Taking the fizz out of Coke ad claims

Claims Coke will not make children fat or rot their teeth have landed Coca-Cola in trouble with Australia's consumer watchdog, which Thursday ordered the soft drink company to correct its advertising.

Coca-Cola South Pacific (CCSP) last year ran advertising titled "Motherhood & Myth-Busting," featuring popular Australian actress Kerry Armstrong and claiming Coke was "kiddy-safe."

As well as claiming Coke did not make children fat or harm their teeth, the full-page print ads sought to combat public perceptions that Coke was packed with large amounts of caffeine.

"Now that I've found out what's myth and what isn't, it's good to know that our family can continue to enjoy one of our favorite drinks," Armstrong said in the advertisements. "My boys now call me Mum, the Myth Buster!" she said.

The company also said in the ads it was time "to state the facts and to help you understand the truth behind Coca-Cola."

But the powerful Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Thursday ordered CCSP to correct its claims.

"Coke's messages were totally unacceptable, creating an impression which is likely to mislead that Coca-Cola cannot contribute to weight gain, obesity and tooth decay," ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel said in a statement.

"They also had the potential to mislead parents about the potential consequences of consuming Coca-Cola," he said.

CCSP had agreed to publish corrective advertisements in major newspapers in every major Australian city, as well as on the company's own website, Samuel said.

The company was also ordered to include the correct levels of caffeine for Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero after the ads claimed the soft drink contained the same amount of caffeine as tea brewed from leaves or bags, or as instant coffee.

澳大利亚：可口可乐广告不当惹麻烦

可口可乐公司不久前刊登的一则广告让其惹祸上身，该广告声称可乐不会导致儿童肥胖或损害牙齿。澳大利亚一家消费者权益机构于本周四要求这家软饮料公司对广告作出修正。

可口可乐南太平洋分公司（CCSP）于去年登了一则名为"身为人母，戳穿荒诞说法"的广告。该广告由澳大利亚著名女演员凯丽·阿姆斯特朗主角，声称可口可乐"对儿童无害"。

除了声称可乐不会致儿童发胖及损害牙齿外，这则整版的平面广告还试图改变公众对于可乐中含有大量咖啡因的看法。

阿姆斯特朗在广告中称："我已经知道了哪些是荒诞的说法，哪些不是，很高兴知道我和家人可以继续享用我们最喜欢的饮料了。我的儿子们现在叫我'戳穿谎言的妈妈'。"

广告还称，现在是时候"说明事实，帮你了解可口可乐背后的真相了"。

但是强大的澳大利亚竞争和消费管理委员会于本周四要求CCSP更正这种说法。

该委员会主席格雷米·萨缪尔在一份声明中称："可口可乐的广告说辞完全不可接受，这会给消费者造成一种印象，即可乐不会致人体重增加、肥胖及损害牙齿。

他说："这则广告还可能会误导父母有关饮用可口可乐潜在后果的看法。"

萨缪尔称，CCSP已经同意在澳大利亚各大城市的主要报纸以及该公司网站上刊登更正版广告。

该广告还称可口可乐与茶叶或袋泡茶及速溶咖啡所含的咖啡因量差不多，因此可口可乐公司还被要求公布可口可乐、健怡可乐、零度可口可乐中咖啡因的确切含量。

来源：天星 更新日期：2009-04-06