Update:
Today POM launched an advertising campaign called You be the Judge,” to “illuminate the facts” about the ruling. POM took out a full-page ad in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times to clarify what the administrative law judge said in his ruling about the company’s advertising. According to the company, The FTC judge agreed that “pomegranate juice is a natural fruit product with health promoting characteristics.” There’s no question that 100% fruit juice of any kind promotes good health. I think POM got into trouble for overreaching, implying that its product specifically could prevent heart disease, prostate cancer, and ED. It will be interesting to watch POM as it attempts to regain control of the narrative.
As a communications expert I specialize in clearing the gray in a world that increasingly sees only black and white. That’s why it’s endlessly fascinating to see how information is used to promote a particular perspective or agenda.
Two stories in today’s news cycle bring this issue to light. In one story, a judge ordered Pom Wonderful to dial down claims that its pomegranate juice reduces the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer and even ED. In a separate story, Barack Obama’s campaign is coming under fire for unveiling an attack ad on against Mitt Romney’s old private equity firm, Bain Capital. According to a column in The New York Times, “the attack ad accused Bain of looting a steel company called GST, and then throwing is workers out on the street. The ad itself barely survived a minute of scrutiny.” The column characterized the ad as ‘wildly misleading.’
These two stories have one thread in common—both the Pom brand and the Obama campaign distorted information to fit the narrative they want to tell. The truth, however, is far more nuanced and therefore a more difficult story to tell.
In my work as a communications specialist for some of the world’s largest brands, I see what happens when a brand or industry loses control of the narrative. The results aren’t pretty and can take years to correct. For example, in 2006 I was contacted by agricultural leaders in California following a tragic outbreak of e.coli traced to leafy greens. Although the contaminated spinach was traced to one small farm, the panic devastated an entire industry. I learned everything I could about the industry and worked with farmers around the state to accurately tell the story behind their growing operations. I’ve since worked with farmers in almost every major commodity—the foods you eat everyday. In the past six years I’ve come to appreciate American farmers as the most industrious, dedicated, and responsible people in any business and that the majority of them (yes, both organic and conventional growers) are responsible for providing the safest food supply on the planet. Despite the facts, growers are constantly under attack by groups who have a wide variety of agendas and information is grossly distorted to manipulate the public. Many growers fight back but often too late to overcome the damage done to a brand or industry. Correcting misconceptions is a harder task than educating consumers from the start.
Here’s the lesson. If you run a company, sell a product, or offer a service that provides a real benefit to your customers or clients, then you must tell your story accurately, clearly, and consistently. If you don’t control the narrative, someone else will and the facts might get lost in translation.