How Not To Respond To A Protest
Happy Friday – and welcome to my new subscribers.
This week, I'm sharing my performance of the month, a lesson learned, and an inspirational quote to encourage you to be your best self upfront.
WHO WON THE MONTH
My gold star for breakthrough communications this month goes to health activist Vani Hari (@thefoodbabe) who delivered the biggest petition in American food history to Kellogg’s Michigan headquarters. In an emotional speech to the crowd gathered outside, Hari called on Kellogg to do the right thing and remove artificial food colorings from their breakfast cereals that have long been banned in Europe, Canada and Australia.
It’s an issue Hari has been campaigning on for over a decade that’s sharpened by a perceived link between these additives and ADHD in children. Over 400,000 people from across America signed the petition and supporters presented it at Kellogg’s front door.
Kellogg’s response was terrible, and I predict will become a textbook lesson on how NOT to respond to those with whom you disagree. Kellogg’s leadership refused to even speak to reasonable requests to meet anyone from the protest. Instead, cameras zeroed in on a scrawled sign that appeared in a Kellogg staffer’s window declaring “Get off my lawn”!
The truth is that US food regulations are well known for being among the most permissive in the developed world, thanks to nearly a century of well-funded lobbying by the food industry. And if laws aren’t changed to favor the consumer over the producer, or the consumer abandons the producer’s offending products en masse, little ever changes.
The hashtag #cancelkelloggs is now gaining momentum.?
领英推荐
?LESSON
Putting profit over principle is a short-term game. When the evidence and the crowd are against you, and half the world has already moved on, the game is up. Move on and get with the crowd. At the very least, meet them and appear to be reasonable people – even if the bottom line comes first.?
QUOTE
You can run, but you can't hide.
Boxer, Joe Louis
Owner at Chalfonts Captured
4 个月Its astonishing that in this day and age when more and more people are becoming aware of what to put in their mouths that a company like this would behave in such an arrogant way.#cancelkelloggs