Exploring the Art & Science of Marketing
Why lie about the wheat?
I’m an avid reader of Seth Godin (probably the most customer-conscious marketer on the planet), and his recent post about the Whole Wheat Test makes a point that many of us should consider seriously in what we do as business people.
The idea of the Whole Wheat Test spawns from the fact that most bread you see on the shelf at the supermarket labeled “whole wheat” isn’t really “whole wheat.” My wife is a health and wellness kind of person, and she pointed out this “whole wheat” fallacy to me one day at the grocery store. Now, I always check the ingredients and not the marketing. I would bet that 99 percent of the bread is actually white flower bread with caramel coloring in it. Look at the ingredients!
The point of this is that people who buy this pseudo bread very likely want real wheat bread, and it’s not what they are getting. The sad part is, most people have no idea. So, the question is, what would you do if you knew someone wasn’t getting what they thought they were getting? If you were a checker at a grocery store, would you educate people buying “wheat bread.” What would you do?
photo credit: recyclethis
| Print article | This entry was posted by Russ on December 16, 2006 at 10:53 am, and is filed under Ethics, Marketing, Strategic Marketing. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 6 years ago
there isn’t enough time at the checkout stand, or in the isle, to educate a customer that the bread they are getting is colored white white. I don’t think people really want to know, I think they would feel confronted/threatened (that is, their intelligence would feel threatened), and most americans IMHO don’t really care… as long as they can say they are making an effort and then blame bad labeling when any crap hits the fan.
This is the same issue as the guy collecting money for charity without disclosing (or knowing) where the money goes … what percentage really goes to help the starving person vs. “admin fees”? But you still keep giving because “its the right thing to do.”
about 6 years ago
At some point in the manufacturing process there were “whole wheats” that were then pounded to a flour substance. So isn’t it “whole wheat” (and caramel coloring and about a hundred more ingredients…)
about 5 years ago
Eating grains, especially whole grains, provides health benefits. People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Grains provide many nutrients that are vital for the health and maintenance of our bodies. Health benefits Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, as part of a healthy diet, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, as part of a healthy diet, may reduce constipation. Eating at least 3 ounce equivalents a day of whole grains may help with weight management. Eating grains fortified with folate before and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects during fetal development. Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including dietary fiber, several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium).