BMSG in the news

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Internet games shaping children’s food preferences

by Sara Israelsen-Hartley | Deseret News
Monday, April 25, 2011

A growing food industry trend links entertainment to food advertisements in hopes of building brand loyalty among kids and grooming future customers. In fact, 92 percent of food- or drink-related websites aimed at kids feature games, videos or forward-to-a-friend options. That and other information highlighted in this article comes from a report that Berkeley Media Studies Group prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "Healthy Eating Research" program.

10 things snack food companies won’t say

by WalletPop staff, | WalletPop.com
Monday, November 15, 2010

You won't catch the food industry saying the label "natural" is meaningless or that they spend billions creating and marketing foods that makes kids overweight and obese. But you will find evidence of the latter in much of BMSG's work, which is highlighted in this article.

Is “Kewl Breeze” a superkid, a sneaker, or a commercial?

by Matt Lasar | ars technica
Friday, October 01, 2010

Shoe company Skechers USA has launched a cartoon series on pay TV featuring three superhero characters each created to promote a specific line of Skechers shoes to kids. The show, essentially a 30-minute commercial, may violate FCC regulations, and the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood wants it off the air. Berkeley Media Studies Group, along with other advocacy groups, has signed onto the campaign's petition out of concern that the Skechers show could open the door to similar commercials from junk food marketers.

Schools as centers of community and wellness

by Heather Gehlert | California Schools Magazine
Thursday, September 30, 2010

When schools collaborate with local government and organizations to share resources like park space and athletic fields or to offer services like after-school programs and adult literacy classes, they benefit the entire community, not just students. The trouble is, school districts and municipalities don‰Ûªt collaborate as much as they could or would like to. This article, authored by BMSG staffer Heather Gehlert, explores the unintended consequences of that lack of collaboration and offers recommendations to change it.

How alcohol companies launched a digital campaign against America’s kids

by Heather Gehlert | AlterNet
Friday, May 21, 2010

According to a new study, companies like Captain Morgan and Budweiser have become extremely savvy at targeting young audiences. BMSG's Heather Gehlert describes some of the new techniques the alcohol industry is using to market to kids online and blur the lines between editorial and advertising content.

Alcohol companies use new media to lure young drinkers: report

by Amanda Gardner | U.S. News & World Report
Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Alcohol companies are increasingly using the latest new media technologies -- including cell phones, social networking sites, YouTube and other features of the expanding digital universe -- to reach young drinkers, a new report from Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Center for Digital Democracy contends. Additional media coverage is available at http://digitalads.org/alcohol.php.

Kids and the soda industry

by Katie Woodruff | San Francisco Chronicle
Monday, February 08, 2010

The soda industry uses aggressive digital marketing tactics to reach kids often without parents knowing it. So when companies cozy up to Michelle Obama, claiming they want to be a part of the solution, she should tell them that means ending marketing to children.

Junk food reigns in ads on websites for kids

by Amy Norton | Reuters
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The majority of food products advertised on children's websites are ones kids should avoid, finds a report from the American Journal of Public Health for which BMSG's director Lori Dorfman contributed research. In this article, Dorfman explains why the public health implications are serious.

Jointuse.org wins award [pdf]

Society for New Communications Research
Monday, November 23, 2009

The Society for New Communications Research has honored Berkeley Media Studies Group and Prevention Institute with a 2009 Excellence in New Communications Award for together creating jointuse.org, a website that highlights a public health strategy to increase opportunities for physical activity. The groups created the site on behalf of the Joint Use Statewide Task Force. They were recognized in the collaboration and co-creation category for nonprofits.

Crying foul over online junk food marketing

by Catherine Holahan | Bloomberg Businessweek
Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Junk food companies have become particularly adept at targeting young people at the greatest risk for obesity, and their marketers marketers insist the industry does not need government regulation. This article details these and other findings from a report commissioned by Berkeley Media Studies Group. To view additional media coverage of the report, visit http://digitalads.org/press.php.
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