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: QSR Magazine on March 14, 2012
Piggybacking on St. Patrick's Day to attract customers, Arby's Restaurant offers two Classic Reuben sandwiches for the price of one. It also launches a leprechaun-run Facebook page for customers to download the coupon.
Source: MediaPost on March 14, 2012
PepsiCo's "Banner Sun" potato chips now exceed $10 billion annually, and 60% of sales come from outside of North America.
Source: MediaPost on March 14, 2012
McDonald's and General Mills are among the 10 companies that spend the most to advertise to Latinos, according to new data. McDonalds, which sells primarily unhealthy foods, spent $114.4 million targeting Latinos in 2011.
Source: Reuters on March 13, 2012
PepsiCo launches campaign to promote Pepsi Next, a 60-calorie soda. The target audiences are consumers who have drifted to mid-calorie drinks such as teas, enhanced waters and sports drinks.
Source: Bloomberg BusinessWeek on March 13, 2012
Beverage industry giants, such as Pepsi Co, Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association, have spent as much as $70 million on lobbying against potential sugary beverage taxes. The aggressive lobbying has helped derail efforts by health advocates to pass sugary beverage taxes in 30 states.
Source: AlterNet on March 13, 2012
AlterNet's Kathy Freston compares the meat industry's marketing tactics to those of the tobacco industry.
Source: PR Newswire on March 13, 2012
SXLiquors has unveiled a new line of vodkas, which they describe as "sexy Latin spirits." The liquors, which feature Spanish names, are being launched at a nightclub expo in Miami that will also feature "Miami inspired music" among other marketing elements meant to resonate with Latinos.
Source: Food Politics on March 09, 2012
In response to the UK government's recommendations that physicians "nudge and nag" their patients to change unhealthy behaviors, The Lancet counters that "effective, evidence-based public health measures do not include nudging people into healthy behaviors or getting to NHS staff to lecture patients on healthy lifestyles."
Source: PR Newswire on March 09, 2012
MillerCoors has granted $125,000 to four small businesses through its MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series (MUES), which is aimed at creating "a pipeline of potential MillerCoors suppliers."
Source: ClickZ on March 08, 2012
Taco Bell uses an augmented reality app and QR code to promote its Doritos Locos Tacos. The new tacos consist of nacho cheese Doritos shells and "are expected to be the biggest launch in Taco Bell's 50-year history."
