HFCS Propaganda Ads

You may have seen some ads recently on television or the New York Times (where this ad is from). The television ads feature two people in some ordinary situation (backyard barbeque, etc.). One person asks if something has HFCS in it and says something generally negative. Then person #2 asks what is wrong with it. The anti-HFCS advocate turns into a deer-in-the-headlights with mouth gaping open. The enlightened HFCS advocate then goes on to expound the benefits of sweetener made from corn. You are then encouraged to check out the “facts” at sweetsurprise.com.

This is as disingenuous and manipulative as some of the political ads we have already seen this year. Their print ad ends by saying that they “welcome the discussion”, even though their ad suggests there is no actual discussion to have. This campaign is funded by _____.

The people behind this campaign have huge sums of money, as evidenced by the amount that I, someone without a television, saw in one week. The people trying to shed light on the risks and dangers of HFCS don’t have the kind of money needed to do battle with these corporate interests. Just like campaigns, lies become truth if you just put them out there and keep repeating them, no matter how easy it is to prove that it’s a lie. Media is powerful in the minds of the masses.

As the slow food movement grows and gains momentums, this is what we’re up against. When you challenge the Powers, they do not take it lightly or sitting down. We have built enough momentum to warrant this kind of media blitz and leaders in the movement need to think seriously about how to deal with the coming reaction of those who benefit from the way things are.