BMSG In the News

In light of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to limit the size of sugary beverages and growing concern about the health effects of soda, the beverage industry is scrambling to improve its public image. Part of its strategy involves using corporate social responsibility campaigns to deflect scrutiny. BMSG's Andrew Cheyne explains that these campaigns echo those of the tobacco industry.

Using tactics similar to those of Big Tobacco, other industries are trying to hide the dangers of their products, and public health advocates say they need to be similarly outed and regulated. A paper by the Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Public Health Advocacy Institute points out that soda companies have fine-tuned Big Tobacco's strategies and began using corporate social responsibility campaigns far sooner to try and head off regulation.