DOC280308-3

Originally uploaded by robertshepherd

Marketing that plays on public misconceptions, ignorance and fear is a reprehensible act, yet not beyond the scope of some organisations (I’m looking at you multi-vitamin and cigarette companies, and the anti-terror tactics of our governments).

This campaign from the Red Meat industry body of Australia is a prime (sic) example of socially irresponsible marketing, and targets parents that are already overwhelmed with messages regarding the very emotive topic of their children’s health. Australia (although to a lesser extent than many other countries particularly nordic nations) is slowly working to reduce the direct marketing of high-calorie foods to children. This comes after several reports of the increasing waistline of Australia’s youth, and the health and economic issues surrounding early childhood obesity and its affects into later life.

In the current climate of global obesity of both young and old, Red Meat Australia has chosen to slip its mixed metaphor of children’s nutritional requirements into catch phrases such as long chain omega-3 fats (LC-Omega-3s), vitamins and minerals. Just to harp on the LC-Omega-3s for a minute, the NHMRC has suggested a range of recommended dietary intakes around 500mg per day for a boy under 14 as pictured in the ad, something that will require just under 700g of red meat per day. That’s a mighty big steak. In comparison, 100g of fresh salmon contains approximately 1200mg of LC-Omega-3s, conviently left out of this comparison.

Of far more concern is the bamboozlery that Red Mean Australia attempts with the comparison of chicken and red meat as far as energy consumption (I’m not even going to touch on the huge environmental and sustainability issues associated with meat production, nor Red Meat Australia’s previously misrepresentation of scientific literature in their “we were meant to eat it” campaign). Seriously, I know that peoples in countries without enough food to eat, or in Australia’s near-past during times of war or famine may have struggled with providing sufficient energy intake to make it though the day, but when was the last time you went to the mall and noticed all the under-nourished youth hanging around the food court? In a population that is struggling to control its weight, playing on parents fear of not providing for their children to push their product is irresponsible and is a prime example of TerraChoice’s Greenwashing sin of The Lesser of Two Evils.