Your opinion about "Body by Vi Shakes" (Ethics question)

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TiaFerrera
TiaFerrera Posts: 93
in Chit-Chat
I work in advertising department.
Usually there isn't any ethics in the business, only dollar signs and results.

but...

I had a man call yesterday to place $600 worth of advertising for his "business." He's clearly elderly. He kept me on the phone a half hour talking about his new business, body by vi.

He's Navajo, a lot of our market is in the Navajo region. I'm kind of sensitive to protect the elders on the Navajo Nation because that region has very limited resources, deep in the rez jobs are limited to gas stations and mcdonalds, a lot of the rez doesn't have water or electricity, let alone connections to media. Some elders don't even speak English, let alone know how to use the internet. I don't know how to say it nice, but i mean, they just don't know about some things we'd take as modern common sense. Like how to spot a scam.

He kept on about how this product will bring jobs, money, and health to the Navajo Nation. How it will bring back the "beautiful way" and restore the balance and heal the Nation. He tried to sell me on it saying "someone my age in florida was making 2 million a year." and how he's going to earn a BMW. He made references to his "page on the world wide web" and kept telling me how "the whole world is gonna see it and buy from him." Someone really sold him on this Body by Vi stuff.

I don't want to see this grandpa blow his retirement on this if he won't see a return. We carry a lot of national campaigns where $600 is a drop in the well, but to him could be an entire months income.

The thing is, I don't know if it is a scam. I know we are in no place to tell him how to run his business or manage his income, but we do have the power to deny advertising at our discretion, thereby saving him at least that expense.

But if it's not a scam, We don't want to hold him down either.

I'm really at a loss here. I've got a meeting scheduled with our CEO but I don't know if I'm being dramatic or if I've got sound ground to be concerned.

I'm assuming this is something like the herba life, like the avon of protein shakes? I just don't know, I'm sure some of you are familiar with the product though that's why I came here.
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Replies

  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    I think the product in general is a scam, but I have friends that sell it and did get a bmw out of it. I have seen the results from the shakes and it works, but diet and exercise works too. People are always looking for the quick fix, and that is what they are selling. So, I think you are right to worry, but the company is a legitimate company, and people do make money doing it. I don't know specifics about how they make money, but it is somewhat of a pyramid sceme.
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
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    A girl I went to highschool with swears on this stuff. Her and her husband sell it and promote it all the time on Facebook.

    I've never tried it. She has and she insists it works.
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
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    It is an MLM structure. Someone I know is a serial MLM marketer. Amway to Quickstar to Team America to Body by VI and she has moved on 2 times in 2 years since Vi was the best thing ever. It is a huge money suck with unproven claims in my world view but I am not completely objective

    ETA: Please keep in mind that the BMW is not a gift per se... it is a LEASE with a CONTRACT the recipient is stuck with paying for if their sales fall off
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
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    That's really sad. As far as I can tell, they're in that gray area between "legit" and "scam" - they do actually sell the product they claim to, so there's that. It's a pyramid scheme (sorry, "multi-level marketing program") where a couple people make some decent money and a few more make a couple bucks. I don't think anyone gets rich off it.

    Definitely nobody is going to randomly chance across his page on the world-wide web and start buying from them. Just google "Body By Vi" to see how many squintillions are already out there.
  • boredgeek
    boredgeek Posts: 8
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    I had to block family members on Facebook because every other entry was an ad of them trying to get people signed up for Body by Vi. It prevented me from replying with "I lost over 90lbs without your stupid *kitten* diet shake. **** off." and thus preventing drama from erupting.

    It is a scam, because he won't make the money he was told he will, unless he finds hundreds of people that are just as gullible as he is.

    It should be a crime to dupe people like that.
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
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    As a one time consumer, I can say they taste and smell really good and I like that they are full of vitamins because I just can't swallow pills. However, they are terribly expensive and I can't afford them. Sams Club makes a powder much the same for less than half the price and it's not too bad. The thing that worries me is the soy. I have heard that there is a link to breast cancer from soy.
  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
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    If you're in advertising you should know about MLM schemes...this is one of them. You can't protect fools from parting with their money, but I commend you for your ethics in not taking this gentleman's money.
  • TiaFerrera
    TiaFerrera Posts: 93
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    Thanks guys. I don't personally believe in the shakes under any name brand, but i can't censor him because I don't believe in his product.

    I suspect business and profit wise it is a gray area. But if he's legitimately got a chance at making money then we'd be wrong to stifle his chances at success. But darn it, he's never going to "heal the nation" with it, i'm just so turned off by the dreams that salesman must have sold him.
  • Penny427
    Penny427 Posts: 166 Member
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    It is an MLM structure. Someone I know is a serial MLM marketer. Amway to Quickstar to Team America to Body by VI and she has moved on 2 times in 2 years since Vi was the best thing ever. It is a huge money suck with unproven claims in my world view but I am not completely objective

    ETA: Please keep in mind that the BMW is not a gift per se... it is a LEASE with a CONTRACT the recipient is stuck with paying for if their sales fall off

    THIS!!
  • harleydall76
    harleydall76 Posts: 586 Member
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    My sister-in-law has been using them since March and has lost almost 30lbs. She says she doesn't work out either. I've seen her and she is looking good. I tried a sample and it was good, but they are very expensive.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    The are laws against using "scare" tactics to make sales. And lots of "health" drink sales try to get people to be scared about their current health and that their drinks will only benefit their health even though it costs money.
    There is no empirical evidence showing that ingesting any shake will rid anyone of any ailment or illness or for that matter be the cure for diabetes.
    I'm not against people making money, but lots of sales people tend to exaggerate about how "bad" everything is without their product. Ethics is important especially when it comes to taking money from people who may not have lots of it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    My sister-in-law has been using them since March and has lost almost 30lbs. She says she doesn't work out either. I've seen her and she is looking good. I tried a sample and it was good, but they are very expensive.
    You don't need to work out to lose weight. You only need a calorie deficit.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • bug1106
    bug1106 Posts: 31 Member
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    I bought them. They are still sitting in my pantry. I thought they were good at first but by the end of the week, my body was like please no more cardboard.
  • AmandaLloyd712
    AmandaLloyd712 Posts: 18 Member
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    I tried using it before and actually lost 10lbs in the first 2 weeks. It tastes great and I did notice quite a difference.
    The thing I found with the shakes is.. you're using it was a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch. After a couple weeks I craved REAL food. A liquid only diet is not a practical way to live. After losing the desired weight, once you go back to eating real food again, you'll just gain it right back.
    Diet and exercise = way more practical!
  • Michaelsdin
    Michaelsdin Posts: 146
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    OLD SAYING TRUE TO THE DAY


    "If it sounds to good to be true....chances are it is"
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
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    It is based upon the pyramid system. I sell to A, who decides to become a consultant and sign to B. B sells to others and A gets commission from B's purchases and whoever B sells to type of deal. My friend sells something similar and is clearing $3000 a month in income from the products sales. They will be receiving an Escalade this weekend from the company as well.

    From an ethical standpoint, it's not a clear black or white scenario. Yes, he could spend all his income on a product that he loses OR he could spend now and make a lot later. I think your ethics in this case is whether to approve or not approve his marketing. I truly believe you are trying to decide how to handle this situation based upon the fact that you are asking questions about this product or those similar to it to determine for yourself if it's a scam or not. I have seen success stories from these types of products. I have friends that have experienced the benefits of such programs. (i.e. extra income, new cars, blah blah blah) I have heard the product users success stories too such as lowering of diabetes meds, sleeping better, more energy, easing arthritis pains, etc.

    I do know some people need the extra help to lose weight. There are people with strong will powers that can maintain a work out regimen and eat healthy and there are some that need pills to do the same.

    Me personally, I would feel the urge to make sure that he understands that the advertising deal would be a recurring deal (it is right?) and that if at any time he wants to cancel to PLEASE give you a call IMMEDIATELY. I would be available as possible to help this gentleman.

    As an accountant, I have driven to elderly client's homes knowing they didn't have or understand what we were discussing over the phone so that I could sit down and explain or show them. I have made myself very available to them as well. In the end, I have gotten a lot of thank you's just for being nice and helpful whether they got what they really wanted or not.

    Good luck! Hopefully this product will work for him and bring him some more income.
  • harleydall76
    harleydall76 Posts: 586 Member
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    My sister-in-law has been using them since March and has lost almost 30lbs. She says she doesn't work out either. I've seen her and she is looking good. I tried a sample and it was good, but they are very expensive.
    You don't need to work out to lose weight. You only need a calorie deficit.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Yup, I know this from I was losing weight. I hardly worked out, but lost quite a bit. It's funny, though, how everyone asks her how much she works out because they think *that* is the real reason for her losing weight.
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
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    I think it is like any other multi-level marketing plan. Yes, it can work for some people and make a ton of money, but that's the rarity. You have to dump your own money into it, and are not guaranteed a return. I'd suspect on the rez not many people have money to buy his shakes, and he's going to have even more trouble selling online. I've stayed on the rez myself and even if they had the money, I can't really imagine that many other navajos getting into this because it's not natural. Anyway, it's nice and refreshing to see that you are actually thinking about this, and not just accepting the man's money and turning the other cheek. I'm sure he just went to some marketing seminar and is all amped up, but he should try and sell the stuff for a while on his own first. See how hard it is. Then maybe he'll re-think spending so much on advertising. It would be better if he just opened a nutrition clinic on the rez and taught people how to eat whole, natural foods. get them raising some chickens and stuff!
  • TiaFerrera
    TiaFerrera Posts: 93
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    Dadams16 Thank you, what I needed to hear was if people do make money off of it. You can google all day for "success stories" and never know if it's real people or an istock photo next to a generated quote.

    I know the shakes aren't a real-life solution to weight loss, I also don't agree with the cash-advance loan ads that we run (those feed off the poor and hold them under its sick), but we can't censor the business. But we did have the option to not waste his money. And if he's got a chance we've got no business stopping him.

    Thank you everyone this has helped a lot, as dismayed as I am at the product, I'm glad to know he's got a chance. I'll still chat with the CEO but I have a feeling that's the way it will go.
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
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    This is the best article ever about Visalus and how it sells dreams that will never come true. I despise the company.

    http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/visalus-scam/

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