Generic advertising in perspective

Dr Koos Coetzee explains how industry organisations and the agriculture sector actually have the ability to prudently manage the negative perceptions surrounding generic advertising campaigns.

- Dr Koos Coetzee

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen recently refused the secondary dairy industry's application for the renewal of its statutory measures, citing the amount proposed for consumer education as one of the reasons. Generic advertising remains a contentious subject. Industry organisations should carefully manage the negative perceptions relating to generic advertising.

A CONTENTIOUS SUBJECT

Generic advertising is the advertising of products funded by industry and not by specific companies. It is the opposite of brand advertising.

While brand advertising encourages consumers to buy a specific brand or branded product, generic advertising encourage consumers to buy specific types of products, like dairy products, beef, pork or chicken. Individual companies fund brand advertising while generic advertising is funded by industries.