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 November 21, 2012
Like all "energy" drink brands, Red Bull tries hard to sell a lifestyle. Most recently, it created a viral video featuring a live-action Rube Goldberg 'extreme machine' powered by a crew of "11 big-name Red Bull athletes." It spent big on the "higher production value" marketing effort.Source: Sky News HD on November 21, 2012
The study found that special offers account for about a third of all supermarket sales and that they especially favor sugary products. The lead researcher argued that the trend was "irresponsible" on the part of supermarkets.Source: Advertising Age on November 20, 2012
The Nielsen Company has released a new report that offers detailed information to help advertisers target the growing, and often overlooked, Asian American market. In this interview, a Nielsen executive characterizes Asian Americans as "early adopters" and urges marketers to be aware of the "economic power of this multicultural segment, and the opportunity it offers."Source: MediaPost on November 20, 2012
The company is lobbying to exempt its drinks from a potential USDA ban on sugar-added beverages at school. Their tactics include avoiding a focus on added sugar and instead emphasizing fruit's (especially the cranberry's) nutritional value.Source: Drug Store News on November 20, 2012
The grocer used the military as part of its corporate social responsibility marketing when it recently made a display of signing a statement for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on November 19, 2012
A lawsuit against Hershey argues the company misled consumers with claims about antioxidants in cocoa. It remains to be seen whether or not the claims are preempted by FDA guidelines. Meanwhile, the EU does not authorize antioxidant health claims of any kind.Source: Advertising Age on November 14, 2012
The new product line is called "Cracker Jack'd," and includes a caffeinated variety called "Power Bites." The Center for Science in the Public Interest has written a letter to the FDA stating that the planned product violates several federal food rules and that caffeine is not a suitable ingredient for a product intended for children.Source: Advertising Age on November 14, 2012
This article highlights Gatorade as a case study of successful data-driven marketing and discusses the importance of mobile phones as "the last point of contact" that marketers have before consumers make purchases.Source: Warc on November 13, 2012
Coke's new strategy is to act as an online publisher, seeding branded conversations as part of its "liquid and linked" approach: "Coca-Cola's online hub will host articles and videos covering issues like entertainment, sport, health and the environment, alongside providing blogs and columns from staff and guest contributors."Source: Warc on November 13, 2012
Market research confirms BMSG's finding for sugarydrinkfacts.org that energy drink manufacturers employ viral multimedia, especially to target young audiences. The Red Bull-branded Felix Baumgartner skydive apparently brought a record audience of 8 million live-streaming viewers.
