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: The New York Times on May 15, 2012
Soda companies are increasingly turning their marketing attention to bottled waters, fortified beverages, and energy drinks as soda sales slump. The decline, which some believe may represent the start of a "paradigm shift away from carbonated soft drinks," is in part due to the efforts of many schools and local governments to ban soda sales in public spaces.Source: Foodnavigator-usa.com on May 15, 2012
Following the release of the Institute of Medicine's report on solutions to the obesity crisis, food industry journalist Caroline Scott-Thomas calls on companies to "make [customer's health choices] as routine and easy as possible."Source: Hispanic PR Blog on May 15, 2012
Tecate is using soccer to target Latino fans with its "Tecate Correspondent Team" promotion, which offers ardent fans a chance to report on a game of their choice in Mexico or the U.S. The promotion will include high-profile exhibition games and tournaments, as well as appearances by superstars of soccer and soccer reporting.Source: Advertising Age on May 14, 2012
As broadcast networks are relaxing their regulations around alcohol advertising, hard liquor manufacturers, such as Jagermeister, are turning to TV advertising to boost brand awareness or generate "buzz" about their products.Source: Hispanic PR Wire on May 14, 2012
After their successful campaign featuring Cesar Millan, Denny's continues to aggressively target Latino customers. Their newest promotion includes a TV commercial featuring a Latino family that directs viewers to the chain's Latino-targeted YouTube channel, where they will find a music video developed to appeal to the chain's Latino consumers. Denny's boasts that the online video is the first campaign the chain has ever developed exclusively in Spanish.Source: Foodnavigator-usa.com on May 11, 2012
According to recent poll results from the International Food Information Council, many adults (24% of the 750 surveyed) would like to see more information on their food labels, compared to 18% in 2010.Source: San Francisco Chronicle on May 10, 2012
HBO's documentary, "The Weight of the Nation," attracted considerable media attention. This review from the Chronicle highlights the impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on health, and discusses the Interagency Working Group's efforts to improve food marketing to children.Source: Advertising Age on May 09, 2012
During the 2012 Super Bowl, Coca-Cola hosted the "Polar Bowl," an integrated marketing campaign featuring the brand's iconic Polar Bears. The Polar Bowl attracted 9 million consumers across various media platforms, and engaged them for an average of nearly half an hour each.Source: MediaPost on May 09, 2012
Odwalla's newest campaign builds loyalty by aligning the brand with tips for real-world good deeds and engagement activities. The Coca-Cola-owned brand has launched a Facebook campaign, as well as other promotional activities.Source: Bloomberg on May 09, 2012
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are fighting a New York City campaign that aims to reduce sugary soft drink consumption using anti-soda subway advertisements. The American Beverage Association argues that the ads "[single] out one product out of an array ... which contribute equally to this very complex issue."
