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: MediaPost on August 24, 2011
Coke's new app features an interactive replica of the brand's new Freestyle vending machine, which dispenses up to 125 flavors of soft drink. The app is intended to familiarize Millennials, who are "particularly drawn to the machines," with the Freestyle.Source: MediaPost on August 24, 2011
Dunkin' Donuts has launched a location-based promotion called "Be the President of Dunkin' Nation." Participants can check into Dunkin' locations for a chance to win a prize package that includes a 50" TV and a $200 gift card.Source: Advertising Age on August 22, 2011
Gatorade's efforts to reposition itself as a sports-nutrition brand are hampered by retailers' confusion about how to position the products. Gatorade executives are mapping the marketplace to determine the sales outlets (like stores located near high schools and gyms) where elaborate product displays will be most effective.Source: MediaPost on August 22, 2011
Snapple and Maroon 5 have partnered to release a beverage that will help support Feeding America. The product, called "Tea Will Be Loved," is named after a popular Maroon 5 single.Source: Hispanically Speaking News on August 20, 2011
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, Latino-owned food company, Goya Foods Inc., sponsors a six-city concert series with popular Latino artists Marc Anthony, Ana Gabriel and Marco Antonio Solis.Source: Reuters on August 19, 2011
Experts say that there is no one solution to bringing fresh food to underserved communities, and some grocers argue that the key is tailoring it to the specific needs of the community.Source: The New York Times on August 19, 2011
In a victory for the soft-drink industry, the federal government rejects New York City Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to bar the use of food stamps to purchase soda and other sugary drinks. The proposal was part of the Mayor's plan to fight obesity, but critics, including the soda industry, argued that it singled out low-income communities and "micromanaged" their lives.Source: Chicago Tribune on August 19, 2011
Burger King has announced that it will retire its controversial "king" mascot. The chain plans to unveil more "food-centric" advertising.Source: MediaPost on August 19, 2011
Domino's CEO has published a letter encouraging the FDA to rethink how it will implement the new federal menu-labeling law. He argues that menu boards are irrelevant for a delivery-oriented business.Source: The New York Times on August 18, 2011
For the next six months, Dunkin' Donuts products will be featured in a Sims Social Facebook game, with the goal of "reach[ing] out to young adults" and "mak[ing] the brand more relevant to a broadening audience."
