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 May 01, 2012
Nestle launches the 2012 version of its "Pure Life Hydration Movement" capitalizing on negative attention surrounding sugary beverages to boost its water bottled sales. Participating consumers who pledge to replace one sugary beverage a day with water will receive $1 off a Nestle bottled water and be allowed to enter a sweepstakes to get a free supply of bottled water for a year.Source: Associated Press on May 01, 2012
McDonald's is a sponsor for the London Olympics and will be opening its largest restaurant in the world that seats 1,500 customers. UK doctors warn that the fast-food giant is using the Olympics to associate itself with fitness and health.Source: The New York Times on May 01, 2012
Food columnist Mark Bittman argues that instead of debating if we should be helping hungry or obese kids, we should help them both and address poverty and junk food advertising to alleviate food insecurity and obesity.Source: Food Politics on April 30, 2012
In response to a recent article in The New York Times questioning the existence of food deserts, Nestle argues that the real issue is poverty and income inequality.Source: Reuters on April 30, 2012
Pepsi launches a multi-year campaign featuring the tagline "Live for Now" and Nicki Minaj to position itself as a pop culture icon. PepsiCo is also designing an interactive website called "Pepsi Pulse" that will include pop-culture information and entertainment. A version of Pulse, 'Mi Pepsi', will be specifically designed to reach Latinos.Source: Huffington Post on April 30, 2012
Young people who recognized fast-food brands even when certain cues were erased (e.g. McDonald's golden arches) were twice as likely to be obese as those who only recognized a few brands.Source: The Wall Street Journal on April 30, 2012
In response to a previous article in the WSJ that argued that guidelines on food marketing would not help, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz reiterates that he does not support congressional action on food advertising.Source: Reuters on April 27, 2012
Reuters reporters Duff Wilson and Janet Roberts argue that government has succumbed to the industry's aggressive lobbying and wealth to resist changes to food marketing to children. Reuters has also released a video that shows how the industry fought back.Source: The New York Times on April 27, 2012
The New York Times urges the Obama administration to work on three important food issues: the voluntary marketing guidelines intended to curb marketing of fast foods and sugary beverages to children, nutrition labels, and the Food Safety Modernization Act.Source: Wisconsin State Journal on April 26, 2012
The four-part documentary series "The Weight of the Nation" features cafeterias in Madison schools as the typical U.S. cafeteria that serves unhealthful foods to children.
