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: Supermarket News on September 11, 2014
This article interviews retailers, consultants and agency executives to find out what they have learned about marketing to the Latino community. Those interviewed provide insights on how to most effectively target Latino consumers, emphasizing the importance of price-based marketing strategies.
Source: New York Daily News on September 10, 2014
McDonald's is honoring baseball icon Mariano Rivera as part of "Celebrando Nuestras Leyendas," its campaign to reach Latinos through Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. As part of its outreach, a local McDonald's is also making a donation to a community organization run by Rivera and his wife.
Source: PR Newswire on September 08, 2014
Citing its "ongoing commitment to developing Latino leadership" the PepsiCo Foundation has given a $2.5 million grant to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a nonprofit that develops leadership among Latino youth. The funds strengthen PepsiCo's connections with Latino youth and its reputation within the Latino community.
Source: QSR on September 08, 2014
Krispy Kreme is reaching out to social media users through its Talk Like a Pirate Day promotion. During the popular social media "holiday," which occurs on September 19th, the chain will give a free doughnut to customers who talk like a pirate - and even more doughnuts to those who dress up.
Source: QSR on September 04, 2014
Taco Bell has partnered with a popular YouTube star to promote its teen-targeted corporate social responsibility initiative, the Graduate for MÌÊs Teen Scholar Contest. Teens are encouraged to submit an online video to a branded website for a chance to win a scholarship - and to become part of Taco Bell's promotional materials.
Source: New York Times on September 03, 2014
Food and beverage manufacturers are among the many major companies using the new football season as a launching pad for campaigns. The best known of these is Doritos' "Crash the Super Bowl", the fan-driven campaign is part of Frito Lay's effort to market Doritos to "young Millenials, who are harder and harder to market to."
Source: Bridging the Gap on September 02, 2014
New research from Lisa Powell and colleagues found that low-income and African-American kids were the most likely to be targeted with television ads for fast food and sugary drinks. The researchers used television ratings data to analyze which ads were aired in different markets.
Source: PR Newswire on September 02, 2014
McDonald's is touting a day of breakfast giveaways for kids in California and Nevada. Though the chain trumpets its "wholesome" breakfast options, this marketing campaign will mean that more kids start their school day at McDonald's, where unhealthy foods are also heavily marketed.
Source: QSR Magazine on August 28, 2014
During the keynote speech for this year's Hispanic Retail 360 conference, an event that brings together marketers and retailers interested in targeting Latinos, Pizza Patron's Brand Director Andrew Gamm focused on making a "cultural connection" with Latinos to generate sales. He instructed marketers to, among other things, "bypass the brain, bypass the wallet, touch the heart."
Source: NPR's The Salt on August 25, 2014
This type of strategy has been going on for a while: This story from NPR mentions, for example, a baby carrot campaign. There's also a missed opportunity here to talk to those advocates (like the folks at Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood) who argue against marketing to children in all forms.
