An old friend came to stay with me recently and very quickly outstayed her welcome by telling me a story I'd rather not have heard. Milk, she said, is allowed to contain up to 30 per cent blood and mucus, bleurgh! You don’t see it, she explained, because it’s later bleached out in the pasteurising process. Well that’s ok then.
Is this true? I did some research online and found hundreds of widely spread myths like this one. For example, primary school children up and down the country still insist that chewing gum is really made out of whale blubber. Then there’s the infamous tale about the lady in America who found a finger in her McNuggets.
But my favourite has to be that Powergen, the energy company, which, it has been rumoured, chose an unfortunate URL for its new Italian division: Powergenitalia.com.
These myths may sound barmy but they can teach us lots about viral marketing and brand image. Like nearly all myths there is a lesson behind the tale. Parents trying to encourage their children not to chew gum by telling them the “truth” behind its origin. With fast food and milk it’s about the health concerns of those rebelling against a convenience-food society. It suggests that we need to give consumers good reasons to change their behaviour and do it through stories that are easily repeated and that capture the imagination. It is also important to realise that marketers have an obligation to use these tools responsibly.
But, basically, it shows us how people will believe anything if it’s shocking or funny enough. Fools.
I’ll have my tea black, thanks.
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