Coca Cola's vitaminwater lawsuit defense: "reasonable people know we're liars."

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"Coca-Cola is being sued by a non-profit public interest group, on the grounds that the company's vitaminwater products make unwarranted health claims… lawyers for Coca-Cola are defending the lawsuit by asserting that 'no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage.'"

Forced to defend themselves in court, they are acknowledging that vitaminwater isn't a healthy product. But they are arguing that advertising it as such isn't false advertising, because no (sic) could possibly believe such a ridiculous claim.

Story: John Robbins: The Dark Side of Vitaminwater

In a staggering feat of twisted logic, lawyers for Coca-Cola are defending the lawsuit by asserting that "no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage."
Does this mean that you'd have to be an unreasonable person to think that a product named "vitaminwater," a product that has been heavily and aggressively marketed as a healthy beverage, actually had health benefits?
Or does it mean that it's okay for a corporation to lie about its products, as long as they can then turn around and claim that no one actually believes their lies?
In fact, the product is basically sugar-water, to which about a penny's worth of synthetic vitamins have been added. And the amount of sugar is not trivial. A bottle of vitaminwater contains 33 grams of sugar*, making it more akin to a soft drink than to a healthy beverage.
Is any harm being done by this marketing ploy? After all, some might say consumers are at least getting some vitamins, and there isn't as much sugar in vitaminwater as there is in regular Coke.

*note: A regular can of Coke contains 39g - (1 tsp of sugar* = 4g)
(*technically, high-fructose corn syrup)
  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Isn't that why companies have to post full lists of ingredients and other info on every label - so that consumers can make "informed choices"?

    Not exactly on time here - that article was from 2010 and the original suit was filed in 2009. Way back then I read the label - and decided not to buy the stuff:p
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    • Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      Isn't that why companies have to post full lists of ingredients and other info on every label - so that consumers can make "informed choices"?

      Not exactly on time here - that article was from 2010 and the original suit was filed in 2009. Way back then I read the label - and decided not to buy the stuff:p
      Actually Kay, I thought it was more recent - good catch. (it was posted in with newer stuff) The backwards defense still seems a bit ludicrous though (assuming not everyone reads the ingredients :rolleyes
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  • Profile picture of the author LarryC
    It may not be a miracle health drink, but it's surely healthier than their main product.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brandon Tanner
      Originally Posted by LarryC View Post

      It may not be a miracle health drink, but it's surely healthier than their main product.
      lol... that's like saying that drinking kerosene is "healthier" than drinking gasoline!

      Synthetic vitamins are absolutely worthless (unlike real "plant-based" vitamins, which actually have value). Which means there is not even a trace of nutrition in "Vitamin Water". Just like Coke, it is 100% BAD!

      This is just another sad example of marketing at it's slimiest.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    WOW, I WISH I could show you a SERIOUS national case where a lawyer used MICKEY MOUSE as a defense! YIKES! Oh well.... Surprisingly, he WON!

    Steve
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