Brownes vs Just Jeans
On the weekend Dave bought a Brownes Choc-Chill and was annoyed to find that they’re currently running a competition where you can win a Hummer, the ultimate poseur vehicle guaranteed to waste your money and pollute the world. We were going to email them to complain, but found that Brownes no longer has its own website. They have been bought out by multinational dairy company Fonterra, who are pretty light on product information on their website [note to self: take Brownes off the list of local WA brands to support].
However, on the upside, Just Jeans is promoting their new line of organic cotton jeans by running a competition where you can win a Prius. Well done, Just Jeans, for including eco-friendly products in your shops, and for promoting them without also being flag-bearers for affluenza.
If we’d known there was a chance to win a Prius instead of buying one, we would have waited a little longer! But every purchase of organic cotton jeans will get you a free re-useable organic cotton bag, so I’ll definitely be checking out the jeans while the promotion is on.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
I remember the first time I saw a Hummer in the tank-like flesh - up until then I just thought it was the US slang for a ‘normal’ 4WD. I was naive to think such a monstrosity would never take hold in Australia, especially now when fuel prices are going up and up…
Oh well. Everyone has the right to spend their paycheck how they want to, it’s just a shame that consumer choices like this one draw on common world resources like fast dwindling oil supplies. Good thing China’s doing its level best to use up the rest of the oil before we do. Race to the bottom, boys, compete to see who’ll run out first.
October 17th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
PS Harvey Fresh Milk: worth supporting, though I can’t stand their chocolate flavour, I’ll only drink Masters in that regard.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Well I send an email via the contact page of Fonterra’s website indicating that I would be boycotting their products purely because of this promotion.
If anyone else wants to do it:
http://www.fonterra.com.au/contactus/ContactUs.asp
October 18th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I too have send a comment about this.
“I’m boycotting your products due to your Hummer promotion. Giving away a Hummer? Get real. What about something that will make a difference to the environment. Sack your marketing company.”
Thats a pretty shocking promotion.
GMB
October 18th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Onya, guys
Actually I think the FUH2 site is pretty funny…
Will anyone be checking out the jeans? I don’t want to just slag off the things people do wrong for the environment, I’d like to support companies who make efforts in the right direction. I hope the jeans look good
October 18th, 2007 at 11:01 am
mmmm… new jeans
January 2nd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hi Julie
A group of us were talking about this on a trip down south recently and we’re all boycotting Brownes now as a result (pity - I used to seek out their yoghurt because it was local!).
..But as noted, there ’s no point boycotting their products unless you tell them why. I am going to draft up a formal letter to Brownes seeking their response and will circulate it to my friends to use if they wish.
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:56 am
Ooh, great idea - please send it to me, I’d love to use it. Although Brownes is local, they’re now owned by Fonterra, which is a multi-national corporation, so I think they’ve shifted on the”local < -> international” scale for me. And I agree that it’s a pity - that yogurt is pretty good stuff
January 17th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
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