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Click the link below for the news:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/21/health/gatorade-settlement-bolt-california/index.html
Overview:
Recently, the Gatorade Company was accused of misleading the public by making disparaging comment on drinking water through its video game “Bolt!”. In “Bolt”, there is an image which displaces “keep your performance level high by avoiding water”. Xavier Becerra, the Attorney General of the California State, said in a statement: “Making misleading statements is a violation of California law. But making misleading statements aimed at our children is beyond unlawful.” (2017, Sep) Beside public critic and worse public image, the company will also receive a fine of thirty thousand dollars for its behavior.
True Intention:
Why does the Gatorade Company use the “Bolt!” as the tool to promote its sales rather than using anything else? It is critical to think outside of the box.
The target market is the first thing Gatorade looks at; according to the presentation, about 73% of players came from the company’s target demographic of 13 to 24 years old (Jen, Fri September 22, 2017). As a matter of fact, young players with an immature mind are more easily affected by the false signals and information from media platforms, such as television programs and video games.
The second thing Gatorade considers is the range of the impact; the game started to grow in its popularity since it was published; and now, more than 2.3 million people downloaded the game, which was played 87 million times. (Manning Gottlieb OMD, 2013) Among such a large population, there are a certain amount of people who are addicted to the game. Definitely, addiction can make people to think irrationally. The third reason behind the scene is about psychological behavior. When people are entertained and relaxed, their minds can be twisted more easily.
Connection:
Both companies have failed, but Coca Cola did a better job. In 2015, the Coca Cola inc donated $1M to an obesity research centre to create a better brand image. However, the research centre embarrassed Coca Cola by returning the donation. The original goal of Coca Cola was to deliver a false message to customers: Coca Cola supports obesity research; therefore, Coke does not cause obesity. Both Coca Cola and Gatorade are greedy for having more sales; Coca Cola has done a better job because at least it did it positively through donation, while Gatorade just claimed “water is bad” on its game.
There are so many examples of how companies can mislead the public. As rational customers, we should gain awareness, and make smart decisions on the foods and beverages we intake. Meanwhile, a business should always be responsible for its behavior. Obeying business ethics is a key to succeed in the long-run.
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Citation and Reference:
Christensen, J. (2017, September 22). Gatorade punished for dissing water. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/21/health/gatorade-settlement-bolt-california/index.html
Ronayne, K. (2017, September 22). California pours cold water on Gatorade videogame. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/09/22/california-pours-cold-water-on-gatorade-videogame.html