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: Adweek on May 27, 2015
KFC's colonel took to social media to offer "clear and concise communication" through the company's Twitter handle. In an example of using humor to appeal to youth, the colonel uses 18 run-on tweets in a row to communicate his "concise" message.
Source: Salud America! on May 27, 2015
Watsonville, a predominantly Latino community (about 80 percent) strives for a healthy food environment as they struggle with a childhood obesity rate of 49 percent. Using social media, the community is speaking out against yet another fast-food chain addition to their downtown. Advocates are using an online petition and a Facebook page called "Fed Up with Fast Food in Watsonville" to gain support and encourage community involvement.
Source: Forbes on May 25, 2015
The ubiquity of advertising affects young kids' food experiences. A new Dartmouth study finds kids watching food ads react similarly to when a meal is placed in front of them. This means, "people like the taste of Coke not just because of its formula, but because the Coke brand is imbued with a lifetime of positive commercial messages."
Source: SF Gate on May 22, 2015
G Fuel and other energy drink companies are marketing their products as enhancers for gaming endurance. While they've agreed to stop targeting kids under 12, teenagers are also vulnerable to the dangerous ingredients in these beverages.
Source: PR Newswire on May 20, 2015
In a clear example of product-based target marketing to communities of color, PepsiCo has launched a new beverage "handcrafted and inspired by the preferences of Hispanic consumers." Pepsi developed the new product by working with Adelante, a Pepsico employee association that aims to build relationships with the Latino community.
Source: MediaPost on May 20, 2015
As KFC loses market share, the company has launchesd a rebrand that includes television and digital media outreach. Its hope is to reach young consumers with an updated look and contemporary illustrations.
Source: Center for Digital Democracy on May 19, 2015
Advocates told regulators this week that Google is failing to deliver appropriate content through YouTube Kids, and is presenting false and deceptive marketing, including junk food marketing. This week regulators received a video highlighting examples of content available on the Youtube Kids app along with a letter. If these practices were happening on children's television, they would not be legal.
Source: Medical Daily on May 19, 2015
The fast food company announced the ban after being encouraged by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and health advocates to make the change in order to combat childhood obesity and diabetes. There is a nice statement in this article about restaurants' responsibility to address childhood obesity: "Preventing childhood obesity is important, especially among fast food chains who have a responsibility to offer healthy options to Americans."
Source: QRS Magazine on May 11, 2015
Chicago-area Subways are the news "presenting sponsor" for a local kids' science show called "Moochie Kalala Detectives Club." Subway will be providing catered lunches and science grants to teachers in the area, as well as distributing DVDs to schools and libraries.
Source: Latina on May 08, 2015
The Spanish-language video from Coca-Cola allows viewers to toggle between the perspectives of a mother, daughter and grandson - all of whom drink lots of Coke during the video. It then prompts viewers to share a Coke with their mother on Mother's Day (through the Share a Coke website), and to call their mother with a free 3-minute call to anywhere in the world.
