Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Corn Refiners Association courting Mommy Bloggers

I guess I've been asleep the last few days...or maybe I just don't swim in the same ponds as the infamous Mommy Bloggers out there.  Either way, I was certainly surprised to open my blog reader this morning to find some of the more "eclectic" moms (hippy moms?) in an uproar about a recent ad campaign by the Corn Refiners Association.

Source: SweetSurprise.com
It seems the makers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (aka - Corn Sugar) asked momcentral.com to find mommy bloggers to help improve their "image".  So, not only are they changing their product's name but they're buying sponsored blog entries to get their side of the story across to the public.

A few examples include:
(There are a trillion more out there - just google the phrase 'corn refiners association gift certificate')

If you read through the  comments of the last entry, you'll notice another mommy blogger who commented:
"I guess there is a lot of people not happy with this post, but at the same time you are presenting information that was presented to you. We only know what we are taught. I actually was thinking about doing more research after doing my post as I am not educated enough on this topic to really say how I feel about it in all honesty. I simply was using this as a way to educate myself as to what is in my pantry."
My head almost exploded when I read this this morning...

As I said, other mommy bloggers are upset about this little ad campaign:
My favorite quote from mom101 is:
"This week, a whole team of bloggers got paid in gift certificates by a multi-million dollar lobbying organization so that when concerned parents hit the web and Google High Fructose Corn Syrup, they'll get a bunch of posts from "trusted moms" saying HFCS is just like sugar! Don't cut it out any more than you cut out honey! It's fine! It's NATURAL. Doctors told us so."
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Here are my comments:
Mommy bloggers, are you really that cheap?  Are you really that gullible?  Are you really that stupid?

Some large company wiggle a few gift certificates in front of you and you immediately start dancing to their tune.  "Just like sugar!"  "It's Natural!"  You sound like a bunch of trained parrots!

Yes, we are business people...we are trying to make some extra money so we can stay home with our kids and pay the mortgage.

BUT WE ARE MOMMIES FIRST!!!!

It's our main job to raise our kids in the healthiest way possible and to protect them from harm.  If you believe the swill the CRA is trying to feed the public through these "trusted" bloggers, you're certainly naive.  HFCS (aka - Corn sugar) is POISON!  "Gee, I wonder why little Charlie is so chubby!"  Gee, lady, maybe it's all the junk food you feed him?  Maybe it's all the sodas he's chugging?  Maybe it's all the HFCS-containing candy, fruit-like drinks and white-four/white sugar items that you're allowing him to eat?

I am amazed at how it seems the mommies at the meeting were dazzled by the supposed "experts" touting the greatness of corn sugar.  These women believed everything that came out of their mouths just because they were doctors and scientists with more degrees and education than most people.

Um...hello!  You're at an event sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association.  Didn't it occur to anyone that these "experts" were being paid to say those things? 

/facepalm

I agree with mom101 - I hope it was a damn good gift certificate...because ladies, you just sold your souls.

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For anyone that is interested, here are a few links to real information about  HFCS and their effects on the body:
Posted by Anita at 7:46 AM

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