Jenny Craig – we don’t judge our clients and it’s not our place to judge Kyle Sandilands
Weight loss company Jenny Craig has defended its decision to be the first brand to sponsor the Kyle & Jackie O Show since the furore over Kyle Sandilands’ attack on a News Limited journalist calling her “a fat slag”.
In a statement this afternoon, the brand said that it did not “sit in judgement over controversial matters”.
Meanwhile, media agency Mindshare, which usually plans and buys media for Jenny Craig, went on the record this afternoon to say that it had not been party to the sponsorship decision.
The Kyle & Jackie O Show returned to the air today. The final weeks of the show in 2011 was marked by the withdrawal of sponsor Holden and boycott by a large number of advertissers following Sandilands’ attack on journalist Alison Stephen, who he also described as “a piece of shit” when she wrote about the porr response to his TV show.
Jenny Craig, whose ambassador is Mel B, issued a statement saying”
“2DAYFM is Sydney’s number one FM radio station with more than half a million people tuning in weekly. The Kyle and Jackie O Show nationally reaches more than 1.5 million Australians and attracts more Australian females aged between 25-34 years than any other. This is precisely our target audience. Our communications plan for 2012 is to encourage people to make a healthy change to their lifestyle.
“It takes a lot of courage for our clients to take that first step and give us a call, and when they do, we don’t judge them. We’re there for them, every step of the way, on their quest to a healthier life.
“Our current Brand Ambassador, Mel B, herself a great role model for the encouragement and empowerment of women for almost 20 years on the global stage, will be making appearances on the show to discuss her journey in the coming weeks. To ensure as many people as possible are inspired by Mel B’s own experiences with Jenny, we chose the highest rating radio station in the Sydney market.
“Jenny Craig is committed to combating the obesity epidemic and the overwhelming health issues caused by weight related diseases. Whether Australians choose to take that first step with us or not is not as important as realizing that their health matters and that losing weight can help improve their health.
“We change lives, one at a time. We do not sit in judgement over controversial matters and we accept it when people apologise for their actions.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
I will be boycotting these idiots.
I was impressed by Jenny Craig’s campaign featuring a strong, youthful, vibrant & sometimes outspoken role model like Mel B & inspired by her success.
Now, however, I have lost all respect for the organisation & feel their Marketing Department has seriously lost the plot.
I’m baffled as to why a brand like Jenny Craig that is targeted predominantly at women would choose to advertise on a station like 2Day FM & in the time slot of a known misogynist like Sandilands.
Forget the poor excuse that it’s a popular radio station, I work in Marketing & Advertising & am well aware of the ratings & demographics – as many of you would be. The popularity for their demographic is negligibly close between 2Day FM, Nova, Mix & other stations. They could have easily reached their target market & maintained their brand’s respect & image by spending their advertising dollars elsewhere.
I’m disgusted that a brand that is meant to inspire & empower women would choose to align itself with a deplorable human being who is a known women hater & who has been threatening & foul mouthed towards women – over & over. A lame FORCED apology (about the 100th one now) from Sandilands is not an excuse or reason to support him. In fact, supporting him now, after he has been repeatedly vile without repercussion is like supporting everything he has done in the past – including the vilification of women, repeated & unrelenting insults to overweight women & even insults to your former spokesperson Magda – do they support his comments that Jenny Craig didn’t do enough for Magda & “You put her in a concentration camp and you watch the weight fall, like she could be skinny.”??
Apparently he doesn’t believe in their program – why spend advertising dollars with him?
Sandilands has repeatedly been vile & disrespectful of women & Jenny Craig’s association with him is a poor decision – one which will lose business & damage their brand irreparably.
I will be signing petitions & taking action to raise awareness against Kyle Sandilands & now, against Jenny Craig who foolishly support such an appalling human being.
Just because he’s famous (for being a no talent hack, controversial & insulting) doesn’t mean he’s a good role model or good association for any brand – nor does it mean it’s ok for him to be violent, threatening or disrespectful of women. Yet Jenny Craig, a brand that’s meant to be ‘for’ women is supporting him. Madness. Their Marketing Deparment & Marketing Manager should be sacked.
Where are your brand’s ethics Jenny Craig? Shame on you!
User ID not verified.
Given Kyle previously had a go at Jenny Craig front-woman Magda Szubanski can you get a better example of sales over ethics?
User ID not verified.
Yet again Nestle shows poor judgement. If Jenny Craig was a charity then the argument may be more plausible, but it aint so. You are selling stuff on a program that relies on shock to get people to listen, Sandilands is a one trick pony. Still, its better than the shit you pulled such as the stuff found at http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind.....hts_issues
User ID not verified.
Well, Jenny, you’ve got the quantity of listeners. I think your big question should be are they quality?
“Whether Australians choose to take that first step with us or not is not as important as realizing that their health matters and that losing weight can help improve their health.”
Well, I’m glad my money is going to your competitor.
User ID not verified.
So let’s get this right…. Jenny Craig don’t stand in judgement of people, but they actively support people that do!? And people that do in the most heinous way.
Speaks volumes.
User ID not verified.
Well played JC, love a client who does their own media deals inline with their communications objectives. What’s the point in paying a media agency? Would love to see the value extracted from the contract going direct.
User ID not verified.
Almost as bad as when Weight Watchers decided to endorse McDonalds…
User ID not verified.
Whoever is in charge of marketing should be sacked, but if they’re goal was to bring JC into disrepute, well then they should be promoted because this will definitely do it!!!! Well done, you putz!
User ID not verified.
Yeah that’s pretty surprising, considering one of the women Kyle viciously attacked was their much-loved spokesperson, Magda
User ID not verified.
What a clueless cluster-fuck.
This release sounds like (very weak) post-rationalisation of some nong, presumably the sales boss.
“A big ratings number here = a big sales number here.” Good luck with that.
Their Facebook page is going south very fast. Weightwatchers et al must be laughing.
User ID not verified.
Jenny Craig are judging their clients by having this association with Sandilands. What they are saying is ” our clients are tasteless fools who won’t object to us using this vile man so we can safely go ahead with this association to extract more money from more tasteless fools”
C’mon, how can it be anything else but a judgement?
User ID not verified.
Targeting vulnerable women with low self esteem. It’s synergistic!
User ID not verified.
Like it or not his audience is loyal, size able and seems to like his ways – my money would go there too if I was after that audience, I don’t think righteous commentary from advertising types is going to change that anytime soon 🙂
Ps – for those who think ads are more than a business investment in future sales here’s a good dose of reality to kick the year off http://tpdsaa.tumblr.com/
User ID not verified.
Is Amy at 4.53 pm possibly Amy Smith, Managing Director of Jenny Craig?
User ID not verified.
Jenny just wants to reach out to all those “fat slags & jelly bellies” out there. Camp Auschwitz is being set up in the Dandenongs to help them get that Kyle happy figure.
User ID not verified.
@CS Lewis – I imagine there’d be a few Amys reading mumbrella.
User ID not verified.
Will definitely not be using any service or buy any product from a company that advertises on that stupid show!
User ID not verified.
And it’s gone …
Jenny Craig Aust/NZ Facebook says at 10.11 pm
One thing about Jenny Craig is that we listen. We listen, we understand and we make an enormous effort to walk in the shoes of others.
We badly misjudged public perception of Kyle Sandilands. We have taken what has been said seriously. Mel B has happily been part of the 2DAY FM Breakfast show for the better part of last year. Our intention was to support our ambassador in her broader media role.
We feel sorry we have offended so many people, underestimated the sentiment against Kyle and are clearly upset that we made such a mistake. We have instructed 2DAY FM that our advertising is to be discontinued on the Kyle & Jackie O show, and the rest of their schedule immediately.
Like · Comment · 3 minutes ago ·
Josie Smith, Kirsten Trethowan and Goldie Gold like this.
User ID not verified.
Haha nope. If that was me there would definitely be NO dickhead Sandilands endorsement! Surely there’s several other worthwhile media programs to get behind…?
User ID not verified.
Jenny Craig have announced they will be withdrawing all advertising immediately after a backlash on their Facebook page.
“One thing about Jenny Craig is that we listen. We listen, we understand and we make an enormous effort to walk in the shoes of others.
We badly misjudged public perception of Kyle Sandilands. We have taken what has been said seriously. Mel B has happily been part of the 2DAY FM Breakfast show for the better part of last year. Our intention was to support our ambassador in her broader media role.
We feel sorry we have offended so many people, underestimated the sentiment against Kyle and are clearly upset that we made such a mistake. We have instructed 2DAY FM that our advertising is to be discontinued on the Kyle & Jackie O show, and the rest of their schedule immediately.”
User ID not verified.
Amy S I know you wouldn’t support this. Please don’t. We want Kyle off. Gone. The only way to do that is choke the commercial dollar revenue stream. Please reconsider.
User ID not verified.
Posted an hour ago on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/jennycraigausnz
“One thing about Jenny Craig is that we listen. We listen, we understand and we make an enormous effort to walk in the shoes of others.
We badly misjudged public perception of Kyle Sandilands. We have taken what has been said seriously. Mel B has happily been part of the 2DAY FM Breakfast show for the better part of last year. Our intention was to support our ambassador in her broader media role.
We feel sorry we have offended so many people, underestimated the sentiment against Kyle and are clearly upset that we made such a mistake. We have instructed 2DAY FM that our advertising is to be discontinued on the Kyle & Jackie O show, and the rest of their schedule immediately.”
User ID not verified.
A cynical publicity stunt that’s backfired.
User ID not verified.
The latest news….
http://www.theaustralian.com.a.....6247804569
RADIO station 2DayFM must dump its outspoken announcer Kyle Sandilands, the executive who oversees the federal government’s advertising planning and placement said.
The call by Mat Baxter came as advertisers Telstra and GIO Australia vowed that their ban on the show was permanent.
“They have to dump him,” said Mr Baxter, chief executive of Universal McCann, master media planning and placement agency for the government, which withdrew its advertising from The Kyle and Jackie O Show last year.
“They are in a really difficult situation but they need to bite the bullet on this one,” he said.
“What this situation has done has made the top-rating FM show in Sydney unviable for a large portion of advertisers, and that’s a big problem for Southern Cross Austereo to fix.”
Telstra said its ban on advertising on any radio or television program associated with Kyle Sandilands who last all year, potentially affecting Channel Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent, which featured Sandilands as a judge.
“Telstra remains committed to advertising in environments consistent with our company values and community standards. We have withdrawn support from all programs associated with Kyle Sandilands in 2012,” a spokesman said.
GIO Australia said it was “commited to not returning” to the program. “We will not be advertising with Kyle Sandilands on 2DayFM again,” a spokesman said.
Mark McCraith, chief operating officer of media buyers Maxus, said the situation had become acute. “It’s like the saying, ‘we have to amputate you at the knee to save the body’ and I think Southern Cross have to do that. I think they have to bite the bullet and get rid of him totally.”
James Greet, the chief executive of Mindshare, the agency that represents Jenny Craig, but did not broker Monday’s deal, said the negative effect was being compounded.
“Anyone is going to be scared of doing anything high profile with that show,” Mr Greet said.
Our campaign is working!! We have no intention of giving up until Kyle finally gets the boot. https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/331298220219718/
User ID not verified.
When you say “our” – who are “we”?
User ID not verified.
Hey Adgrunt, my name is Kate, you may remember me from the Melinda Tankard article of days gone by 🙂
I am involved in many campaigns – Kyle is my new pet project. We are “Sack Vile Kyle” a group set up back in November who are determined to see Kyle off the air.
Today Spotlight, Sony, Trilby Misso and Westpoint shopping confirmed they are withdrawing their advertising from Kyle Sandilands shows. Many other companies are in the process of getting their ads removed too.
We’re not going to give up – ahhhh the power of social media!
Bloody fantastic 🙂
Cheers
User ID not verified.
Ah, I see.
“Play the ball, not the man” still eluding you then.
Where do you buy your pitchforks and torches from these days?
User ID not verified.
BTW Sony up and left today too. Oh and this in the news ( we are all smiles over at Sack Vile Kyle)
http://blogs.theaustralian.new.....ve_2dayfm/
User ID not verified.
Call it what you will Adgrunt, it is working. Our membership base went through the roof today as people responded to this –
http://www.theage.com.au/enter.....1q9b1.html
Public sentiment against Kyle Sandilands is high. It is not enough to simply turn the radio off and ignore him. To do so would be the equivalent of walking over the body of an abused women as she lies there suffering. No, turning off is not enough, it is time for action, time for Kyle to leave the building!
User ID not verified.
I do fear Kate that you are exaggerating and maybe using a bit of hyperbole (maybe you should be in advertising) when you say:
Turning off the radio would “be the equivalent of walking over the body of an abused women as she lies there suffering.”
No it isn’t the equivalent at all – , there is real violence against women and to compare Kyle’s vile rants with real violence to women (or to anyone) is a slap in the face to those women who have suffered violence.
Ask the women who cowers from her husband in fear, whether she would rather swap a violent husband for just turning the radio off. A physical punch in the face is not the same as someone’s nasty comment – if it was there would be a lot of sore faces here in the comments.
Violence against women is vile – equating it with turning or not turning a radio on or off just diminishes the real problems women in violent relationships face.
But top marks for a good campaign – shows the power of a few people and the net..
User ID not verified.
Just want to say that I am absolutely appalled by the way Austereo is handling this issue. They have lost 2 producers (before Christmas) and now they have sacked their advertising people!! Why don’t they just let Kyle go and move on? As a member of the campaign to Sack Vile Kyle I have to say I am really angry with this latest turn.
http://www.theaustralian.com.a.....6251746762
User ID not verified.
There are many SACK VILE KYLE facebook groups that rose to existence following the November 2011 outbursts from radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands, after he verbally attacked a newspaper journalist for criticising one of his recent television shows. This vitriolic attack outraged both women and men across the country, and brought together one such group of dedicated Australians who are committed to working together to bring an end to this man’s reign of vulgarity and assault on public airwaves.
It therefore came as no surprise then, that when the women co-founders of this particular group, reached out to friends, family, co-workers and other networks, inviting them to join in their plight to bring this man down, the group membership went from national to global within months. Recent media …stories about this group, and the work they have tirelessly put into the group objective, resulted in an explosion of requests to join the group.
We now have over 250 people working around the clock contacting companies that have advertisements on either the Kyle & Jackie O breakfast show or the Kyle & Jackie O website. A lot of the companies that we have approached stated they had not been aware that their advertisements had been placed in spots on the 2Day Fm schedule, that associated them with Kyle and Jackie O. This has been due to 3rd party media buyers, bonus placement spots and other marketing arrangements. These companies have worked with us to identify when and where their advertisements have appeared and have then promptly advised us that they have requested their brand not appear on any show or website associated with Kyle Sandilands.
In recent days our members have contacted and received notification that the following companies have withdrawn advertising from either the Kyle & Jackie O breakfast show, or Kyle & Jackie O website
Weight Watchers
Beaurepairs
Vitamin King
Allianz
Volkswagen
Bulla Splits
Booty Camp
GLAD co
StyleTrend
CarHistory
William Blue College of Hospitality
Air New Zealand
Spotlight
Westpoint
Jenny Craig
Australian Institute of Fitness
Sony
Trilby Misso
Mazda
Interesting article in the paper today too http://www.streetcorner.com.au.....;mycomm=SC
Cheers all.
User ID not verified.