Anti-cheese campaign alienates an entire nation (of Packer fans)

Beyond its 13 championships, the team, which is part-owned by its fans, has a 37-year waiting list for season tickets and fans willing to put cheese on top of their heads.

So, imagine my surprise when I saw an Adweek story this morning that had one of the most insulting ads toward the Pack and cheese.

With the use of the word “sack” in the headline and the grim reaper wearing a cheese hat, it’s not hard to confuse exactly who (and what) the ad is targeting. The billboard from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine will be displayed near Lambeau Field, in the heart of cheese country. The creator of the ad even asked the mayor of Green Bay to put warning labels on cheese at Lambeau.

The one-two punch of the Packers undertone and the ill health effects of cheese isn’t really the best approach, not only from the ad side, but from the PR and marketing professionals who focus on the impact of paid media and intertwine it with earned, owned, and shared spaces.