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: FoodNavigator-usa.com on September 05, 2013
Mountain Dew's Kickstart, an energy drink sweetened with juice, has generated more than $100 million in sales during its first year -- driven, in part, by the "Kickstart Your Day" promotion, which targeted "Millennials who would rather drink a Mountain Dew ... than coffee."Source: Mobile Marketer on September 04, 2013
Wheaties continues to explore the potential of augmented reality and mobile engagement to "educate the consumer about [its] products." This fall, consumers can use smartphones to scan Wheaties boxes featuring NFL player Adrian Peterson to access interactive mobile games.Source: Adweek on September 04, 2013
Kraft recently introduced four new flavors to its iconic macaroni and cheese line. To make the flavors feel well established and "new-stalgic," the company has launched a social media-heavy campaign featuring mock commercials from different eras promoting the flavors.Source: USA Today on September 04, 2013
Amid struggling sales, McDonald's is testing a new version of the Dollar Menu that will feature higher priced items. Many fast food companies are considering similar strategies to get price conscious consumers to "reach deeper into their pockets."Source: Convenience Store Decisions on September 03, 2013
Pillsbury has partnered with the 7-Eleven chain for the fall debut of a cinnamon roll that the company claims will "offer [a] homemade taste in a convenient, grab-and-go setting." The chain hopes sales of the branded pastries will be highest among students and workers on their way to school and work in the morning.Source: PepsiCo on September 03, 2013
Mountain Dew and Doritos recently partnered for a high-profile giveaway at the Penny Arcade Expo, a major video convention. Gamers scanned QR codes on brand-related items strategically placed throughout the convention center for a chance to win an Xbox gaming system.Source: Food Politics on September 01, 2013
In this column, Marion Nestle addresses a reader's question about what "natural" on food labels truly means. Nestle points out that although "'natural' does not necessarily mean 'healthy' or even 'healthier,' it works splendidly as a marketing term" -- and so the FDA's failure to develop and enforce a clear definition is a boon to processed food manufacturers.Source: Think Progress on August 30, 2013
Instead of focusing on food, companies like McDonald's and Burger King use images of toys, cartoons and move characters to market their products to kids, found a recent study coauthored by Public Health Advocacy Institute. In this article, Tara Culp-Ressler discusses the study and the food industry's broken promises to stop marketing to children.Source: Daily Breeze on August 30, 2013
Renee Moilanen links her personal experience with her 4-year-old to the systemic issue of junk food marketing to children. She discusses how the food industry preys on vulnerable children and busy parents and recommends that parents teach their kids how to spot marketing tricks in food commercials.Source: TIME.com on August 29, 2013
This TIME article discusses the brand loyalty developed at an early age when the food industry targets kids using toys and giveaways. The article features quotes from BMSG's Andrew Cheyne on how the food industry uses popular culture to advertise unhealthy products to kids who are too young to recognize the intent.
