I know that The Biggest Loser is not the height of TV excellence, but I was watching it a couple days ago (Jan 5). While it won’t win any TV awards and there is a sense in which the misery of others is exploited as entertainment, there is also an element that is good and inspiring. I have not found many shows where I genuinely find myself rooting for everyone to do well. There is a little bit of motivational help too as I look to shed a bit of weight this year as well.
The Biggest Loser itself is not what I want to blog about, it is Pillsbury. In the middle of the show Pillsbury had an ad for cinnamon rolls. What kind of company places ads for cinnamon roles on a show that is about losing weight? Who do they think is watching the show? Given that most of the ads are about weight loss and exercise, one understands that the audience is largely people who need to lose weight. One of the show’s trainers mentioned how all of the contestants are fans of past seasons.
If that is the case, and let’s not pretend that Pillsbury doesn’t know it, how can they ethically advertise a products that are designed to tempt those who least need that? They can’t. It is like putting Vegas casino ads in at a gambler recovery meeting, or offering cigarettes to someone trying to quit smoking. What is wrong with these people? It is not the ads themselves, but the placement in an inappropriate place that makes it unethical. The lack of ethical consideration takes two parties here. Not only is Pillsbury willing to help sabotage the good intentions of Americans seeking to improve and extend their lives, but NBC had no problem taking their dough.
There are two reasons that I call your attention to this issue. The first is to give a shout rather than a whisper when something is amiss. I don’t think ethics is a high priority at NBC or Pillsbury, but I do think that public opinion is. So I am doing my small part in trying to shape it.
The second reason is to provide a reminder for all of us engaged in business. What we do “for business” can and should be judged in terms higher than mere economics. Doing what is right must take precedence over doing what maximizes profit. Hopefully in all of our efforts the two will align, but when they do not we must decide as if the health of our souls depended on it (because it does). The dollar should not be our god, even in business. If you find yourself slipping in your own business decisions, it would be a good idea to re-read the first commandment (Exodus 20:2-6).
