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: New York Times on March 12, 2015
Public health advocates are questioning the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ decision to provide Kraft Singles with a “Kids Eat Right” label, which they say perpetuates confusion among parents about what it means to eat healthy. The Academy has been criticized for having “overly cozy ties” with the food industry. The blog also links to the Rudd Center’s recent report on parents’ perceptions of sugary drinks as “healthy.”
Source: Time Magazine on March 12, 2015
Coca-Cola paid nutrition experts to suggest small sodas or mini-cans of Coke as a “healthy treat” for American Heart Month. The author notes that the campaign highlights “the many ways food companies work behind the scenes to cast their products in a positive light, often with the help of third parties who are seen as trusted authorities.”
Source: Corporations & Health Watch on March 12, 2015
This piece features an interview with James Sargent, a researcher whose work focuses on how children respond to fast food advertising, about a recently released report on fast food commercials. Kudos to the interviewer and Sargent for connecting the problems that this research highlights to policy solutions – and also for a nice media bite from Sargent, who describes McDonald’s as “the Philip Morris of fast foods.”
Source: Media Post on March 10, 2015
The article identifies games as a way to market to teenagers. Popular platforms for young people to create and consume games open up a space for companies to market directly to teens, specifically snack food and soft drinks.
Source: Time Magazine on March 10, 2015
Burger King has become the latest fast-food company to remove soft drinks from its children menu. The company is framing the move as part of an on-going effort to address consumers' desire for healthier options.
Source: Adweek on March 06, 2015
The millennial-targeted products are being launched through billboards and videos that can be shared through social media and are running through Pandora, Spotify, and Thrillist. The advertisements will be placed near locations that sell Red Bull, with more than 3,000 billboards going up in multiple cities across the country.
Source: Business Wire on March 04, 2015
The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with Adelante, a grassroots organization that works to empower Latina women. This is part of Coca-Cola's 5by20 initiative, which seeks to empower 5 million women entrepreneurs. The partnership focuses on Latina women and helps connect the sugary drink company to Latino consumers.
Source: Adweek on March 03, 2015
The brands are marketing the pursuit of happiness as a means of attracting millennials and promoting the idea that these brands can help millennials achieve happiness through securing a strong brand loyalty. Strategic insights director for ZenithOptimedia Worldwide explains, "By understanding how millennials find fulfillment in their lives, brands can play a meaningful role to support and enhance their pursuit of happiness."
Source: Food Navigator on March 03, 2015
A study from University of Oregon suggests that children's taste palates are changing in response to the nutrient-poor, calorie-dense food marketing directed at them. The coordinator of the Children's Food Campaign explains, "Whilst young children may have innate preferences for slight sweetness, manufacturers and marketers have exploited this so that the taste profile/preference of children is warped."
Source: PR Newswire on March 02, 2015
Pizza Hut is using National Reading Month to encourage literacy program alumni to encourage children to read through posting photos on social media with the hashtag #BOOKITkid for the chance to win a personal pan pizza. The company is using BOOK IT as a means to connect with children while showing corporate social responsibility.
