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: Drug Store News on August 06, 2012
Coke is acting concerned about asthmatic kids by donating to football star Jerome Bettis' foundation. An executive touched on how the partnership helped their bottom line: "We are proud to support [this] work. ... We are always looking for innovative ways to inspire happiness and provide refreshment."Source: PR Newswire on August 06, 2012
The milk industry in California is taking advantage of school budget shortfalls and legitimate concerns that students eat breakfast on school days. As part of the "GOT MILK? H.S. Breakfast Challenge," the school district with the highest milk consumption at breakfast gets $3K from the industry.Source: Los Angeles Times on August 06, 2012
A new study finds that 25% of U.S. high school students had access to soda at school in 2010-11, versus 54% in 2006-07 -- a decline attributed to federal and local mandates. However, it notes that 84% of high school students in 2010-11 still had access to sugary sports drinks on school grounds.Source: The New York Times on August 05, 2012
Kraft's most expensive campaign to date, "Never Be Bored Again," includes prize giveaways valued at over $1 million to kids ages 6 to 13. Ninety-one percent of the 41 Lunchables varieties fail to meet CFBAI nutritional guidelines -- a fact that Lunchables marketing director tries to divert attention from.Source: Hispanic PR Blog on August 03, 2012
The donation is part of the "La Promesa de PepsiCo" initiative to "help build stronger Latino communities" -- translation: help Pepsi market their products to Latino communities. Ironically, the fund will help aspiring Latino journalists gain experience covering topics important to Latino communities "like education and health."Source: CBS News on August 03, 2012
Corn Flakes swooped in to nab Gabby Douglas as a cover person for its cereal boxes shortly after she won gold medals in the summer Olympics. She is the first African-American since 1996 to make the U.S. women's gymnastics team. As yet, marketers have not commented on if/how Douglas will help them appeal to African-American consumers. One media consultant has noted: "[Douglas] brings so many intangibles that marketers look for. She's young. She's fresh. She's a new face."Source: Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention on August 02, 2012
A Canadian health policy coalition is sponsoring a social media photo contest that critically explores Big Food and Beverage marketing at athletic events.Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on August 02, 2012
Nestle launched the new products in response to parental concerns about kids' sugar intake. Their consumer research found that two-thirds of mothers are seeking lower-sugar beverages, and that 58% dilute beverages at home.Source: QSR Magazine on August 01, 2012
A food industry marketing consultant suggests ways that "chains can upgrade the quick-serve experience to secure kids' lifelong loyalty." The take-home piece of advice is that chains must create an environment that "keep[s] a customer past the point where dollars and time are at a premium."Source: The New York Times on July 30, 2012
Companies are using social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare to gain information about consumer characteristics and preferences. Social media attracts younger customers, a demographic not typically well represented in focus groups or consumer panels.
