The lines between philanthropy and marketing are blurring. One of the most recent examples is from Kraft Foods, a unit of Philip Morris. Eager to project its image beyond that of a tobacco company, Philip Morris has, in fact, donated over $380 million to hunger relief organizations since 1990.

However, a 60-second television commercial that re-creates one such effort to deliver Kraft Macaroni & Cheese to Kosovar refugees is a good example of the lengths to which the company is willing to go to publicize its good deeds.

The spot was produced by ad agency Leo Burnett and has been on-air since April. While it depicts a true story, it does so leaving us with the impression that we are viewing the actual events. An actress plays Molly Walsh, the Kraft employee who participated in the original relief mission, in the commercial. The refugee camp in the spot is not real either, nor are the 350 inhabitants. They were hired as extras. The civilian and military vehicles in the commercial are rented. Great care was taken to ensure authenticity in small details, showing the head rags worn by "refugees" properly frayed. However, some liberties were taken with bigger matters such as the weather. During the mission it was mild, but the spot depicts snow. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, by Shelly Branch, Sokol Rama, editor of an Albanian-American newspaper, says he's grateful for Kraft's help but troubled that the "neat appearance of the extras serve to sanitize the many horrors of the camp." He adds: "The reality was more extreme in fact."

While Philip Morris will not disclose the cost of the original mission or its made-for-TV replication, the Journal article estimates that the spot cost far more to produce than did the mission it depicted. One critic, Oxfam's Raymond Offenheiser, is less than charitable about the episode: "The idea that they've re-created a human tragedy to promote a corporate triumph strikes us as fundamentally offensive. Why not fund an extra 250 volunteers instead of paying 350 actors to play make believe?"

AmeriCares, which worked with Philip Morris on the original mission, reports satisfaction with the outcome stating that they lent credibility to the initiative. However, AmeriCares chose not to be mentioned in the Philip Morris spot, reportedly because it's "taken heat for accepting donations from a tobacco marketer."

In conclusion, Peter Radford, executive director of the Center for Responsibility in Business states: "It's becoming very difficult to pick apart where there is more of a marketing effort than a true philanthropic effort."

Perhaps all companies and corporations need to take a hard look at the motivations of their efforts.

Transforming tomorrow

Most of us have now learned to live with "voice mail," as a necessary part of our daily lives. But have you ever wondered what it would be like, if God decided to install voice mail? Here is some food for thought to tickle your funny bone regardless of your faith.

Imagine hearing the following:

"I am sorry; all of our angels and saints are busy helping other sinners right now. However, your prayer is important to us and we will answer it in the order it was received. Please stay on the line.

If you would like to hear King David sing a Psalm while you are holding, press 4.

To find a loved one that has been assigned to Heaven, press 5, and then enter his or her social security number, followed by the "pound” sign. (If you receive a negative response, please hang up and try area code 666.)

For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth, life on other planets and where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you come for a personal office visit.

The office is now closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday."