Sunday, March 30, 2008

Axe to Grind...

Does anyone else have an issue with the Dixie ads currently running on TV? Their slogan is Make it a Dixie Day. Now, some days truly need to be a paper plate sort of day, like company picnics, family reunions, large gatherings in places where there are no dish room facilities. And I guess if you need a drink of water at the Dr or dentist's office, it is good to have little paper cups. But, even so, it would be better to have a biodegradable option... which brings me back to Dixie. Sure, I am sure they are hurting, being disposable in a world that is starting to wise up to this kind of waste. I am no CEO but I know that when a business doesn't change with the times it dies. So, why then, instead of coming up with a better, more timely, and environmentally friendly option in disposable dishes, does Dixie instead resort to their latest ads, which frankly make me sick?

Ad #1
Little kids, talking about germs, saying no one likes germs, we should not share germs, the something about say good bye to bad germs as a child throws a dixie cup away in their own bathroom! Why would anyone need Dixie Cups in their own bathroom? That is what a bathroom cup is for! I have drank from a bathroom cup, sometimes a communal cup, MY WHOLE BLEEDING LIFE and ask anyone, I am one of the healthiest people I know. My daughter, who drinks from a communal bathroom cup, and who also eats her vitamin after it has fallen on the floor, is the healthiest child I know (and she is not immunized, but that is probably an explosive topic to reserve for another time). Come on, Dixie, people get sick because the world is too damn clean. I can't believe we are teaching little kids to be wasteful. What year is it?

Ad #2
Families sitting down to eat in their own homes, using Dixie brand paper plates and justifying it by saying their family time is more important than taking the time to do the dishes. WHAT?! Do people, aside from the occasional paper plate inside, actually do this? No one I know does this. And no one I know would admit it if they did. And they certainly would not make some lame excuse about family time. Do the dishes TOGETHER! That is what Andre's parents do, and it is down right romantic and probably has been a little ritual that has been awesome for their marriage. Oh man, I can't believe this commercial. It is like, all I care about is my family, screw the earth, other families, and future generations, I want 15 more minutes to watch Dixie ads on TV, THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT US, Dixie!

Their website, has catch phrases like "promoting wellness" and "germ pervention". They even have a page called, "When to Use Your Dixie Cup"...

"Your kid's teeth and hygiene are important to maintaining a beautiful smile for life. Keep them healthy and strong by following these simple steps:

- Rinsing after brushing makes mouths healthier and happier.
- Sharing can mean sharing germs. So, get your own Dixie® cup.
- Use a Dixie cup once, then throw it away. (THIS ONE IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, YOU CAN BE WASTEFUL AND SPEND MORE MONEY ON MORE CUPS...)
- A fun little Dixie cup helps the medicine go down.
- Use a Dixie cup to wash down vitamins.

Come on, Dixie, you should be ashamed...

2 comments:

robayre said...

I live in a house with cable now for the first time in about 8 years and I I think I might have seen one of those commercials before, but didn't pay enough attention to see who or what it was for. That is ridiculous, and cracks me up when companies try to promote disposableness. One of my favorites was some product that was for a disposable toilet bowl cleaner. It said it promoted hygeine, because you just throw away the scrubber after your done, but I ask "How do you put the new replacement scrubber on without touching the dirty end of the handle that just went into your toilet? People are so stupid.
It is also interesting that you brought up the immunizations because I just read a thing this morning from Jenny McCarthy talking about the idea that immunizations are the reason why autism rates have sky rocketed.

Tiffany Teske said...

Hey Robayre :) That is so funny that you say that because I "watched" those commericals a bunch of times before I clued in, and then I was furious. And so many people think it is ok to just throw everything away. I wasn't raised like that. I remember that toilet bowl cleaner and from what I heard it didn't work well. What the heck is wrong with some vinegar, baking soda, and a regular toilet brush? As for the immunizations, I know a lot about the topic, and did not take the issue lightly when Andre and I were deciding what to do for Quin. I did see that interview with Jenny McCarthy and was pleased that she spoke out. However, I think in the end it clues in a few people (like you) but mostly falls on deaf ears. People just do what their friends or parents did. It is easier not to think. The theory on the link between autism and immunizations has been out there for a very long time. It is a sound theory and the only research that has "disproved" it has been by drug companies. We have to chat, Girl :) I hope the move it moving a long...