Hershey Company states they will cease making Pacs candy

The first words out of my mouth when I read that the Hershey Company has decided to HALT the making of their new candy PAC'S in the look a like drug packaging were ----WOW!!!!

They - this multi billion dollar company actually listened to the consumers. That is incredible!!!

It's in newspapers all over the country but you can also read it here at this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22827806/from/ET/

The one thing that I DO NOT agree with is that they have left what they had on the shelves in the stores that they distributed to. They say it is a limited number - what does that mean exactly - a limited number? I mean basically to a company with the magnitude of Hershey is a limited number a thousand or is it a few million?

It has taken all of us that care enough to call, send in the petitions, write letters, stop buying Hershey products, etc.....to get this changed.

I would think that regardless of the freedom that we have in our country that the food and drug administration wake up a little earlier than the marketing groups that come up with ideas such as this.

Hershey Company is acting the same as a spoiled child. By leaving what product they have on the shelf, so that they do not lose any money, they are trying to act as if they are doing all of us - the consumers a favor.

They think that since they have agreed to STOP making the product, that this should be OK with us -----

Helloooooo?????

It seems as if it is extremely hard for Hershey's to openly admit 100% that yes, they definitely made a poor decision - not just for their company but for the public - who I might add are their customers.

What would I say if I could attend a one on one meeting with the board of directors of Hershey's? In layman's terms it would be relatively simple - it would go something like this....

OK, first lets start off with my gratitude that you have actually seen that this is certainly not one of the brightest moments in marketing that you have had. Thank you so much for making the decision that you will not create this drug look a like "candy" - that is not what we were asking - we were simply asking you to change the packaging of it. Yet instead you yourselves made the decision to insert this latest marketing strategy into the grinder. Good for you.

What I would really like to see is that you go a step further and REMOVE the product from the store shelves. Give it to your employees in the break rooms. Throw it away and write it off on your taxes as a loss. Just get it off the shelves.

Here in our area there have been numerous people going into the stores that have this and requesting it be pulled from the shelves.

People buy your candy. Schools use your services as well to sell candy for you.

Go one step further guys - pull this completely from the shelves.

I am not a bored person with so much time on my hands that I cannot find other things to do. That has been insinuated by some people through their comments on ABC News blog sites. Speaking for myself, I am in fact an extremely busy person. It is when instances such as this come up that issues such as this take top priority.

I personally like everyone else grew up loving Hershey candy products. I plan on my grandchildren loving them as well - as long as there are no further blunders such as this one.

I appreciate your trying to come up with new and insightful ways of marketing however, Hershey is supposed to be something that stays in your mind like a good memory of days gone by. Things like making sure that when you went to the movies there was always going to be a little extra money so that you could buy a box of Milk Duds. Or when your Mom made chocolate chip cookies she always used Hershey Chocolate Chips. Those are the kind of memories that you want your company to have. Not something like when you made a candy look like a deadly drug.

So while I appreciate the decision that you have made to stop making the candy in this form, I would as well as many many others appreciate that decision more if you would also pull the candy that you have made off of the shelves.

Please....it's just that simple.

I continue to urge all of you to keep calling or writing to Hershey's and thank them for stopping the manufacturing of this candy but to now pull this from the shelves and be done with it.

Take care and stay safe

Susie

Contact Hershey's by phone: 1-800-468-1714 Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

PETITION FOR HERSHEY COMPANY

This is the petition that has been issued out by the Watchful Eye Foundation against the Hershey Company. Please print it out, get some signatures, mail it to the Watchful Eye Foundation / P.O. Box 574 South Sioux City, NE. 68776

For those of you that live locally and would like to assist with filling out these petitions - please call our office at 402/412-3393

TOGETHER WE CAN STOP THIS!

BOYCOTT Continues against HERSHEY COMPANY

"Our goal is to recharge growth and take advantage of all opportunities we see in the marketplace"



This is what the NEW CEO - David J. West who took over the management of the Hershey Company stated on December 1st. It looks like he really meant it when he stated "take advantage of ALL opportunities we see in the marketplace".....



Since when has illegal drug packaging become an "ADVANTAGE" in the marketplace???



I wonder about a number of reasons here - lets look at a few and then you - THE CONSUMERS - be the judge of it all....

• approximately a year ago a man by the name Kenneth Affolter was sued by the Hershey Company for selling marijuana laced illicit edibles. These "treats" were elaborately packaged to simulate legal edibles such as "Puff-a-Mint Pattie", "Rasta Reeses", "KeefKat" etc....

For a photo click on this link - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/sanfran031606_fig1_highres.jpg

Affolter was arrested by the DEA and sentenced to prison. Here is where it gets VERY INTERESTING FOLKS -

The Hershey Company sued Affolter for $100,000 dollars. The reason why? This is what they said is for TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT, TRADEMARK DILUTION, AND UNFAIR COMPETITION!!!!

Yes - they said that - unfair competition.....hmmmm ----OK - now lets go a little further -

Trademark Dilution laws as explained in the lawsuit article forbid the use of a famous trademark in any way or manner that would cause harm to the unique reputation of the company.

So basically if you were to see "Puff-a-Mint Pattie" and you knew that it was laced with marijuana - most people right away would assume the association with Peppermint Patty candy. That of course would be very harmful to the maker of Peppermint Patty - Hershey - because they have stated numerous times through out the years that they thrive on maintaining a positive image in the public.

So now all of a sudden we have numerous directors that have been asked to resign from Hershey's board, a new CEO in place, and stating that he wants to "take advantage of all opportunities in the marketplace"....

As I said before this type of fight is normally not the battle that the Watchful Eye Foundation takes on - however, when something this insane happens, you either do one or two things - do something about it or do nothing about it. We decided to do whatever we could to inform the public and to form a boycott of their products.

This I am afraid seems to go deeper than just the guy in the marketing department trying to impress his bosses with a "new, innovative idea" such as the packaging of the Pac's candy. This seems to actually be starting at the top.

Obviously what Hershey's saying is that in order to recharge growth that they must take advantage of all opportunities and that includes the market of illegal drugs.

I called yesterday to the Hershey Company. Spoke to a very kind woman who had been placed at a phone just to take calls such as all of ours pertaining to the boycott. I felt genuinely sorry for her as I am sure that not everyone had been as polite as I was to her. If I had been allowed to speak with the CEO David West, here is what I would have said....

Mr. West, first let me congratulate you on your new position of becoming the CEO of the number one Candy Company in the world. It deeply saddens me however that you have within a few days of your new post taken the road of destruction for your company by allowing the new candy Pacs to be packaged to resemble an illegal street drug such as crack or heroin.

I live in the Midwest and we battle the drug problems just as everyone else in the world. Maybe more so when it comes to methamphetamine. I am shocked Mr. West of what road you have chosen to go down and you sir should be ashamed of yourself for damaging the Hershey name in this manner.

In addition to that I simply cannot believe that you have taken an opportunity to create havoc for law enforcement officers, parents, school officials, and others just to sell candy.

What in the world were you thinking? Maybe you are listening and maybe not....however, here in the heartland we take pride in doing the right thing and protecting all that is good. You have made a mockery of the school fundraiser program as well as many of your other programs that you state are for the "good of the communities".

I am asking you to do the right thing - pull this product from the market - create a new packaging for it, and be done with it. I don't feel that this is too much to ask for. When Milton Hershey created this company I can almost flat out guarantee that he did not ever intend for this to ever take place. I am sure that he too would be disappointed as well as sickened in what you have done not only to the consumers that purchase your products but to the reputation of the Hershey Company.

Do the right thing Mr. West - pull this off the shelves and replace the packaging. That is all we are asking for. It's just that simple.

Please Everyone - call Hershey Company today!

Contact Hershey's by phone: 1-800-468-1714 Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

Mark K. PogharianVice President, Investor RelationsThe Hershey Company -Phone: (800) 539-0261

BOYCOTT HERSHEY COMPANY THIS CHRISTMAS

WHAT IS The HERSHEY Company THINKING????

That was my first reaction when I found out about this newest "candy" that they just recently released.

This so called "candy" named PACS, so closely resembles the exact packaging that is used for illegal street drugs such as crack, heroin, coke etc. that the insinuation coming from the Hershey Company is to say the least appalling.

If a small child were to mistakenly get ahold of a package that they thought was the candy Pacs, they could overdose and possibly die from such a mistake.

I have always favored Hershey candies myself, however something has gone haywire there with their marketing strategy. How in the world can a company that promotes so many wonderful things for children all over the world suddenly create a candy, package it completely to resemble illegal street drugs.

I am personally disappointed in the Hershey company for feeling as if they have to somehow come up with a new method to "out-do" the other companies. They obviously have very stupid people working for them who have not pointed out that they are number one in the majority of the worlds love for chocolates.

If I were a shareholder in the Hershey Company I would demand that whoever came up with this idea be terminated immediately as well as the company immediately pull the Pac's candy from every single store shelf. In addition I would also have their public relations persons come up with a public apology for the insinuation of exploiting illegal drug packaging in hopes of benefiting the Hershey Company financially.

I have already sent in a complaint to the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) in New York that handles the reviews for this. I will post the contact information below so that you can all contact them as well. I beg you to please BOMBARD them with emails, phone calls, whatever it takes to get this Pac's candy removed from the market.

In addition to contacting CARU, Please leave a comment or email me back if you would like to sign the petition to get this candy pulled from the shelves before it gains in popularity with the children. It has only been out a week. Together we might be able to convince them that this is just 100% stupid and furthermore that they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

I am informing the Hershey Company that I will be gathering people to boycott their business until this candy is marketed with different packaging that is not in anyway shape or form similar or resembling illegal street drugs.

Email: watchfuleye@cableone.net send me an email if you want to sign the petition.

Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)

70 West 36th Street, 13th Floor New York, NY 10018

Email: caru@caru.bbb.org

Hershey Company

Call Toll-Free: 1-800-468-1714 (Weekdays 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST)

The Hershey Company

PO Box 810100 Crystal A Drive

Hershey, PA 17033

Investor Relations Contact

Mark K. Pogharian

Vice President, Investor Relations

The Hershey Company

100 Crystal A Drive

P.O. Box 810

Hershey, PA 17033-0810

Phone: (800) 539-0261

Kirk Saville

Public Relations Department

The Hershey CompanyPhone: (800) 468-1714

Here is what the Public Relations Director Kirk Saville stated:

"Each pouch is made by two dissolvable mint strips that bears the Ice Breakers logo.

It is not intended to simulate anything"

Look at the picture at the top for yourselves....it sure looks like illegal crack or heroin packaging to me.

Get involved and help stop the Hershey Company from profiting from illegal look-a-like drugs.

Things are difficult enough in this world that we battle to ensure the safety of children. We certainly do NOT need a multi billion dollar company - who may I remind you strongly state that they believe in children all over the world, to create a look-a-like illegal drug package to sell.

I am sickened from this. This is normally not my type of battle to take on as we have so many - however, this is just one of those things that literally turn my stomach. What were they thinking?

Gang Poll

The poll that was recently put out here on this blog asked the following question:
What do you honestly think about the gangs in your area? Is the problem getting worse?
100% of the votes that were cast all stated IT'S GETTING WORSE!

Thank you to all who took the time to vote on this. Now - lets get busy and learn to educate ourselves on the ganglife so that we can better protect our communities and our children.
Take Care and stay safe!

HOW YOU DRESS POLL

Here are the results from the poll....

THE QUESTION WAS: DOES APPEARANCE AFFECT THE WAY THAT YOU ARE TREATED?

90% VOTED YES
9% VOTED SOMETIMES

A SAFE PLACE

Published Saturday | October 27, 2007
Watchful Eye gives South Sioux City teens a safe place to go
BY DALTON WALKER
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IT INTO YOUR BROWSER TO READ THE COMPLETE STORY!

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10169097

VOLUNTEERS WORK KEEPS TABS ON SEX OFFENDERS

Susie Squires compiles information for the Watchful Eye Foundation which publishes Variety Variedad, a magazine that tracks child predators. (Staff photo by Jerry Mennenga)

Volunteer's work keeps tabs on sex offenders *see link bar - Sioux City Journal
By Joanne Fox, Journal staff writer

SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- Susie Squires made a promise to God following a bout with cancer four years ago.

"I told Him if he would save me, I would do something with my life," she shared.

That something resulted in the Watchful Eye Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting children from child predators.

The specific impetus came from the abuse and murder of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion of Stanton, Calif. in 2002.

"I looked at that little girl and she so resembled one of my twin daughters when she was that age that it was eerie," Squires recalled. "I could just see that face over and over in my mind."

Squires began noticing that every time she picked up a newspaper or turned on the television, another child was suffering the same horrific fate of Samantha Runnion.

"I knew this had to stop," she insisted.

So, despite the fact that her own children were young adults, Squires set out to be the voice for kids.

Her first step was to publish Variety Variedad magazine, which printed the names, photos, descriptions and addresses for every registered sex offender living in the tri-state communities.

"I had no experience in any of this," she said gesturing to the publications. "I made up a dummy which I took to businesses, asking them to believe in me and help me by advertising in the magazine."

Enough people did believe and the bimonthly magazine came out in November 2005. In addition to the information about the predators, the magazine also includes recipes, stories, children's activities, and other general interest articles, in both English and Spanish.

"If you only speak Spanish, you have no access to information about sex offenders because you can't read English," Squires explained. "I speak Spanish so I know how important this is to the Hispanic community."

She knew her decision to go bilingual was the right one when a Hispanic woman shared that she and her husband worked hard to buy a house, only to discover later through the magazine that a convicted sex offender lived across the street, Squires said.

"All this family wanted to do was live the American dream and to put it point blank, what happened to them, that's just wrong," she added. "Now she can't let her kids out of her sight for fear of what might happen."

On the heels of the magazine, Squires established the Watchful Eye Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that provides safety education for children, such as the Detour program that provides a soccer club, the Runaway Teens program which disseminates fliers to assist in help finding a child and the Yello Dino program that teaches young children to stay safe.

"I liked the Watchful Eye idea about keeping an eye on kids, but I also liked the first two letters were 'w' and 'e' which spells 'we,'" she explained. "We, as a community, need to all be involved."

About a year ago, Squires obtained an office at 1910 Dakota Ave. for an after-school program that provides a safe place for children, 12-17, who might be at risk. In mid-October of last year, Squires discovered a number of registered sex offenders were living at a mobile home court. She organized a walk-through, distributing copies of the magazine and telling residents about the offenders.

The magazine, which is distributed free, the information, the programs are all the result of volunteers, including Squires who donates about 60 hours a week of her time and talent.

Recently, Squires organized a discussion on gangs in the tri-state area.

"We are seeing a lot of graffiti right now," she said. "We've organized some of those kids from the after-school program to help paint over the graffiti."

For as open as she was about the organization, Squires was reluctant to have her photo taken to accompany the article or to share much personal information.

"I've gotten threats," she confessed. "Remember I'm revealing information about criminals who could target me or my family."

More details on the organization can be found by visiting either the magazine's Web site at www.varietyvariedad.com or Watchful Eye's Web site at www.wefusa.com



Read Comments > | Share This Story: - What's this?

pat wrote on Jun 4, 2007 9:50 PM:

" You are our local hero believe me someone needs to speak for our kids. More need to join in how can we help and where can we find this magizine? "

LM wrote on Jun 4, 2007 10:11 AM:

" THANK YOU! As a victim myself, I am grateful to people like you who take this seriously. Molestations should be on everyone's, especially parent's, to help list. Just because this is so common, doesn't mean we should just accept it and move on...this affects the victim their whole life, sometimes RUINING their lives....Susie is an inspiration and I hope everyone who has taken her mission for granted sees that this is possibly the greatest mission! Thank you, Susie! "

COLLEEN wrote on Jun 4, 2007 3:01 AM:

" I THINK THIS A GREAT THING YOU ARE DOING. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN SOUTH SIOUX CITY AND THE AREA AROUND US. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK "