Ax to Grind

This is a previous post from another blog I have...

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...