“Notice it doesn’t say 100% Canadian beef?”
My motivation to write this came from a recent trip away with friends. Although most of them know of my stance towards A & W, we ended up stopping there for burgers to bring home for one of the husbands. The silence regarding my choice to eat a cookie from my purse instead of a burger made me reflect on how much the general population understands, or even cares about the ‘fear marketing’ that is going on around us at an increasing rate every day.
h/t Al in Cranbrook
Good post and super interesting blog. Definitely food for thought.
(And yes, this is THAT John, the troll you guys hate coming here so much.)
Great post. I suspect the healthy thing is to eat less fast food = like A and W.
At first, I was very confused by the objection to using beef from Montana. Then I did some research and found out that A&W Canada is completely independent from the US A&W chain. Learn something new every day.
I enjoy A&W burgers but have noticed this campaign. This is the first inkling that it is tied to using non-Canadian beef.
I’ll have to just start asking for Canadian beef and if they list the hormone levels in their eggs, buns and other products.
If it is such a big deal, they should be listing them!
I don’t think they’d want to go down that road. If it was a government regulation they’d look pretty silly.
Indeed, a case where the devil is in the details.
If they have to answer a few uncomfortable questions in public, they’ll soon find a new ad program.
First anti-Canadian oil, now anti-Canadian beef, both using the same scary advertising.
It’s almost like its…its…happening on purpose.
I guess the advertising world has seen how effective the fear campaign for global warming has worked, so decided to use the same tactics in other campaigns.
The problem is, maybe a thousand people will read this and the linked blog, five million will see the A & W ads on TV.
How can anyone combat big advertising?
I rarely eat any “fast food”,only when on the road and no other choice available. I’m still pi**ed off over the many great independent burger joints I used to frequent long ago that were put out of business by the big chains.
A&W’s job is to make a profit for their shareholders. They do this by selling hamburgers. They attract customers through advertising. The advertising copy is designed to please their customers and potential customers. If A&W has determined that their customers want “ethical” meat with no hormones or steroids then they would be foolish not to provide them with what their customers want, not to mention that A&W would be in breach of their fiduciary duty to their shareholders not to do so.
As for A&W buying their beef from non-Canadian sources: a lot of my food comes from other countries. I don’t consider eating food imported from other countries to be unpatriotic. All of this criticism of A&W is just another form of political correctness from the other side of the political spectrum.
A&W is not waging a fear campaign and their ads are not political propaganda. However, I can’t say the same thing for A&W’s critics. They are just shoveling shit and, in the words of e.e.cummings, “there is some shit I will not eat.”
This is similar to the fraud that is “Gluten Free”. A simple marketing scheme devised to increase market share and scare ill-informed consumers. A&W should be ashamed of themselves. All that should be required is you make a better hamburger than anyone else, at a fair price.and the consumer would reward you.
THE WIFE knows our farmer.
-duck eggs
-poultry meats like chicken steak, turkey sausage
-fresh greens
-root vegetables
we choose to pay attention to what gets ate.
One reason so many little burger joints went out of business is that they couldn’t afford to obey the avalanche of regulation that comes down the pipe day after day after day, all because a bunch of fearmongering leftists thought it was their business to ensure that the state looked after every Tom, Dick and Mary from the time they were conceived until they were neatly incinerated in an approved facility that collected the CO2 and pumped it underground.
Only the big chains could cope.
I think I’ll have a Papaburger and onion rings for lunch. First, though, I have to squirt some steroid solution up my nose so my allergies won’t act up. It’s pollen season y’know. Now THERE is a source of hormones………
I sent A&W an email telling them that we will not be stopping in anymore. If they want to be politically correct, so can I, and not eat there anymore.
blackfox is correct: “All of this criticism of A&W is just another form of political correctness from the other side of the political spectrum.
A&W is not waging a fear campaign and their ads are not political propaganda. However, I can’t say the same thing for A&W’s critics. They are just shoveling shit… ”
exactly…
Nobody is being forced to eat any brand of burgers; it’s called choices in a free market. There is nothing dishonest or deceptive about A&W advertising. Besides, A&W is a Canadian company and their burgers taste better than the others. They have also taken positive action to significantly reduce the food packaging waste at their stores.
I’ve been buying meat from a store that is owned by a local farm. The quality is really high, and the chain supermarkets DO NOT compare. I look through the Meat Market window into their refrigerated room and see sides of beef hanging from ceiling hooks. This is a new concept for me, and I’m likin’ it.
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/cowichan-valley-meat-market-ltd-duncan
Great read, thanks for posting Kate.
Remember that much of the younger generation are now totally brainwashed having been through the public education system. Their brains are rotted.
But the rot is worse than just misinformation. They have lost the desire to question anything, to seek the real truth on matters, to dig into the details and analyze fact from fiction.
That’s part of the problem. The other part of the problem – and it must be said if we are to be honest – are companies like Monsanto that are the equivalent in farming to what Microsoft was to high-tech. Monsanto uses marketing to distort reality just as much as the lefties and green nuts, and they like to bully. I feel little sympathy for them.
Caught in the middle, between the eco-nuts and the big players in the business, are the farmers.
Anti-GMO and anti-“factory farm” products are a Big Deal in the health food biz these days. The more it is demonstrated that “organic” means exactly nothing, the more these morons make up new and exciting BS to sell their questionable products.
BS baffles brains, that’s your bottom line. A comfy lie sells more burgers than an uncomfortable truth. Dumbing down the population paying off big for salesmen and propagandists.
I think the most impressive thing about all of this is that you can even measure the difference between five and seven nanograms. That’s some serious business right there.
“I think the most impressive thing about all of this is that you can even measure the difference between five and seven nanograms. That’s some serious business right there.”
So right. And ALL beef has it. Did you notice the count in the bun?!?! If your that worried,throw away the bun and just use lettuce as a wrap. Oh wait. If it’s “organic” lettuce,it probably has E.coli.
One of the interesting points was regarding how much land/feed/resources/money are saved with the growth hormone implant…something Matt Ridley would have noted. IMHO, it’s a tad bit shoddy of A&W to deliberately exploit consumers’ ignorance about this stuff, and pretend they’re heroes for it. Not uncommon, sure enough, but that’s no excuse, either.
An aside: If you haven’t read Ridley’s, “The Rational Optimist”, I cannot possibly recommend it enough! Should be mandatory reading before anyone is allowed to graduate! Just this one book alone would send grads out the door a damn sight more informed about the real world than is currently the case…considering all the leftist bull**** that a lot of ’em get pumped into their heads by education system.
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/
I am a bit of a real estate developer and approached A&W Canada to develop a site in our town. As someone mentioned they are a Canadian owned enterprise with a HO in Vancouver. Our dealings with them to develop a property was top notch. A great group of people (Canadians by the way) who stood by their commitments and were great tenants for as long as I owned the property.
I mention all this as I do not see their advert campaign as a put down of Canadian beef. If cattlemen consider it so then I suggest it is more along the lines of trying to counter an existing perception in the market place that burgers are not good for you. One burger is OK but 4 or 5 is not. It is all about self regulating and we know that is beyond many. The environmental movement and PETA have been after the fast food industry for many years. I suggest A&W is simply trying to fight back.
What is Canadian beef? In my area we have 30 to 40 cattle liners a day hauling beef to slaughter houses in Washington State. After this beef is processed is it marketed as Canadian or USA beef? I suspect both and I question how accurate claims are that A&W buys only USA and Australian beef. It is all about price and quality.
Blackfox has this completely correct, and most of you are piling on A&W for nothing.
What, EXACTLY, is wrong with their ad campaign? Almost every day, here in Toronto, I get something from Facebook, Yahoo, etc. telling me how ‘unhealthy’ fast food burgers are. The lefties – it’s always lefties – claim the burgers are made from ‘pink slime’ (not true), that they’re hormone-laced (not true), and that they are GMO ‘Frankenfoods’ (occasionally true that they are GMO, never true that they are “Frankenfood”).
The large urban centres are where A&W’s stores are. As we all know, the average person in Toronto and Vancouver is too stupid to understand anything longer than ten words, so “Our beef is hormone and steroid free” while redundant, is necessary to combat the DISINFORMATION spread by the left. And, as Blackfox points out, A&W like all firms sources ingredients competitively. I have no doubt they use lots of Cdn beef; however, during our winter when beef prices are higher, summertime Oz beef might be cheaper. Are they some kind of screaming, dishonest corporation for doing so?
There is absolutely nothing dishonest about what A&W is doing. They are fighting the lies and BS spread by the left, and I am surprised so many here can’t see it.
Clearly, Conservatives make lousy activists! We’re just too damn smart and honest!
You know, polar opposites of the left…if you get my drift!
🙂
I’m with blackfox on this one also. And as some one pointed out, it is corporate duty, by law, to do the best they can for share holders.
before reading blackfox I was gonna post that some one fell off the hick farm and crashed into reality in the big bad city:-)))
Hi LAS
Oh well, just one more whoring corporation that is using the same “eco-friendly” bait that has been so successfully used by politicians…especially in Ontario. You’ll rarely go wrong by appealing to emotion and self-righteousness instead of intellect.
kevinB said…..”There is absolutely nothing dishonest about what A&W is doing. They are fighting the lies and BS spread by the left, and I am surprised so many here can’t see it. ”
Examples and links,please. Otherwise….STFU.
” it is corporate duty, by law, to do the best they can for share holders.”
Got a linkie? To the “by law” part?
I’m a bit surprised you’re contesting this issue. It goes way back, here’s a general view of this:
http://www.professorbainbridge.com/professorbainbridgecom/2012/05/case-law-on-the-fiduciary-duty-of-directors-to-maximize-the-wealth-of-corporate-shareholders.html
A W advertises no added hormones, because all meat contains hormones, as does many other foods, they just claim their beef has had no added hormones, big deal, if your want heartburn eat their hamburgers but your gaining nothing by sanctimoniously thinking your better than others while scarfing down teenburger where the meat was brought in from Australia. McDonalds buys tons of Alberta beef, check it out, and I would far rather support Canadian cattlemen than AW who buy whatever beef is the cheapest and it tastes like it is cheap beef, theres only so much ketchup and mayo can do to cover up bad tasting beef, and Aussies are cool dudes but their beef absolutely sucks compared to Alberta beef, even a steak in Montana has to be doctored with condiments to cover up the corn taste they finish with.
“even a steak in Montana has to be doctored with condiments to cover up the corn taste they finish with.”
Betcha a steak dinner that you (a) don’t know sh*t about Montana beef and (b) couldn’t tell grass-fed to slaughter from grain-finished in a blind taste test. Before you pull out that butt plug and start typing your screed, yes, I’m a MT rancher. Get stuffed.
Our local A&W recently advertised two Teens for Five Bucks.
I went in and asked for a blonde and a brunette.
I’m not allowed to eat there anymore.
“Betcha a steak dinner that you … (b) couldn’t tell grass-fed to slaughter from grain-finished in a blind taste test.”
Well that depends. If you really mean grass-fed only all the way to slaughter, then that it is hard to get right, but if done right can be OK. Grain-fed is no guarantee it is good, although generally grain-fed produces a better product than grass-fed.
So generally speaking I’d say people could tell the difference, and they would pick grain-finished.
What I don’t understand is that in some stores you will see steaks advertised as “grass-fed”, but then when you start asking questions you find the cow *was* finished on grain. What sort of misleading labeling is that. It appears the only difference is the cow had a bit more grass than usual and now it is billed as “grass fed”.
Funny nick o teen. I am guessing you weren’t in Toronto or you would be emailing from jail right now.
Bottom line is that all of the burgers offered by the fast food chains taste like crap. They are precooked and seared upon order. Ugh!
I stopped eating them years ago. The best burgers are offered by road side stands. In my neck of the woods there are many. In Alfred, Ontario there is a place that will make you a huge cheeseburger, made to order for five bucks. There is even a counter you can sit at and enjoy the free newspaper while you wait for the delicious burger.
Why is it that these guys can offer a vastly superior product for at least a dollar less than most of the big boys? The meat is delicious. I am not sure where it is from but those home made and fresh burgers are way better than the luke warm offal offered by the big chains.
So, take your family to a roadside stand. The food will be delicious and cost less. As for the whole hormone issue, my grade seven teacher had a great joke. “how do you make a hormone?” answer- “don’t pay her.”
He would probably be out of a job these days.
Bet you a stake dinner. Bartinlsky and I used to head to head a lot so we would not be classified as blogging buddies but I can’t stand uppity people from Montana so get stuffed back. Sorry about Redford there Bart. For mister montana that is a inside joke.
It was my understanding that not only A and W, but all fast food joints would use hormone free beef. They would not be buying young heifers or steers, but old dairy and beef cows for a fraction of the cost. Ground them up and make hamburger as they are not good for any thing else.
Nice to pick up the growers side for once. I’m sick to death of this endless con game the greens have made up. Nice post , let some fresh air ventilate the lies we hear all day long from ad agencies or luddites.
Sorry for the long quote but it bears repeating:
Third point (and this is where I really find A&W’s commitment to fear shine), Iowa State University highlighted the ‘estrogenic activity’ of a number of foods (read it here). In 500 grams of beef (or more than an entire pound) not given the added hormone, there are 5 nanograms of estrogen (ng). In an entire pound of beef given that little injection, there are 7 ng. Big difference? Not if you look at the fact your body, very naturally produced 136,000 nanograms of estrogen today, if you are a man. As a woman, you’ll produce 513,000 nanograms per day, and the mood swings that your pregnant friend seems to be feeling could be because of the almost 20 million nanograms she is producing each and every day. And we are bickering over 2? (In case you are curious,peanuts show up on the scale at 100,000 ng, white bread 300,000,ng and tofu at 113 million nanograms for the same 500g. So yes, the bun on the burger would have more estrogen than a beef patty from an animal once treated with a hormone. Also, birth control pills contain 20,000 to 50,000 ng). The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also has a report on the use, and backs up what Iowa State found– that the contribution to my system of a beef animal treated with a hormone relative to what I produce on my own is 0.00025%. And eating at A&W, despite what they want you to believe, can’t even make that zero.
I seldom eat fsst food but if I do I will go to A&W or Timmy’s rather than other franchises. My preference for organic produce stems from the fact most of it is local and raised by family producers- I also shop at a local independent grocer who buys locally. If you buy stuff at safeway or whatever in GTA or any other metro center there is NO guarantee where it came from. My “Organic” program is to support local independent producers.
I see that marc has already answered for me, butt I would like to point out that “contractual law” comes into play on this. When you BUY shares you do so with intent to be rewarded fiscally, in one manner or another, and that is a contract. That you “asked” for proof kinda shows what you are and aren’t, sorta, kinda degrades your credibility, across the board.
BTW; I took my industrial engineering, and THAT was part of the course.
What we have hear is knowledge-based marketing (The Sask blogger and her informative stats on the hormones) versus A&W and their ignorance-based marketing (based on what you don’t know but fear due to ignorance). Informed decisions are great but markets thrives on differential knowledge.
I’m not trying to step on your toes, sometimes folks don’t return to a thread so…
I always eat at A&W because there is nothing worse than that hormone/steroid aftertaste that you get from the other burger joints. It is even worse than the emotional distress from eating too many glutens, though they are tasty little buggers.
Having said that, the advertising appeals to the same smugness that gets people to buy electric cars. It makes them feel better about themselves so they don’t have to do anything actually worthwhile.
An example… You are driving to the A&W in your Prius, you see a crime taking place.
Should you stop and intervene, or drive on because you know that you are already doing your part to make the world a better place?
Study after study shows that those on the right are much more charitable in donations and deeds. Likely because they don’t waste their time and resources on hormone free beef and overpriced ‘smug’ cars.
Remember actor Wilford Brimley and the pitch at the end of his rolled oats shilling. ‘Its the right thing to do’ he’d say.
These ads are much the same and only show that PT Barnum has never been proved wrong to date.
If it’s “organic” lettuce,it probably has E.coli.
Posted by: Justthinkin
“Examples and links,please. Otherwise….STFU.”
I seldom eat fsst food but if I do I will go to A&W or Timmy’s rather than other franchises…. My “Organic” program is to support local independent producers. Posted by: Occam
exactly.. that’s my opinion too.
I also grow my own ‘organic’ garden. It’s agriculture, not rocket science. It’s good to grow some of the food you eat, even if it’s just sprouts for salad grown in a jar on a windowsill in an apartment.
It’s happened a few times, sprouts come to mind, cukes as well, the problem seems to be compounded in that these veggies aren’t cooked. A few people have noted that there really isn’t any hard and fast rules for these foods in north america, there is some paperwork though, which folks seem willing to pay 2x for.
Misha Popoff from BC knows of this topic quite well, here:
http://www.isitorganic.ca/
Here’s a link, as per your request:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2011/05/30/deadly-cucumbers-kill-14-in-germany-death-toll-still-rising/
Well its like the tide commercials of the past 5 decades…..”The NEW and Improved Tide”
uhuh…if they actually have made it better in the past 40 years, then it should pretty much be 100% sulphuric acid by now right..?? Drop your clothes in and they dissolve.!
So much for disinformation, misinformation and outright garbage. 20 years ago it was sugar that was the killer so all went to aspertane -then we found out it was cancer causing..and the list goes on ad infinatum….
Buyer Beware…..there is always some snake oil salesman around the corner.
stk
They would not be buying young heifers or steers, but old dairy and beef cows for a fraction of the cost.
Yeah, it’s just more misdirection in advertising. And it causes controversy among the ill educated, which is good advertising.
Not much hamburger made from young steers and heifers. Haven’t heard of growth hormone being given to old cows…
Live in beef country: can’t drive that far from home without seeing veals rollicking in the fields. That being said, I found the A&W ads offensive, and that was even before I discovered where they were now sourcing their beef. They can play to prejudice: they’re now off my menu. Have told them so. And I found them the best fast-food burgers around.
The cucumber deaths goes along with the dozen or so that were killed by organic lettuce in the US two or three years ago.
Steakman, “there is always some snake oil salesman around the corner.” You nailed it. They seem to be everywhere, especially so in the climate and food areas. Follow the money.
To marc in calgary and the troll….sooooo…. I can sue for loses? Didn’t think so.Get out of the ponzi scheme.
Yeah the fast food burgers are from culled old cows.
I recall dining in Ed’s Warehouse in TO and the claim was made it wuz all ABERDEEN ANGUS STEER beef…..my steak arrived….good steak but there has never been an Aberdeen Angus big enough to cut that outa…had ta come from a Holstein cow….
As a feed operator said…”they pay less per pound on the hoof or the rail for heifers but it’s all steer beef when it gets shipped to the store..” It sez so on the box…..
I could rationalize a price difference between steer and heifer on the hoof but on the rail (SLAUGHTERED/dressed) any difference in dressing percentage is gone….and there should be no difference in cost to slaughter/dress the meat.
Shareholders have sued when they have shown the board wasn’t acting in good faith, while ignoring the best advice from their executives. If they’re merely unsuccessful with their normal efforts, then no.
and, I’m speaking with the understanding that the jig isn’t rigged, in an “in theory” basis. There’s been too many scandals these past couple decades. Perhaps it’s 99% of those traded stocks giving the other 1% a bad name.