Need help with a very sensitive complaint against a massive multinational!

[MrsRickman]

Ok, here goes.
Coca Cola are running a promo via their Dr Pepper brand just now on facebook. It is called 'status takeover' and involves the application putting an embarrassing or funny status on your FB page.
My 14 yo dd participated and I was HORRIFIED to log into FB and see that her status read - 'I watched 2 girls one cup and felt hungry afterwards'. For anyone who doesn't know what this means, please stay ignorant, for those who do, you can imagine how I felt. This was compounded later on when a quick search through dds internet history revealed she had tried to find out what it was for herself. Thankfully, our ISP has a wonderful child filter!!
So, after various emails and phonecalls to CocaCola marketing I have been offered (quite offensively) as way of compensation, a night in a hotel and theatre tickets for the West End. Fat lot of use to me, we live in Glasgow.
So, how do I proceed? ASA? I am absolutely fizzing with rage and disgust, and want a full apology and explanation. CocaCola are saying they use outside marketing teams for different brands and it's outside their jurisdiction. Help!?

Fantastic letter. Really great. I hope they respond to you, and/or change the article to reflect the tone of your letter.

tabouleh - been reading the threads and your last comments - you're not suggesting MrsR is a front for pepsi are you?

Well written Kelly. I truly hope whoever sees it does not 'skim' but reads it slowly, takes everything in, and then re-reads Vikram's article, before taking a decision.

sue them. They're coke. They'd sue you if you did anything to their brand name. They've done this to their own brand name. The hotel thing is to shut you up. Sue them for corrupting a minor. Go to the papers. It won't make up for the seed they've planted in your daughter's mind, but it might make for a good family holiday. Good luck.

Well done, MrsR. What a hideously cynical campaign, and an underwhelming piece in the Guardian.

onadietcokebreak, why not change to onadietcokeboycott?

Yes sue them. I still feel cross re apology. 'offended lady' indeed. They have caused emotional distress.

If the media do a hash job of this I'm wondering why mhnq don't send out pr.

The Telegraph has picked this up - gets the point a little bit better than the Guardian but still not making clear the issue of profiles being made public www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7897706/Coca-Cola-accused-of-using-porn-to-target-children-o n-Facebook.html

Aviddiva

What a good idea....shame I just brought two fridge packs on offer....what will I put with my vodka?

@ name change!

Found an interesting Blog article which questioned the link this promotion had with Dr Pepper (insofar as there was nothing actually mentioning their brand) and likening participation to being in one of those Japanese game shows full of humiliation!

This is appalling and I can't believe how the media is glossing over it as though it's no big deal. I can almost see it cropping up on the wrong Wright Stuff and Mr sneery Wright being all like "well I loved porn when I was 14 so I don't see the problem, ho ho ho".

The application was practically grooming youngsters - making them open up their profiles for anyone to see and then posting sexually inappropriate references on their pages under the lure of a £1000 prize. Vile doesn't even come close.

I think you should sue them too actually.

All this "accused" and "obscene" and not saying about children having to set their profiles to public. Pathetic.

Sue em.

@NetworkGuy - the cucumber post was:

shouldn't be allowed a cucumber in the bedroom.

There were also references to male, female and mutual masturbation.

"For the record, I fell over, my pants came down and I landed on it" also appears to have been one of the statuses used by this app.

At least The Metro the bollocks to mention the "film".

Kelly - your letter is way too long and rambling. Just make the point without the waffle. You're far too keen to get the point across that you're really cool and laid back...which totally detracts from the issue.

Thanks BR for the Telegraph link.

I see they link back directly to this thread, so people will be better informed, though using the word "accused" still ignore what was done.

One of the comments asks if it is 2 girls 1 cup (if someone has registered with the Telegraph, they could point out that it was clear from the Mumsnet thread this was the reference, did he not follow the link and see MrsR's original post?)

The Metro article still has it wrong about the reason why the theatre tickets were offensive. The way I read the OP was that the offer was offensive not because because the tickets were for a London show, but because:

a) Coca Cola at that stage were disclaiming any responsibility, saying they used outside marketing teams and it was outside their jurisdiction.

b) No offer had been made to actually address the issue, for example withdrawing that particular status update, or the campaign itself. Those both came later once this thread had started.

dittany - "Dr Pepper posts ... Facebook page to promote brand"

One slight problem with that is there is nothing linking the status messages back to Dr Pepper / Coca-Cola GB. It's rather like some spy being sent by the CIA into the Middle East with the "comfort" of knowing the CIA will "deny all knowledge". No, this looks as if the individual has set the status themself, and only those participating in the competition / promotion know why the status message says what it does, and keeps their fingers crossed they get that week's prize.

Nancy66 - too late - Kelly was posting what she had sent so rambling or not, that's what went.

Exactly it is as if MrsR would have been ok if only the tickets were for Glasgow. Rubbish.

It was offensive because they tried to gloss over the issue.

Bill Green, the US ad blogger who posted earlier in the thread has blogged about it.
clicky