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!?

treedelivery - you don't understand, Dr Pepper PUT the status on my daughter's page.

She did not hear this phrase, Coca Cola hijacked her facebook status and POSTED IT FOR HER, leaving her unable to take it down.

Please do call the police. This really should not go unreported where an underage child is concerned. You have a duty to the other children who may be about to sign up to this application or have already given their details to it. This is one of the vilest things I have heard in terms of marketing in a LONG TIME.

Bloody hell. Don't know what else to say really. Utterly horrifying.

Yes you need to pursue this, I don't know how though

If you contacted the papers would they have to know who you are? Aren't papers interested unless they can have a name and pic? Would the DM have to have a snap of DD looking sad and holding a turd or something? Is that something really quite wrong with the media in the UK?

how the hell do people know what this is????

I thought it was to do with a bra???

bjesus if this is for real its disgraceful.

Ok this may be taking it a bit far, it may be a watse of time, but could you also talk to your local MP? There is such a thing as safegaurding policies and they are pretty hot subjects (as they should be at all times) within local councils at the moment. It may be that you get some support and some advice.

I know what it is from MN. Have never watched it.

OMG!!!!

Flip. I'm sorry I totally didn't get that. Was probably still misted over from finding out the meaning of the phrase. So did your dd enter this phrase into their comp, or did it pop up as a part of the comp? Sorry - confused!

OMG. You have the potential to do some serious damage to them here. This is a PR nightmare of epic status surely?

And poor you and your dd. How awful awful awful.

I guess have a long think about what you want to achieve, and how far you want to take this.

I suspect pulling the thread might be a good idea, although probably not until you reach the stage where it gets serious. I don't know. How horrid!

The phrase was put by dr pepper onto OPs DD's status.

Which resulted in DD googling the phrase to try and find out what it meant

And of course a load of her friends will also have seen it and wondered what it meant.

This is just

Sorry - I see it came up on her status.

Holy crap! It's a total lapse in their responsibilities.

Where would FB stand in all this? Legally?

And why have my skim read skills deserted me?

How the fuck are we supposed to protect our children if large multinationals are sending them references to pornographic films of women being debased like that.

FFS just unbelievable.

I know what it is from seeing that there were a load of youtube videos of peoples reactions while watching it.

I really hope you get somewhere with this. And let us know if there's anything we can do to help. As Blinder says it is sort of in line with letting girls be girls. And we're all equally horrified and behind you.

I would be horrified if this appeared on my DC's status, I really hope you pursue this OP.

Well it's Friday, Tree! Have you had a shandy or 2?. Seriously though, I am outraged for you OP. It is beyond the pale, it really is.

I have had a chunky kitkat.....and a Coke

It's a criminal matter. Pursue that first before going down the media route. Feel very sorry for you.

Clutching at straws here, but perhaps they meant I watched two girls SHARING A CUP OF DR PEPPER and felt hungry? It could be that the agency didnt realsie the scat implications?

Shame on you, Tree. I would have had more respect for you if you had admitted to drinking whiskey from the bottle on the school run

Agree with Lenin, MrsRickman. If you can bear to have the thread stay I think it is quite valuable that information about this monstrosity is available on MN.

Houseofcrazy, am not buying that, sorry.

Crazy talk HalfTermHero.

That's a good pov HouseofCrazy, but then I think they would have said thirsy not hungry.

IS your daughter at all aware of any of this op?

ER, haven't read whole thread (sorry, don't have time right now) but I have no idea what 'one cup' is. If it's something lesbians would do, then don't panic too much - it seems to be de rigueur amongst the female yoof to be faux-lesbian at the moment. She's probably just trying to be outrageous.

Cocacola claiming it's outside their jurisdiction is plain ridiculous. Their country marketing manager has veto or approval over EVERYTHING their agencies do and if she or he wasn't paying attention then that person needs firing.

Never mind the press, go straight to your MP. This kind of filth is not ok EVER for kids and CocoCola should be a) utterly ashamed and filled with self disgust and b) grovelling on their knees with an apology. Theatre tickets don't come close.