Kellogg's Apologizes for Withholding Food from Starving Children

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It probably sounded like a good idea at the time: ask people to retweet messages as an incentive to donate food to hungry kids. But the gimmick sounded harsh.

Kellogg's tweet

The tweet was part of Kellogg's campaign, "Give a Child a Breakfast." The company also promised to donate when people watched a video on the website or shared the message on Facebook or YouTube.

But reactions were strong, and Kellogg's posted a brief apology. 

Kellogg's tweet2
Kellogg's tweet3

Discussion Starters:

  • Why did Kellogg's tweet get such a strong reaction, while no one seemed bothered by the request to watch a video in exchange for a kid's breakfast?
  • Isn't Kellogg's campaign just an example of Cialdini's "Reciprocation," one way to persuade people? Or, how is this different?