The PR Machine - The Lions on the Road: Cycling London to Cape Town - page 21

On April 3, Nestlé Canada sent me their logos for my t-shirts and reminded me to
send them the banking details to deposit the money. We were even on a first name basis!
Since, I didn't know the banking information I sent a quick fax with the 'great news' to
STC Canada.
Ialmostdiedwithanticipationfortheirreply.Itwasthelongestweekendinmylife.
On April 7, 1992, STC-Canada replied. I was so excited to get the fax that I ran to
my 'office' and read it privately. My smile quickly disappeared.
Inreply to yourFAXjust received, Imust tell youthat we do
indeed have a major problem. STC-Canada can in noway be
associated with Nestlé Enterprises Limited due to their inter-
national practices of supplying their infant formula products
to Third World families . We must therefore cease all con-
nections with your cycling tour .
Whatthefuckweretheytalkingabout?Istaredatthispagefortenminutestryingto
make sense ofit. What international practices? What babyformula milk? When wasthis? I
got angry. Why didn't they explain the situation, suggest any alternatives or even give me
an ultimatum. They just cut me off the bastards.
AfterIcalmeddown,IcalledNestléUK,andspoketoNickiBackers.Shewaskind
enough to explain that in the 1980s, Nestlé's marketing campaign began to supply baby
formula milk to Third World hospitals free of charge. This would in turn encourage moth-
ers to use it to feed their infants. However, mothers stopped breast-feeding altogether and
began to rely on the formula. The problem was that mothers were diluting the formula to
make their supply last longer and they were using contaminated water. In essence, they
were unintentionally killing their children. There was an international outcry over this and
Nestlé products were globally boycotted. I guess I should have done my homework.
Nicki also said that Nestlé UK was dumbfounded as to why Nestlé Canada would
get involved with STC since STC was one of its major opponents. She said that as a result,
Nestlé UK, who usually rubber-stamped rejections on requests for sponsorship held an
emergency meeting to discuss Nestlé Canada's move. She said “the office got quite excit-
ing around here.” Having said all this, Nestlé UK, in the end declined to sponsor my tour
but wished me all the best.
So, there I was, my own country's charity decided to pull out 2 months before the
start.Ihadnochoice.IsentafaxtoNestléCanadaquotingSTC'sfax.Ithensentacopyof
this fax and a letter begging…maybe grovelling, to STC Canada to reconsider and contact