CONTINUING THE MICHAEL PHELPS DEBATE

I honestly thought the whole Michael Phelps thing had blown over.  Someone snapped a picture of him smoking pot, there was a big uproar, Kellogg’s dropped him as an official sponsor even while other brands stuck by his side, and the story pretty much faded away. Done.

But a day or so ago, I logged onto Facebook and saw that one of my friends had changed their status to the following:

[NAME OF FRIEND] won’t buy Kellogg’s products until they lift their hypocritical, judgmental, unfair ban on Michael Phelps sponsorship.

I find it frustrating how people seem so ready to punish Kellogg’s for dropping Phelps.  Over and over again, I hear that “smoking pot with friends just isn’t that big of a deal,” and “he didn’t do anything that everyone hasn’t done at some time or another,” and “as a country we’re far too uptight about things like this. “

On the surface, people who make these arguments are absolutely right – people in the U.S. are far too prude and sensitive about issues that we should just let roll off our backs and not let bother us.  I think the whole politically correct movement is bullshit, and it wouldn’t kill us to grow some thicker skin and not get so uptight every time we feel the slightest bit offended by something.  Without question, our national attitude could use a makeover.  I just don’t see why Kellogg’s should have to shoulder this responsibility and be forced to use their marketing dollars to change the perspective of a nation. That’s not their job – they just want to sell more cereal.

Kellogg’s isn’t exactly an “edgy” brand – they’re not an apparel company that markets to teens and young adults. They market to families, particularly those with young kids, and health conscious adults. Companies pay celebrities to endorse products when those celebrities publicly demonstrate the same values as their brand.  I’m not saying that Phelps doesn’t have values or that he’s not a good person, but clearly that pic of him smoking pot isn’t in line with the Kellogg’s brand or the values that they’ve built their business on.

As for Phelps himself, I also agree that he didn’t commit any crime that most American’s haven’t committed at some point or another.  On the scale of sins, smoking pot probably falls somewhere between doing 95 mph in a 55 mph zone, and double dipping at a cocktail party.  But he’s won 14 career gold medals and became a national hero at the last Olympics – which most American’s haven’t done. When you become a celebrity you have to expect to give up certain freedoms, and if you’re planning on endorsing “wholesome” brands that support family values (and signing contracts stating you’ll behave a certain way), then smoking pot at college parties is probably one of the freedoms you should give up. If it was Bode Miller caught smoking pot – that’s a different story. Miller sells himself on his bad boy image. Phelps doesn’t.  Phelps’s image clean-cut, dedicated and hard-working, and that’s the image Kellogg’s wanted to pay for.  They have every right to end that relationship when the image they bought has been tarished.

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CONTINUING THE MICHAEL PHELPS DEBATE