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: Huffington Post on December 19, 2011
In this commentary, public health lawyer Michele Simon critiques Congress for giving in to industry influence instead of protecting children's health. In a recent budget bill, Congress required the FTC to conduct a cost/benefit analysis before finalizing the food marketing guidelines.Source: QSR Magazine on December 15, 2011
Church's Chicken partners with Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros for the new upcoming film Joyful Noise. The movie features popular celebrities Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. The Joyful Noise sweepstakes encourages consumers to text one of four key words to enter the sweepstakes. In return, consumers receive a text coupon for $1 off any Church's combo meal and a chance to win the grand prize, which includes a year's worth of Church's Chicken and Coca-Cola.Source: The Washington Post on December 15, 2011
The Senate and House have requested a cost-benefit analysis of the inter-agency working group's proposal for voluntary regulation of food marketing to children.Source: Candy&Snack Today on December 15, 2011
Mars Chocolate Company has expanded its partnership with Six Flags theme park. Among other promotions, the park will offer discounted admissions with Milky Way and 3 Musketeers brands.Source: MediaPost on December 15, 2011
McDonald's is using CampusLIVE, which engages students with games linked to opportunities to win prizes. One recent contest encouraged users to draw designs on a virtual McDonald's mug, and then share the image with their social networks for an opportunity to win free coffee and gift certificates.Source: Warc on December 15, 2011
PepsiCo has announced plans to "sharpen its focus" in carbonated drinks, as well as "indulgent brands" such as Doritos.Source: SaludToday Blog on December 15, 2011
Salud America!, an obesity prevention program of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has released a comprehensive collection of research briefs examining obesity-related trends among Latino children and teens. The three briefs center on the food marketing, nutrition and physical activity and also provide policy recommendations.Source: Forbes on December 15, 2011
Latinos represent the fastest-growing population in the U.S. and are also mobile savvy. Companies are taking advantage of this trend by using mobile strategies in their marketing to Latinos. Strategies include Spanish language mobile apps, social networking and personalization.Source: Bloomberg News on December 14, 2011
In what is described as a $980 million transaction, Coca-Cola purchases 50% of the Suadi Arabia-based Aujan industries to increase its market in the Middle East. A Coca-Cola executive states that the "The Middle East is a high-growth region with some of the highest rates of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink per-capita consumption."Source: Food Politics on December 14, 2011
Marion Nestle points to a recent column from The Lancet, which states that obesity policy should include reduced advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. She urges governments to "[pay] attention to the research" if they are to reduce childhood obesity.
