Hall’s (Cadbury Adams): Impacting our culture in a toxic way via their TV ad

By: American Decency Staff

Last Wednesday evening Halls (Cadbury Adams) not only advertised on the already perverse ABC sitcom "Cougar Town" it used a perverse advertisement and now follows it up with an arrogant letter to people like you and me. For last week's email: click Here is Halls (Cadbury Adams) response letter: Thank you for taking the time to contact us about our HALLS advertising. Cadbury has a history of being values led and has a Marketing Code of Conduct in place that guides our advertising activity globally. HALLS is a leading global brand whose success is based on providing quality products that meet the needs of our consumers.  We listen to the feelings and comments of our consumers as new advertisements are developed and appreciate the opportunity to provide you with some background on our current HALLS advertising. This particular ad was designed to launch our new HALLS REFRESH offering, an everyday candy that refreshes your mouth and which is totally unique within our HALLS portfolio.  The ad, which is set in a college/university dorm room with all actors over the age of 18, is intended to communicate the product's key attributes – refreshing, juicy and mouth-watering and intense flavor enjoyment.  The ad underwent rigorous testing to evaluate consumer reaction and the results were quite positive. When it comes to communications, we work hard to match our message with the right medium, ensuring that our advertising complies with industry standards and regulations.  We recognize that there will be times when some people might disagree with our marketing and we regret that you were unhappy. Please be assured that we will continue to monitor consumer response to this HALLS commercial, and your feedback will be shared with our marketing department. Sincerely, Consumer Relations ADA comment: Does Halls really think that their ad is not disgusting?  (a middle-aged woman and a teen guy?) The ad shows a mom standing inches apart from a young college boy staring at him as he stares at her as the camera focuses on their mouths moving in sexually suggestive ways while the voice-over shares their suggestive thoughts. Halls (Cadbury) says: ".. Cadbury has a history of being values led and has a Marketing Code of Conduct in place that guides our advertising activity globally. … " If this ad represents Hall's "historic code of conduct that guides their advertising activity", are they as morally bankrupt as it appears? Here's what a few others wrote to Halls (Cadbury): Letter 1: Dear Cadbury Leadership: Please be advised that Halls will no longer be my first choice for throat lozenges. I will no longer buy them or any Cadbury products. … Sincerely, M.L. Letter 2: Dear Ms. Beyer, I want to voice my displeasure in the way that your ad blatantly crossed the lines of decency. As long as you produce and air such suggestive advertising your company's products will no longer be welcome in our home. This is a shame as you have some very good products and it is a shame that you feel that you have to use sex to sell your product. I am equally disappointed in the program itself as well. I cannot believe the level of depravity that comes across our air waves. We have monitored the first two shows just to see how low programmers would stoop, it seems that there is no level too low to stoop to in getting the television viewers attention. Sadly, it seems that your company has fallen into the same trap. As a female executive I would hope that this kind of portrayal of women would also be repulsive. Women deserve better than this, both in the show and the advertising. How shameful and discouraging. We are also not going to continue to watch the show, it is NOT FUNNY, but VERY SAD. Michigan Letter 3 I am sickened by the Halls throat drop ad on "Cougar Town".  You have sealed my decision never to purchase from your company again, unless this ad is pulled and an apology is made. K.M. Contact Halls Cadbury Adams – Hall’s Cough Drops James Chambers – President North America 389 Interpace Pkwy. Parsippany, NJ 07054 Phone: 972-909-2000 Toll-free: 800-524-2854 Fax: 973-909-3051 Luisa Girotto – Vic President, Corp. Affairs   luisa.girotto@cadbury.com ==================================== American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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