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: Advertising Age on June 06, 2014
After LeBron James was sidelined by leg cramps at Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Gatorade sent tweets implying that this was because he drinks Powerade (which he endorses) instead of Gatorade. The company later apologized for the tweets. For better or worse, Gatorade continues to insert itself into the conversation that its target demographic (young men and athletes) are having.
Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on June 06, 2014
This blog post piggybacks on the controversy around school lunch regulations being debated in Congress to talk about food companies' programs to improve kids' nutrition. The post contains a good review of some of the self-regulatory actions that companies are taking and, fortunately, the focus here seems to mostly be on produce and some packaged food.
Source: The New York Times on June 04, 2014
This article in the New York Times ties the expanded interest in the World Cup to the 2010 U.S. Census, which showed how quickly the Latino population was growing ÛÓ and, therefore, caught marketers' interest. Junk food companies like Mondelez, Coke, Pepsi and McDonald's are all looking to capitalize on the event, using sophisticated digital media strategies to target Latinos and others.
Source: PR Newswire on May 27, 2014
The performance was part of McDonald's Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour, a project of the company's 365black initiative, which targets African-Americans. The tour is a way for the fast food company ÛÓ and its unhealthy products ÛÓ to stay "deeply rooted" in African-American communities.
Source: MediaPost on May 22, 2014
"Hispanic Millennials are the single most important consumer group per capita in the U.S.," says marketing executive Jerry Hudson. Why? They're the "most millennial of Millennials," and Millennials are "the Holy Grail" for marketers. To most effectively target this sector, Hudson urges marketers to take advantage of their habits ÛÓ habits like technology use and interest in soccer.
Source: MediaPost on May 21, 2014
McDonald's newest spokescharacter, an animated Happy Meal box, was introduced as part of the chain's effort to " bring fun and excitement to kids' meals" while "serving as an ambassador for balanced and wholesome eating." Public health and corporate accountability advocates have derided the move as a "PR gimmick," while customers and critics have already taken to social media to denounce the anthropomorphic box "hideous" and "#McScary."
Source: Advertising Age on May 20, 2014
McDonald's blends event sponsorship, product packaging, and digital marketing in this high-profile global marketing effort. In the coming months, french fry packaging will be modified to serve as "the entry point for an augmented-reality game on [a branded] app." Whether the company admits it or not, the brand is certainly implicitly targeting youth with "fun": "Our digital vision at McDonald's is to bring an entirely new level of everyday convenience and fun to the world, and our augmented reality app is just one example of how we are bringing fun to our customers' lives."
Source: Mashable on May 20, 2014
The Ferrera Candy Company, maker of Lemonheads, tried to broaden its youth appeal by introducing a new mascot through Twitter. Critics have declared the "lumpy lemon-headed child" as "creepy," and compared it unfavorably to McDonald's unpopular new mascot.
Source: Chicago Tribune on May 19, 2014
McDonald's announced the new menu option just ahead of the company's annual meeting. The article notes that the fast food giant has been under continued pressure about its role in childhood obesity. The brand will also promote the new addition with an animated character called "Happy," who is ostensibly designed to "encourage healthy eating habits among children."
Source: The Hill on May 16, 2014
Democratic senators Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) have introduced a bill that would end tax subsidies for the marketing of unhealthy products to children. Harkin framed the Stop Subsidizing Childhood Obesity Act as a critically-needed step to promote healthier lifestyles, arguing "our nation is facing a childhood obesity crisis that demands our urgent attention, and one effective way of combating this epidemic is to ensure that our children are not confronted by persistent advertising from soda, snack, and candy makers."
