"Early Death" and Video Games: Cock-up or Conspiracy?

An interesting find by MCV might not tell you why gaming was linked to early death in the recent Change4Life advert, but it will give you an idea of why the pictured kid isn't holding a vat of Coca Cola instead of a PlayStation controller. The reason looks suspiciously like it's money put forward by the Business4Life coalition.

The group, which was formed on July 31st last year, supports the Change4Life campaign with both creative input and a pledged £200m contribution over four years. That's significantly more than the government's £75m, three year advertising and marketing plan.

The long list of members (made up predominantly of companies whose products aren't noted for promoting a healthy lifestyle) include Coca Cola, Nestle, Mars, Virgin Media, ITV and Viacom. No games companies are represented.

Marketing director of Business4Life, Jane Holdsworth, thinks that having the games industry involved would be delightful, however. “It’s a shame – a combination of us not having contacts and games companies not coming forward”, she told MCV. “We would be delighted to have the games industry involved in future. Our members meet regularly with the Department Of Health, and are given opportunity to express opinions about upcoming campaigns – which helps avoid nasty surprises.”

SPOnG has to wonder - how difficult can it be, particularly with the kind of weight Business4Life has behind it, to call up Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo and say, 'want to get involved?' Was this simple short-sightedness? Or was a stalking horse a good idea?

Nintendo is now reportedly interested in speaking to Business4Life.

Holdsworth was, it should be noted, critical of the offending advert. “It’s irrational and grossly unfair to pick on a single product like that. I’m surprised, because the Department of Health’s own research shows negative advertising is not effective”, she said.

If you have a complaint about the negative advertising used, as of April you could try taking it to the new chair of the Press Complaints Commission, Baroness Peta Buscombe, also currently the driving force behind Business4Life. Oh, wait...

Anyway, Baroness Buscombe recognises that childhood obesity is a complex issue that can't be approached with an overly-simplistic strategy. Responding to the Advertising Standards Authority’s Food and Soft Drink Advertising Survey, released back in early 2008, Buscombe said, "There is no “silver bullet” to solve the complex problem but a united approach, with industry and Government working in partnership, would be the most effective way to help improve the health of the nation."

This response came shortly before Business4Life was formed in July of 2008.

The Business4Life 'initiative' referred to here is not, by the way, this Business4Life which was set up in 2004 to "gives young professionals the opportunity to develop their management skills and raise money for charity."

^{Sources:
MCV
Business4Life
Advertising Association}