Consumers International Bad Company Awards 2009

What do Audi, Microsoft, BP and easyJet have in common? Answer: Greenwashing!

www.consumersinternational.org/badcompany

Did CI get it right? Who would you have chosen as a Bad Company Awards 'winner'? Leave your comments below.

Lego and Kellogg's scrap their ridiculous idea

After receiving CI’s Blindingly Obvious Danger Award earlier this month, Lego has released a statement signaling the end of the candy brick. In response to the continued criticism generated by coverage of the Bad Company Awards 2008, the company have now confirmed that the chewy replica Lego bricks are “scheduled to be discontinued at the end of this calendar year”.

We congratulate Lego on doing the right thing, and look forward to not seeing Lego brick candy in the shops in the 2009.

The Nice little sideline Award for selling tanks, not just TVs goes to...

Samsung, for the little-publicised fact that this group of companies build tanks, as well as consumer electronics.

Consumers have a right to know if a high street brand keeps up a sideline in military hardware. For many conscientious consumers, this could be a major factor in their decision to purchase a particular brand or not. Companies should remember that they’re responsible for their entire product range, and that a glossy ethical policies report is not enough to convince many of today’s shoppers.

The Greenscrubbing Award for environmental impact goes to...

Our Greenscrubbing award is concerned with the gap between the rhetoric and the reality when it comes to corporate claims about environmental credentials. This year, we've given it to Toyota.

The may make the Prius, but any claims, accurate or not, that Toyota makes about the minimal environmental impact of its vehicles are put into perspective by one of the company’s flagship marketing exercises.

Promoted globally in 2007 and 2008, including a TV series tie-in, Toyota’s Hilux Arctic Challenge involved driving a Hilux SUV to the North Pole. It was hailed as the first vehicle ever to do so. Considering the speed at which the Arctic ice sheets are melting due to climate change, it may also be the last.

No matter how much the marketing department scrubs them up to be something else, vehicles that are run on non-renewable fuels are damaging to the environment. And even with its commendable advances in fuel efficiency, Toyota flushed all its greenwashing down the sink by taking a 4x4 on a promotional tour to the North Pole.

The Marketing Overdose Award for rampant promotion goes to...

Eli Lilly, for repeatedly breaching marketing regulations with its blockbuster drug for erectile dysfunction.

Lilly’s reprimand for bringing discredit upon the industry came after CI and others raised objections with the UK’s Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority about Lilly’s ED treatments website. The online information site was linked to the first ever television ‘infomercial’ by a drug company in the UK, and the need for its censure is a worrying indication of where drug promotion in the Britain may be heading.

Find out more on CI’s Marketing Overdose blog

The Sledgehammer Award for silencing criticism goes to....

Tesco, for its US$34 million lawsuit against three Thai journalists critical of the British retailer’s expansion plans. Two of the cases are in final mediation, whilst the third criminal charge could still result in a lengthy jail sentence.

Trying to silence debate is certainly not the way to win the hearts and minds of consumers. These multi-million dollar lawsuits are a ludicrous overreaction by Tesco and will do little more than further harm the retailer’s reputation in Thailand and around the world.

Blindingly obvious danger Award goes to...

Kellogg’s and Lego, for thinking candy in the shape of plastic toy bricks would be a good idea.


Sometimes, even the biggest multi-million dollar companies with the most creative minds, need to just stop, take a deep breath, and ask themselves ‘Is this really a good idea?’ Fun Snacks (aka Snack Stacks) was definitely one of those moments. We suggest Kellogg’s go back to the drawing board and work on getting kids eating healthier foods, not edible toy imitations.

The Bad Company Awards 2008

From Luke Upchurch, CI's Head of Media:

Every December, CI takes a look back at the headline consumer rights and consumer wrongs over the past year.

As part of this health check on the global consumer movement, we last year launched the Bad Company Awards as a light-hearted way of highlighting some of the worst, some of the most widespread and, frankly, some of the most ridiculous consumers rights abuses from around the world. Specifically, as a global body, we wanted to use these awards to draw attention to the behaviour of multinational companies.

Previous winners have included Mattel's lead paint toy scandal, Coca-Cola's bottled tap water and Kellogg's high-sugar children's cereals.

This year, after consultation with our member organisations, our in-house experts and our various civil society partners, we settled on the actions of a bunch of high street brand names that, we feel, typify the concerns raised by consumer groups around the world.

The winners will be announced on Monday 1 December, and we’ll be posting here on them every day next week. So be sure to check back to find out who has won.