Suffering with a Cold - Part 2
Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for contacting Kimberly-Clark about our new television commercial for KLEENEX Anti-Viral facial tissue. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
This television commercial was intended to be memorable and light-hearted, and we regret that you were offended. The guru character in the ad represents a gentle, compassionate person and is not in any way a commentary on any specific culture, religious faith or belief. Please be assured, however, that we will share your remarks with those involved in developing our advertising programs.We appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
Person in Marketing (Name withheld - by me)
Consumer Services Department
Kimberly-Clark Europe
What?! He’s wearing red robes, he’s got mala beads around his wrist andhis garden consists of raked gravel with large standing stones in the middle. How can that not be linked to Buddhism?
I’m not offended by the tone, and I see it is lighthearted, but my heart would be a lot lighter if people stopped selling stuff with a Buddhist tag.
Hmm… I wonder what the ad agency has to say. (devilishly drums fingers on each other, a la Mr Burns)…continued tomorrow
Suffering With A Cold - Part 1
Suffering With A Cold - Part 2
Suffering With A Cold - Part 3
February 28th, 2006 at 9:02 am
I think the guy - or girl- who answered your letter is making it up as he - or she- goes along.
How long have you been A Buddhist? And what led you down that path?
February 28th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
My husband has had to put up with my harrumphing every time that ad is shown.
And also my “Look at the turtle! Look! Look at the turtle!”
February 28th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
About 6 years, although I’ve been reading about it for more than 15 years. Nothing led me there. To begin with, I read about it in Jack Kerouac and Robert Persig when I was a kid. But it wasn’t one tragedy or triumph or any single thing that set me off. It’s just been life itself and with the experience of that came the realisation that the more I understood about Buddhism, the more it made sense and the happier I was and the better person I could become. Which is funny in itself, because I’m not even that great.
There was no big light that went off for me, no “Bo tree” moment, but a gradual series of things that made me think: “yeah, I get it”.
It might not be for everyone, but it just clicked with me - if there’s such thing as a gradual, ongoing click.
Which Buddhism’ll tell you there is, there in the moment of the click, just like you’re standing there right now before you’re gone.
Or the sun shining in the sky. See, that’s the draw for me - things like that.
February 28th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Have you ever read the Letters From A Nut books?
If not, you should.
February 28th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Leemer! You never sent ME any letters!
March 4th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Manual Trackback. This post is cited in Blogmandu, Roundup for Feb 26 - Mar 4, 2006.
August 11th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
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