Kellogg’s Special K

Advertisements are a means to promote a brand or a product in order to convince the public, at large, to buy that product. A lot of ads are published today in newspapers, magazines and also aired on television . It’s a prerequisite of an advertisement to be attractive and catchy (following proper guidelines so as not to hurt the sentiments of any section of the society) and  also convey the facts in a right manner so that the reader/audience can make a wise choice. But, I don’t see that happening atleast in case of some ads where the facts are shown partially with an asterisk (*) somewhere implying ‘terms and conditions apply’.

Recently, I came across an advertisement of Kellogg’s Special K where women, according to me, were being demeaned and they were pretty happy with that idea. May be the image of the woman being portrayed was not important as they were getting money for portraying that image.Perhaps, that  image is the one that is widely accepted by society and so they did not react to it. No doubt the product has its own good qualities but this kind of ad-making is disheartening.

As a school-going kid I remember my brother and I used to eat Kellogg’s Cornflakes for our breakfast, before leaving for school. This product is still nice and healthy, no doubt and that applies to Kellogg’s Special K too. Obesity is one of the major diseases that today’s younger generation is facing due to their sedentary lifestyles and “junk” food habits. This product is made, keeping in mind, this chunk of population which eats thoughtlessly. Before trying this product you have to make sure that you are categorized as an obese.

The product is 98% fat free, made of wheat and coated with honey ‘so as to suit Indian taste buds’, as the information on the product says. It also contains protein, fibre, vitamins A, B and C which are indeed good for health, as we all have read in our school books! It asserts that after consuming it continuously for two weeks you’ll cut down on your weight by two and a half kilograms. You  have to just take two bowls of Kellogg’s Special K: one for your breakfast and one for lunch/dinner, with skimmed milk and a fruit to go with it. After two weeks you can considerably spot the difference in your weight. So, in this sense it’s a pretty nice product that can be used by anyone who’s overweight, not just women, as the ad-campaign promotes.

Now, here’s the catch. Read it a little more carefully.  A somewhere hidden note, on the product, clearly states that a strict exercise regime: including brisk walking for ‘atleast’ 30 minutes has to be followed with the Kellogg intake. Also, the third meal has to be low-fat, low-cal. If this is not adhered to, strictly, then the product won’t work that effectively. I have a question here: Anybody who’s on a low-fat, low-cal diet for two consecutive weeks will be able to reduce, if not two and a half kgs,  atleast one or one and a half kgs of weight, automatically? A person who’s just taking fruits and vegetables for her/his meals and is including a good amount of physical activity will  be able to reduce weight naturally.

Coming to the ‘demeaning women’s image’ clause of the ad, all the four ads  made revolve just around women. Sounds good? But it’s not. All of them portray women as some ‘showpiece item’ that should look ‘presentable’. As a wife, they ‘should’ look good in order to impress their husband’s boss at a party or at a husband’s friend’s wedding. As a mother, they ‘should’ look the best amongst other kid’s mothers and for themselves, they have to look awesome in their ‘kitty parties’. They should reduce fat, cut down on their weight – just to look attractive. This is the most detestable part of the product’s ad campaign.

Though the product is meant for everybody who’s overweight/obese but its ad campaign largely concentrates on one section of the population. It overlooks a significant populace that could equally benefit from its usage, as a health product. Thus, Kellogs K has lost some points here. Overall, the brand has a fine reach to its customer base but this product has missed the bus, in its off-beam promotion.

Anumeha Saxena

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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