Horizon Organic radio spots disparage conventional milk, leaders say
Capital Press
Cookson Beecher
Radio ads for Horizon Organic milk that recently ran in Washington state, Oregon and California have dairy industry representatives dismayed over what they describe as “over the top” disparagement of conventional milk.
And while they say they’re happy that the ads were pulled, Horizon spokesperson Sara Unrue said that wasn’t the case.
Instead, the ads, which Unrue said were two-week pilot tests to determine what sort of information moms want to know about organic milk, “simply ended.”
“We’ll evaluate the ads and then move forward,” she said.
Unrue also said the company had received no negative comments about the ads from consumers and seemed to be surprised that anyone had taken offense at them.
From Horizon Organic’s perspective, the ads highlight the three no’s the company advertises in the way it manages its cows: No added hormones, no antibiotics, and no pesticides.
Blair Thompson, of the Washington Dairy Products Commission, sees the ads in a far different light. He fears that they’re a sign of “an alarming and escalating trend toward the disparagement of conventionally produced milk.”
He warns that this sort of negative advertising could have the unfortunate consequence of steering consumers away from all dairy milk to other products such as soy and rice milk.
That, he said, would hurt all milk producers, organic and conventional alike.
Industry reps point out that milk sold to consumers may not contain any antibiotics or pesticide residues. They also point out that the hormones in milk from cows treated with the growth hormone rBST is no different from the hormones in milk from cows that haven’t been treated with it.
Here is a transcription of the ads:
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Recording 1: Added Growth Hormones
First child: “Horizon Organic wants you to …”
Group of children: “Know your No’s!”
First child: “Do you know why Horizon Organic milk is produced with no added growth hormones?”
Group of hildren: “No!”
First child: “It’s simple! Added growth hormones don’t make better milk; they just help cows make more milk. That’s why many conventional dairies inject their cows with them. But the effects on us aren’t clear.
“So, at Horizon Organic, added growth hormones is subtracted from the equation. For purely delicious milk and yogurt, that let’s you get the calcium you need without any of the other stuff you don’t! It’s better for you, our cows, and the world we share.”
First child: “So now that you…”
Group of children: “Know your No’s!”
First child: “You’ll say…”
Group of children: “Yes!”
First child: “…To Horizon Organic. Look for the red carton with the happy cow on the front! Bring some home today, and start making a world of difference tomorrow.
“And if you want to know more, just visit our website: horizonorganic.com.
“Horizon Organic: making a world of difference!”
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Recording 2: Antibiotics
First child: “Horizon Organic wants you to…”
Group of children: “Know your No’s!”
First child: “Do you know why Horizon Organic milk is produced with no antibiotics?”
Group of children: “No!”
First child: “It’s simple! Antibiotics have nothing to do with making milk and yogurt as purely delicious as possible. They’re used on many conventional dairy farms to fight disease – even in healthy cows! But overuse may create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may be bad for us.
“So, at Horizon Organic, our cows are treated holistically, without giving them unnecessary antibiotics! It’s better for you, our cows, and the world we share.”
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Recording 3: Dangerous Pesticides
First child: “Horizon Organic wants you to…”
Group of children: “Know your No’s!”
First child: “Do you know why Horizon Organic milk is produced with no dangerous pesticides?”
Group of children: “No!”
First child: “It’s simple! Pesticides have nothing to do with making milk and yogurt as purely delicious as possible. In fact, studies say that pesticide residues may pose a risk to kids. So we say, ‘The less exposure, the better!’
“That’s why Horizon Organic only comes from cows that are fed 100 percent certified organic feed and raised on certified organic land. It’s better for you, our cows, and the world we share.”
Cookson Beecher is based in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. Her e-mail address is cbeecher @capitalpress.com.
