“Don’t Cook- Just Eat” is the message of online takeaway platform Just Eat’s adverts. But in the midst of an obesity epidemic, financial struggle and higher percentages of those coming forward with issues such as binge eating disorders, is this really acceptable? I think we need to ask why it is allowed to be shown alongside Channel 4 programmes that actively promote healthy living and often tackle issues that may be striking very real nerves with its audience – Supersize versus Superskinny, or My Mad Fat Diary for example. If, like many of the people in such programmes, you struggle with food, having this ad pop up every time you press pause is just not going to help. In a world that is constantly trying to fight obesity, fast food obsessions and negative food patterns cropping up not only in adults and teens, but increasingly in children and even toddlers, it simply does not make sense to me for this message to be broadcast.
The BBC, our government and other big-wigs actively promote home cooking as not merely an essential life-skill, but something that brings together families in a way that seems to go unappreciated by much of society these days. Not only this, but home cooking goes hand-in-hand with a healthy lifestyle. It makes us more aware about what we’re eating, consequentially enabling us to make healthier dietry choices for ourselves as well as instilling these positive lifestyle attitudes in future generations. Celebrity chef and food revolutionary Jamie Oliver has pointed out the frankly disgusting fact that younger generations are, for the first time in centuries, expected to live a shorter life than their parents. This is directly linked to the negative lifestyle choices we are increasingley making, including those surrounding diet and exercise. Oliver explains how cooking skills amongst our nation are at an all time low, and fresh, wholesome, healthy diets have gone the same way. The two are inexplicably linked. Yet mass media has done it again by allowing consumerism to take precedence over the good of the consumer.
“Every Cookbook MUST be destroyed” TV Advertising campaign from JustEat
There are several of these adverts, taking the form of a campaign directly against home cooking. Although the message is packaged in a jolly layer of comedy, with character “Mr Mozzarella” starring as their moustache-clad lead, there is nothing to suggest that edicts such as “Every cookbook MUST be destroyed” aren’t exactly what Just Eat genuinely believes; particularly when they sign their emails “Customer Care Team & Anti-Cooking Activists”. That was indeed copied and pasted if you were wondering, so the glaring bold font does appear to be an accurate representation of the light they wish to draw to their standpoint against home cooking. So committed to the way of the takeaway is this company, that in a response to an enquiry into the song used in one of their adverts (on popular video sharing platform YouTube), a representative suggests that despite the song not being available to the general public, that a takeaway might be a suitable replacement. They actually stated: “…the track was specially written for this advert so unfortunately it isn’t available to buy. You could buy a takeaway though, that’s just as good, if not better :)…”
In some of their online material, Just Eat have recommended that their anti-cooking campaign should be reserved for one day a week (Sunday, the day of rest, is their suggestion). However there is no indication of this once-a-week policy in any of their broader advertising. This surely leads the everyday viewer to believe that their “Don’t Cook; Just Eat” mantra is somewhat more of a blanket maxim, suitable for everyday life.
On their official website, Just Eat posted the same advert which did indeed spark public debate. Comments came from shocked viewers, backing up home cooking and expressing disappointment in the message being given through the campaign. One comment in particular summed up the general consensus well, stating: “…Cooking is a must have skill and encourages people to eat sensibly and be more aware of food. I love cooking and try to cook every day, I do like the occasional takeaway every now and then but to tell people not to cook is wrong. This country is suffering from an obesity epidemic and this advert does not help at all!”
The comments above make light of a very real point; how are we supposed to move forward as a nation in the midst of an obesity epidemic with this kind of constant reinforcement? All the good work that is going into helping the nation’s view of healthy mentalities and behaviours surrounding our diets, through shows such as Supersize versus Superskinny, is immediately undermined when this advert pops up. You are literally putting the healthier messages on pause and given an unhealthy alternative. Come on, 4od, where is the sense in that?
However, Just Eat don’t see themselves as perpetuating a negative issue. They believe they are breaking the stereotype of the unhealthy takeaway and stated this in an email interview I held with one of their representatives. Amongst their statements were explanations of the thinking behind their campaign and justification of their “anti-cooking activism” slogan. Comments such as “JUST EAT is seeking to change the way people look at takeaway…Many takeaways offer healthy food, like Japanese bento or Pad Thai.” seem harmless enough. However their adverts fail to promote how takeaway could be a healthy alternative, simply attacking home-cooking and promoting the act of eating as the main focus of one’s diet, rather than nutritional value.
Further into the interview we are also told that: “Our ads are designed to liberate people free from the pressures of creating gourmet meals every night of the week, in a tongue-in-cheek and irreverent way. We’re simply saying it’s okay to take a break from cooking, without saying how often.” I’m not sure about you, but I don’t feel any pressure to “cook gourmet meals every night of the week”, as Just Eat are suggesting. I don’t have the money, apart from anything, to buy “gourmet” ingredients! Whilst maintaining that I was making generalisations – “…you presume all celebrity chef recipes and home-cooked meals to be healthy, just as you presume all takeaway is unhealthy. This is not the case.” – the representative failed to accept that their company was making sweeping statements themselves. Not only did they assume that the average Joe was “spending hours in a hot and sweaty kitchen, after a long day at work” but that “JUST EAT is giving voice to millions of frustrated Brits who want to cry with anguish every time they step into the kitchen…”. That’s right, MILLIONS of us are apparently compelled to CRY with anguish EVERY TIME they merely step into their kitchen. Of course.
Harking back to those who left comments on Just Eat’s online videos, shocked and appalled at the fact that these adverts actively oppose home cooking, I asked the representative whether they had received any negative reaction towards their campaign. I also wondered whether they had any comment to make to those who might not agree with them. Their answer? A very eloquent, considerate and above all insightful; “No.”. Well done, Just Eat, the only take-away I desire from studying your adverts is the taking away of this ridiculous, unhealthy campaign.
Dear readers, please feel free to continue this debate below and please don’t Just Eat up this “anti-cooking” message – I doubt it will sit all that comfortably in the long term…
Image sources:
“The Chefs are Up to No Good!” – https://plus.google.com/+JUSTEAT/posts
“Every Cookbook MUST BE DESTROYED!” – screenshot from Just Eat Advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8bzoyhHks
“Dont Cook: Just Eat” – screenshot from 4od pause screen – http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od