Campbell’s Soups are as American as mom, apple pie and baseball. So it kind of stings when allegations are made that Campbell’s and the American Heart Association are pulling the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting consumers.
Which really makes you appreciate the power of marketing in all forms – product labels, website content, advertising, publicity, in-store displays. It also makes you appreciate the value of honesty and integrity.
By-and-large, consumers are a trusting lot. If an ad says a product is good for us, most people believe it, especially if the brand (or brands) behind the claims are solid citizens. When Ram Truck and Paul Harvey tell us that God made farmers and farmers love Ram Trucks, well, we believe it. When Kmart tells you it’s okay to “ship your pants,” you giggle and accept it as true. When Tide tells you that no stain is sacred, you are open minded about the possibility. And when Campbell’s Soups and the AHA tell you a product fights heart disease and stroke, most of us don’t question it.
The thing is, you better be telling the truth. And it better not be a shade of the truth. As the old saying goes, it takes a lifetime to build a customer relationship and only a minute to lose it.
Carla Burigatto, Campbell’s director of external communications says “Campbell has complete confidence in the accuracy of our labels and our marketing communications and that they meet regulatory and other legal requirements.”
That sounds a lot like “legal-talk” to me. You don’t have “confidence” in your labels and communications. They are either true or they are not. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
