Marketing has a profound affect on the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, yet most of that marketing is for products we should avoid. BMSG monitors the media to help keep advocates informed of the tactics food and beverage companies use to target children, communities of color, and other groups that are particularly susceptible to the health harms these products cause. Below are archives of our monitoring.
Source: Latina on May 08, 2015
The Spanish-language video from Coca-Cola allows viewers to toggle between the perspectives of a mother, daughter and grandson - all of whom drink lots of Coke during the video. It then prompts viewers to share a Coke with their mother on Mother's Day (through the Share a Coke website), and to call their mother with a free 3-minute call to anywhere in the world.
Source: Ad Week on May 05, 2015
Waffle House's latest tweet using the seasonal peg of Cinco de Mayo was quickly met with criticism. The original tweet, "Oh bacon, you are the juan for me #cincodemayo", spurred complaints of racial insensitivity. The company responded by altering their original tweet while still maintaining the Cinco de Mayo hashtag.
Source: Yahoo on May 01, 2015
Labeled "a generation of foodies," Millennials are seen as taste makers who like to spend money on quality food. Facing declining sales, Big Food (and Big Fast Food in particular) is trying hard to meet that demand: recently, for example, major corporations have released statements announcing plans to remove controversial products (like antibiotic-treated poultry) from their menus and portfolios.
Source: Media Post on April 30, 2015
A survey from spring of 2015 found that 68% of teens regularly engage with brands on Instagram - and marketers are anxious to exploit this finding! This writeup from a marketing specialist Casey Arnold urges advertisers to turn young Instagram users into customers by "creating a brand presence that blends in as one of their own peers." Arnold concludes that targeting teens through Instagram is justified because "this generation actually wants you to become part of their everyday lives."
Source: Hispanic PR Blog on April 29, 2015
The top 500 US marketers have substantially increased their spending on Latino consumers since 2010, increasing both Spanish language advertising and ads that target Latino consumers in English language media. Will other companies follow suit?
Source: Ad Age on April 24, 2015
In Mexico, Coca-Cola released a new social media-fueled marketing campaign that targets teens by aligning the product with friendship and popular boy band One Direction. The promotion urges teens to become part of the campaign by using social media to share images and videos of themselves and their friends.
Source: Broadcasting Cable on April 23, 2015
Nielsen shopping data shows that Latino consumers spend more money than other racial groups on packaged foods (as well as other consumer goods), causing analysts to recommend targeting Latino consumers. Goya is offered as a specific example of a food company successfully appealing to Latinos by targeting their products to that population.
Source: Time Magazine on April 23, 2015
A new report found that more than half of the foods advertised on child-targeted TV shows don't meet the recommended government nutrition guidelines. Some of the framing throughout keeps the focus off industry actions, though the study's author does address industry accountability when she suggests that companies advertise those foods that do meet nutritional recommendations. She stops short of calling for policies that would protect children from being bombarded by unhealthy advertisements.
Source: Progressive Grocer on April 22, 2015
The supermarket company is partnering with the campaign to offer nutrition education concerts across several states. In a corporate social responsibility move, the partnership allows the company to show support for child nutrition while marketing their stores. Meijer has committed to bringing a greater diversity of fruits and vegetables to its store in order to appeal to children and their parents who attend the concerts.
Source: PR Newswire on April 21, 2015
McDonald's is hosting its Second Annual Community Choice Youth Awards, where African-American youth are honored for service to their communities. The corporate social responsibility move is an opportunity for McDonald's to appeal to African-American youth while appearing concerned with the needs of the community.
