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!?

Yuck - vomit.

I've seen status' on a friends page and thought it was bad enough for a 27 yo, let alone a 14 yo.

Make a NIG noise about it.

Sainsbury's lime cordial tastes the same as Rose's IMO. No artificial ingredients.

I complained to the ASA.

Go to the press at once, not only will CC have to make a public apology but it will alert other parents to this campaign - some of whom may not have adequate child filters on their computers.

And hopefully some idiotic polo-neck wearing ad agency worker will lose their job.

How disgusting! Hope you get a satisfactory outcome soon, I don't drink Coke or similar but wish I did so I could newly boycott...

OMG this is disgraceful!

Definitely complain to ASA and FB too... and to think Cameron was worried about the Raoul Moat stuff on FB!

it takes a lot to shock me, but this is truly disgusting.

The very idea that this could appear in anybody's status to promote a drink, let alone a 14 year old's is appalling.

Please keep us posted on what you do.

And their initial "apology" is an insult.

Good luck MrsR - keep us posted and let everyone know if theres something we can do en masse.

Terrible. Good luck with the complaint.

I do think the press should be involved, it doesn't have to involve you OP.

And yes someone at the agency should be accountable.

Have just changed by FB status to "is boycotting Coca-Cola products..."

Get me.

Takeover is a competition where you can win £1,000 each week! All you have to do is let Dr Pepper put something embarrassing in your status. The more embarrassing, the better your chances of winning. Go on! What's the worst that could happen? The wording of this competition

It would appear to me that Dr Pepper post the embarrassing incident and not the competition entrant.
I wonder how many children have googled?

Although I'm a bloke and have watched porn, there's nothing remotely appealing about this and can fully understand the concerns expressed.

I would in the past have slated the IWF (Internet Watch Foundation) as sometimes being overzealous, but in this case, while they generally deal with child porn and abuse of children, there is one entry on their reporting web page which seems to fit the bill, namely

Inappropriate chat or behaviour with or towards a child online.

In the case of this promotion, tempting teenagers to allow embarrassing status messages to be displayed, with a chance to win 1000 pounds, there are two areas where this is "inappropriate" - first in that the examples on the website don't go anywhere close to what is actually being put as status messages, so a young person is being misled about how "embarrassing" the messages might be - and second that the "audience" will likely be other teenagers, who will be seeing the status messages of others.

The IWF has somewhat draconian powers, placing any of those websites (including Facebook.com where some status messages may be seen) could lead to all UK ISPs blocking access.

Perhaps it is worth using as a threat, that closing this promotion seems the best option (and if not, then the 'further action' might lead to blocking of all Coca Cola websites, the PR firms which mention this promotion/ encourage any teenager to sign up, and finally FaceBook.com which would be major shock / news if blocked for even a couple of days.

The "PR" story would be that of a massive black thundercloud over Coca Cola and any agency they had used, and would go worldwide. I think the threat of reporting CC to the IWF might shake up a few senior staff (though others might be complacent if they only think 'nothing to do with child porn' and shrug their shoulders).

Sorry Facebook users, if it was reported, I think IWF could blacklist FB until such time as the story was out about a scandalous promotion run by (an agency for) Coca Cola, and block could be kept until promotion cancelled.

The article on Brand Republic makes it clear this is aimed at teens. Thanks for the link (someone posted it earlier).

Unfortunately, from the T+C link on Dr Pepper UK Facebook page this has only another 10 days to run, having started in May

This is absolutely disgusting, as is their fobbing you off with a jolly instead of an apology.

I would suggest that an appropriate response from Coke would be allowing you to hijack their facebook status and change it to something like; "CocaCola would like to introduce your children to the joys of scatporn"

And btw I think you could report this to the press anonymously.

It is a big enough embarrassment for Coke for them to run it without a sob story from you.

has just been polishing the lighthouse in the bathtub.
13 July at 20:35 via Dr Pepper Status Takeover

You can report the application to Facebbok here Click on the report button at bottom left. I think pornographic/inappropriate content is the appropriate category

You can get a screengrab from here You need to scroll down for a few posts.

This is truly appalling MrsR, please do take this as far as you possibly can. Can MN get involved?

Gosh, you'd all better stay away from Carry On film repeats on tv!
"Mumsnet Storms Downing Street and Demands An End To This Smut!"

Desanimaux - this is far far more then a bit of tounge in cheek smut.

This is a huge multinational corporation exposing young impressionable teenagers to what i would consider, hardcore pornography.

Huge difference.

What Carry On film did they do that in?