OD is showing the series and I advocate you watching it.
What I am going to write about is however something which irked me beyond belief. When the show went to the break, it’s sponsors were Alpro Soya, not an issue - a healthy product associated with a programme designed to promote healthy cooking. But the first advert, the FIRST advert was of Bird’s Eye Frozen chicken packs with the white polar bear who on average scares the life out of everyone living.
Why, when a show which is promoting fresh produce (the heart of any healthy eating lifestyle) would channel 4 executives think that this was the most appropriate advert? What would posses them to be so ignorant to the show, Jamie Oliver and the millions of people watching the programme?
Jamie Oliver should either be mad or laughing in rage at the irony.
Jamie in the programme did mention frozen veg to be as good as fresh produce because they can hold more nutrients when frozen instantly, but nothing about frozen pre-packed meats, and nothing to condone an advert which clearly shows a chicken breast covered in butter being cooked in an oven bag!
It says that whilst the TV executives want to show engaging programmes such as this one, the products that pay their salaries can be anything appropriate or otherwise!
