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 April 10, 2013
Kellogg and The Integer Group won a gold Effie Award for the "Kellogg's Walmart Back-to-School Program," while the Milk Processors Education Program won a silver for their "Latte Love" campaign.Source: Advertising Age on April 10, 2013
In another example of how food companies are trying to preempt regulatory efforts to make food healthier, Taco Bell's CEO is promising product reformulations. The changes will focus on reducing calories, with no mention of the overall nutritional profile of the modified foods.Source: PR Newswire on April 10, 2013
As part of the company's "BeeWell for Life" campaign and its strategy to "bridge the gap with U.S. Hispanics," Chef Doreen Colondres will promote healthy lifestyles and a seafood-positive message within the Latino community.Source: Food Management on April 10, 2013
An industry study found that young people's food and eating decisions are most swayed by people, not brands, via social media. The implication for marketers is to create fake authentic voices as a way of targeting this sizeable demographic.Source: Advertising Age on April 10, 2013
Beyonce has been announced as a headliner at the "Budweiser Made in America" festival, to be held over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. The music event, which will feature a variety of popular acts including Public Enemy, is part of the brand's efforts to stage a U.S. comeback. Beyonce's popularity, particularly among youth of color, will presumably help the company boost sales.Source: Foodmagazine on April 09, 2013
In taste tests of organic foods (with some labeled as such and others not), shoppers were more likely to rate the labeled food as being tastier and more nutritious. This "health halo" contributes to deceptive marketing because junk food can have the "organic" label.Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on April 09, 2013
Dr Pepper says health claims on its now defunct 7UP berry drinks were factual and required by federal law. The plaintiff argues the company is "hiding behind the law of federal preemption" and explains why the claims are false and misleading under federal/state law.Source: QSR Magazine on April 09, 2013
The number of families eating out with kids has remained flat over the last four years. The category contributed $84 billion to the industry in 2012, with 25 percent of revenue attributable to hamburger meals. The industry may use pricing and other strategies to raise those numbers.Source: Albawaba on April 08, 2013
The year-long corporate social responsibility initiative, led by PepsiCo and the Asian Football Development Program, will have a 40-country reach. It will support local grassroots football projects to raise awareness about health -- a message at odds with soda-drinking.Source: Food Politics on April 05, 2013
Marketers are using protein as a buzzword to sell a variety of foods. It is an example of the "health halo effect." When people see the word "protein" on a product, they believe that it will "make them feel more full or give them energy."
