Angry dentists want Coca-Cola to remove cans that have "Mum" and "Bub" written on them from the shelves. They do not like the marketing strategy that the soft drink company is promoting as it encourages mothers to give their children unhealthy sugary drinks.
Coca-Cola sells the 18-can packs in supermarkets with a promotional note that says "Share a Coke." The pictures show cans that have "Bub" and "Mum" printed. Dentists are not happy and criticized the idea of the company.
The advertisement caused an outrage
Rob Beaglehole, New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) spokesman, explained his thoughts upon seeing the advertisement. He said that it caused him to outrage and be saddened with the marketing of the cola company.
Beaglehole said that he did not think that the company would "sink to such lows" to add sales. On Friday, the NZDA sent a note to Coca-Cola to remove the product immediately from supermarket shelves.
Not okay to give Coca-Cola to babies
The spokesman explained that it would never be okay to let your baby drink Coke, even if you want to give it as a treat. He also pointed out the "massive" issue of poor oral health among the young ones.
Beaglehole said that it is heartbreaking to see the new marketing strategy of the company. After experiences of extracting teeth from many "bubs," he knows that some parents feed their young ones Coca-Cola through their drinking bottles.
The sugary drink is bad for the teeth
The high acidity and sugar content of Coca-Cola will not only rot your teeth but also dissolve them, according to Beaglehole. He said that the devious campaign is explicitly telling parents that it is safe to give Coke to their babies.
Adding to that, the spokesperson also noted that supermarkets also have to be responsible for stocking a misguided or reckless marketing move. For him, stores should refuse to sell the products.
Poor regulation of drinks
Beaglehole also said that there is poor regulation of sugary drinks in their country. He believes that it would take months for the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to act after hearing a complaint. He said that the damage would be done by then.
A Coca-Cola Oceania spokeswoman explained why they came up with the terms "Mum" and "Bub." She said that it came about after they took a survey of famous names of Kiwis. They were terms of endearment and pet names.
The spokeswoman, however, did not say anything about removing the product from the market. While the ASA spokeswoman noted that it does not have the right to control product packaging, bottles advertised should be within the Advertising Standards Code.
Beaglehole wanted that the government follows the UK Government's lead in stopping children aged 16 and below to buy sugary drinks. Coca-Cola Amatil (NZ) Ltd told Countdown that their use of the term "bub" was not meant to refer to babies.
