Monday, May 18, 2009

Johnny Rotten Gets Socially Responsible

You know the world's in turmoil, when Johnny Rotten goes all politically correct

I found it amusing to read about Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols selling-out to the mainstream and fronting a campaign in the UK encouraging Brits to buy a local butter brand rather than New Zealand's Anchor butter.

The pithy TV ad is viewable below and is supported by a print campaign that directly targets the iconic Kiwi butter brand with the headline "Anchor's from New Zealand". Underneath, it reads "So, I buy Country Life cos I think it tastes best."

The underlying theme of the campaign promotes "air miles guilt" by advancing mindless protectionism and the socially responsible rhetoric of "buy local."

It will be interesting to see if this campaign has any influence on the buying decisions of Brits.

The "air miles guilt" and "buy local" themes are being used to the detriment of many other business sectors including the tourism industry. There is an irony that a doctrine of mindless social responsible purchasing by Kiwi tourism businesses is being promoted within certain quarters of the NZ tourism industry.

Thankfully most qualified consumers are not influenced by narrow minded "buy local" rhetoric and or "air miles guilt" and by their actions are more focused on cost effective, unique and easily accessible quality experiences.

If political influences can be discounted, New Zealand has a distinct advantage as a producer of butter and as a tourism destination.

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