Much Ado About Nothing
Pamela Accetta Smith
(847) 205-5660 ext. 4069
Just when you think
you’ve heard it all, you stumble upon something even more ignorant,
absurd and stunning in its jaw-dropability.
When a mega company such as Kraft Foods gets targeted
by anti-gay activists, it makes one wonder — what’s next? Just
like the ridiculous array of reality TV programs that seem to pique the
interest of most Americans, these radical groups will stop at nothing to
stupefy folks with their nonsensical rhetoric.
The American Family Association (AFA), a
Mississippi-based anti-gay rights organization, is waging war against Kraft
for being a sponsor of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. AFA says that
“by allowing their corporate logos to be used to promote the Gay
Games, Kraft, Harris Bank and other sponsoring companies are celebrating
wrong and destructive behaviors, and showing their disdain for the majority
of Americans who favor traditional morality and marriage.” In an
e-mail sent to its 500,000 members in May, the AFA urged all recipients to
place personal calls to tell the suburban Chicago-based Kraft to pull
financial support of the games, an event taking place in the
company’s own back yard.
Give me a break. Don’t you have anything better
to do? Instead, try to refocus for a second. Let’s take a look at
some of the other contributions the company is making.
To ramp up the dairy message and the importance of
getting kids the calcium and nutrition they need, Kraft has spearheaded
many healthful initiatives. For example, as part of its Sensible Solution
marketing program this year, the company is phasing out advertising for
certain products in media primarily aimed at children ages 6 to 11,
including ads for not-so-healthy snacks such as Oreo cookies and Kool-Aid.
During the year, Kraft will shift its promotions in
these media outlets to its products that meet a new nutritional criteria
derived from standards set by the recently released guidelines and
government authorities. Kraft will also add a Sensible Solution label on
products for both kids and adults that meet the nutrition criteria,
including Kraft 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Cheese. In 2006, the company
plans to end advertisements for all products that do not meet the Sensible
Solution criteria.
Taking its commitment to improved nutrition and
calcium consumption to the formulation front, Kraft has doubled the calcium
content in traditional favorites such as Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and
Kraft Singles.
Listen, Kraft is as American as apple pie or
diversity. Consumers are not going to stop feeding their kids mac and
cheese just because this company is a sponsor of the Gay Games.
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