Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Social Marketing Examples from Promotion Board Presentation
http://www.fvcampaign.org/SocialMarketingExamples.html
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sugar Stacks
Follow this link and read more about sugar that is in popular drinks and other popular highly advertised foods products.
http://sugarstacks.com/shakes.htm
http://sugarstacks.com/shakes.htm
Friday, September 4, 2009
Don't Drink Yourself Fat.
New York State has shelved the idea of a tax on sugary sodas and juice drinks. But New York City's public health officials opened a new front in their struggle against high-calorie beverages on Monday, unveiling an ad campaign that depicts globs of human fat gushing from a soda bottle.
"Are you pouring on the pounds?" asks the ad, which urges viewers to consider water, seltzer or low-fat milk instead, and warns: "Don't drink yourself fat." The ad - which cost about $277,000 to develop over three fiscal years, including money for creative work and focus groups - will run in 1,500 subway cars for three months. (The $90,000 cost of the subway advertisement comes through a private donor, the Fund for Public Health in New York.)
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/09/01/nyregion/01fat.ready.html
"Are you pouring on the pounds?" asks the ad, which urges viewers to consider water, seltzer or low-fat milk instead, and warns: "Don't drink yourself fat." The ad - which cost about $277,000 to develop over three fiscal years, including money for creative work and focus groups - will run in 1,500 subway cars for three months. (The $90,000 cost of the subway advertisement comes through a private donor, the Fund for Public Health in New York.)
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/09/01/nyregion/01fat.ready.html
Monday, August 10, 2009
Restaurants Need To Heed Kids' Health Savvy
According to a new "Kids & Moms Consumer Trend Report" from food service consultant Technomic and children-focused brand marketing agency C3, kids are showing a growing awareness of nutrition. This growing "health savvy" among kids is attributed to exposure to nutritional information.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=111297
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=111297
Screen Time Boosts Kids' Blood Pressure
Too Much TV, Computer Use May Elevate Blood Pressure in Young Children
Bill Hendrick, WebMD, Aug 4, 2009
Too much "screen time," whether it's watching TV, using a computer,
or playing a video game, may raise the blood pressure of young
children, a new study shows.
This is true even if the children are not obese or overweight,
researchers report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics &
Adolescent Medicine.
The researchers say they found -- apparently for the first time -- a
link between sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure in
children aged 3 through 8. The findings suggest that increased media
exposure for children may be much worse for children's health than
previously thought, the study's co-author Joe Eisenmann, PhD, says in
a news release. Eisenmann is a professor in Michigan State
University's Department of Kinesiology and a former colleague of the
study's lead author David Martinez-Gomez, BSc, of Iowa State University.
Bill Hendrick, WebMD, Aug 4, 2009
Too much "screen time," whether it's watching TV, using a computer,
or playing a video game, may raise the blood pressure of young
children, a new study shows.
This is true even if the children are not obese or overweight,
researchers report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics &
Adolescent Medicine.
The researchers say they found -- apparently for the first time -- a
link between sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure in
children aged 3 through 8. The findings suggest that increased media
exposure for children may be much worse for children's health than
previously thought, the study's co-author Joe Eisenmann, PhD, says in
a news release. Eisenmann is a professor in Michigan State
University's Department of Kinesiology and a former colleague of the
study's lead author David Martinez-Gomez, BSc, of Iowa State University.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Subway, 'National Geo Kids' Team On Promo
Karlene Lukovitz / Mediapost.com / MarketingDaily / July 6, 2009
A new campaign co-sponsored by National Geographic Kids magazine and Subway features magazine-branded toys included in the Subway Fresh Fit for Kids meals and a contest to win a trip for four to Alaska.
The toys, available while supplies last, include exploration-themed items such as a compass, an endangered species expedition map, and an adventure journal.
Kids ages six to 14 who are U.S. citizens may enter the trip contest on kids.nationaleographic.com by writing a short (100 words or less) personal essay describing their greatest adventure.
The campaign, which launched Monday, is being supported by an integrated advertising program that includes a cover wrap and themed double-sided explorer activity cards in the magazine, as well as custom puzzler games and other content on the campaign's microsite.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=109259
A new campaign co-sponsored by National Geographic Kids magazine and Subway features magazine-branded toys included in the Subway Fresh Fit for Kids meals and a contest to win a trip for four to Alaska.
The toys, available while supplies last, include exploration-themed items such as a compass, an endangered species expedition map, and an adventure journal.
Kids ages six to 14 who are U.S. citizens may enter the trip contest on kids.nationaleographic.com by writing a short (100 words or less) personal essay describing their greatest adventure.
The campaign, which launched Monday, is being supported by an integrated advertising program that includes a cover wrap and themed double-sided explorer activity cards in the magazine, as well as custom puzzler games and other content on the campaign's microsite.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=109259
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fast Food: Would You Like 1,000 Calories with That?
Fast Food: Would You Like 1,000 Calories with That?
Sean Gregory, TIME Magazine, Jun 29, 2009
How sloppy is that triple Whopper with cheese? It
has 1,250 calories, or 62.5% of the recommended
2,000-calories-per-day diet. The Fried Macaroni
and Cheese from the Cheesecake Factory? Try 1,570
calories ? according to health experts, you're
better off eating a stick of butter.
If public-health advocates, and now the Senate,
get their way, when you look at a menu from a
chain restaurant, those calorie counts will be
staring you down. "Order me if you dare," the
mighty Quesadilla Burger from Applebee's (1,440
calories) may entreat. Spurred by the passage of
a slew of state and local menu-labeling laws, on
June 10 the Senate reached a bipartisan agreement
to include a federal menu-labeling law as part of
comprehensive health-care reform. Of course, who
knows when that hornet's nest will come up for a
vote. But in the meantime, health proponents are
likening the Senate provision to legal
requirements for a clothing label ? i.e., what
it's made of. "Isn't information that can help
you avoid obesity and diabetes as important as
knowing how to wash your blouse?" says Margot
Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the
nonpartisan Center for Science in the Public
Interest. (See how many calories are in the
Dunkin' Donuts Sausage, Supreme Omelet & Cheese Bagel.)
Until recently, the restaurant industry had been
pushing a federal bill that would require chains
with 20 or more restaurants nationwide to post
calorie information somewhere near the point of
purchase but not on the menu itself. The industry
claimed menu postings would be a costly
logistical burden and would clutter valuable real
estate on the menus. Not surprisingly, chains
won't voice the most obvious argument against
high-profile calorie counts. "They're concerned
that consumers will be turned off by what they
see," says Tom Forte, restaurant analyst at the
Telsey Advisory Group, a consulting firm.
In the end, the industry backed the Senate's
on-the-menu provision in an effort to pre-empt a
patchwork of state and local statutes (13 have
passed, and 30 or so more have been introduced).
Such legislation would prevent a municipality
from requiring both calories and, say, saturated
fat to be tallied on menus. (The fried macaroni
and cheese at the Cheesecake Factory has a
staggering 69 grams of saturated fat ? more than
you should eat in 3? days.) (See how many
calories are in the McDonald's Chocolate Triple Thick Shake.)
As the menu-labeling momentum keeps surging, will
such policy really improve eating habits? Well,
it can do no worse than what's out there. In a
study published in the May issue of the American
Journal of Public Health, researchers observed
4,311 patrons of McDonald's, Burger King,
Starbucks and Au Bon Pain to see if they accessed
in-store nutrition data. The info was not on the
menu board but in a pamphlet, on a wall poster or
an on-site computer. Only six, or 0.1%, of the
patrons looked at the numbers. Sure, a few more
may have already studied the information. But six
out of 4,311? If restaurants are sincere about
health, they need to put calorie counts on the
menu, straight in the customers' sight lines.
(See how many calories are in the Starbucks Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate.)
So far, mandatory on-the-menu calorie counts have
been implemented in only three localities:
Washington's King County (which includes
Seattle), New York City and Westchester County, a
suburb of New York. And since none of these
provisions have been in place for more than a
year, nutritionists have yet to gather empirical
proof that they work. But some science suggests
that prominently displayed calorie counts steer
purchases. In 2007, researchers in New York City
examined consumer eating habits at Subway, which
voluntarily posted calorie info in its stores.
This study, also published in the American
Journal of Public Health, reported that Subway
patrons who pondered the calorie information
purchased 52 fewer calories than those who
didn't. Further, according to a survey conducted
in February by Technomic, a food-industry
consultancy, 82% of New York City residents said
the new highly visible nutrition information has
affected their ordering. Of those people, 71%
said they sought out lower-calorie options, and
51% said they no longer ordered certain items.
(See how many calories are in the Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries.)
While such statistics are promising, menu counts
are no silver bullet. Martin Lindstrom, the noted
consumer psychologist and author of Buyology:
Truths and Lies About Why We Buy, fears that
consumers will tune out the numbers long term.
"Eventually, calorie counts will just be wallpaper," he says.
But forced disclosure could lead more restaurants
to change their offerings. A report by New York
City health officials noted that since
menu-labeling went into effect last summer, some
chains have lowered the calorie counts on certain
items. For example, in March 2007, a Chicken Club
sandwich at Wendy's was listed as being 650
calories. In June 2008, as the New York law
kicked in, the item was 540 calories ? a 17%
drop. (Wendy's used a lower-calorie mayo to
reduce the count, but a spokesman insists
menu-labeling played no part in the move. Call it
a happy coincidence.) (See how many calories are
in the Taco Bell Chicken Ranch Fully Loaded Taco Salad.)
Meanwhile, Yum! Brands, parent company of
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,
has promised to post calorie information on its
menus by January 2011. If the creator of KFC's
Famous Bowls ? fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
corn, gravy and shredded cheese packed together
for your gut-busting pleasure ? volunteers to
share these numbers, what excuse can other chains
claim for not following suit, particularly if
Washington lags in forcing them to do so? The
writing is on the wall. And perhaps, as a result,
fewer calories will be in your stomach.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1905509,00.html?artId=1905509?contType=article?chn=us
Related
Top
10 Worst Fast Food Meals
9
Kid Foods to Avoid
The
Science of Appetite
Sean Gregory, TIME Magazine, Jun 29, 2009
How sloppy is that triple Whopper with cheese? It
has 1,250 calories, or 62.5% of the recommended
2,000-calories-per-day diet. The Fried Macaroni
and Cheese from the Cheesecake Factory? Try 1,570
calories ? according to health experts, you're
better off eating a stick of butter.
If public-health advocates, and now the Senate,
get their way, when you look at a menu from a
chain restaurant, those calorie counts will be
staring you down. "Order me if you dare," the
mighty Quesadilla Burger from Applebee's (1,440
calories) may entreat. Spurred by the passage of
a slew of state and local menu-labeling laws, on
June 10 the Senate reached a bipartisan agreement
to include a federal menu-labeling law as part of
comprehensive health-care reform. Of course, who
knows when that hornet's nest will come up for a
vote. But in the meantime, health proponents are
likening the Senate provision to legal
requirements for a clothing label ? i.e., what
it's made of. "Isn't information that can help
you avoid obesity and diabetes as important as
knowing how to wash your blouse?" says Margot
Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the
nonpartisan Center for Science in the Public
Interest. (See how many calories are in the
Dunkin' Donuts Sausage, Supreme Omelet & Cheese Bagel.)
Until recently, the restaurant industry had been
pushing a federal bill that would require chains
with 20 or more restaurants nationwide to post
calorie information somewhere near the point of
purchase but not on the menu itself. The industry
claimed menu postings would be a costly
logistical burden and would clutter valuable real
estate on the menus. Not surprisingly, chains
won't voice the most obvious argument against
high-profile calorie counts. "They're concerned
that consumers will be turned off by what they
see," says Tom Forte, restaurant analyst at the
Telsey Advisory Group, a consulting firm.
In the end, the industry backed the Senate's
on-the-menu provision in an effort to pre-empt a
patchwork of state and local statutes (13 have
passed, and 30 or so more have been introduced).
Such legislation would prevent a municipality
from requiring both calories and, say, saturated
fat to be tallied on menus. (The fried macaroni
and cheese at the Cheesecake Factory has a
staggering 69 grams of saturated fat ? more than
you should eat in 3? days.) (See how many
calories are in the McDonald's Chocolate Triple Thick Shake.)
As the menu-labeling momentum keeps surging, will
such policy really improve eating habits? Well,
it can do no worse than what's out there. In a
study published in the May issue of the American
Journal of Public Health, researchers observed
4,311 patrons of McDonald's, Burger King,
Starbucks and Au Bon Pain to see if they accessed
in-store nutrition data. The info was not on the
menu board but in a pamphlet, on a wall poster or
an on-site computer. Only six, or 0.1%, of the
patrons looked at the numbers. Sure, a few more
may have already studied the information. But six
out of 4,311? If restaurants are sincere about
health, they need to put calorie counts on the
menu, straight in the customers' sight lines.
(See how many calories are in the Starbucks Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate.)
So far, mandatory on-the-menu calorie counts have
been implemented in only three localities:
Washington's King County (which includes
Seattle), New York City and Westchester County, a
suburb of New York. And since none of these
provisions have been in place for more than a
year, nutritionists have yet to gather empirical
proof that they work. But some science suggests
that prominently displayed calorie counts steer
purchases. In 2007, researchers in New York City
examined consumer eating habits at Subway, which
voluntarily posted calorie info in its stores.
This study, also published in the American
Journal of Public Health, reported that Subway
patrons who pondered the calorie information
purchased 52 fewer calories than those who
didn't. Further, according to a survey conducted
in February by Technomic, a food-industry
consultancy, 82% of New York City residents said
the new highly visible nutrition information has
affected their ordering. Of those people, 71%
said they sought out lower-calorie options, and
51% said they no longer ordered certain items.
(See how many calories are in the Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries.)
While such statistics are promising, menu counts
are no silver bullet. Martin Lindstrom, the noted
consumer psychologist and author of Buyology:
Truths and Lies About Why We Buy, fears that
consumers will tune out the numbers long term.
"Eventually, calorie counts will just be wallpaper," he says.
But forced disclosure could lead more restaurants
to change their offerings. A report by New York
City health officials noted that since
menu-labeling went into effect last summer, some
chains have lowered the calorie counts on certain
items. For example, in March 2007, a Chicken Club
sandwich at Wendy's was listed as being 650
calories. In June 2008, as the New York law
kicked in, the item was 540 calories ? a 17%
drop. (Wendy's used a lower-calorie mayo to
reduce the count, but a spokesman insists
menu-labeling played no part in the move. Call it
a happy coincidence.) (See how many calories are
in the Taco Bell Chicken Ranch Fully Loaded Taco Salad.)
Meanwhile, Yum! Brands, parent company of
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,
has promised to post calorie information on its
menus by January 2011. If the creator of KFC's
Famous Bowls ? fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
corn, gravy and shredded cheese packed together
for your gut-busting pleasure ? volunteers to
share these numbers, what excuse can other chains
claim for not following suit, particularly if
Washington lags in forcing them to do so? The
writing is on the wall. And perhaps, as a result,
fewer calories will be in your stomach.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1905509,00.html?artId=1905509?contType=article?chn=us
Related
10 Worst Fast Food Meals
Kid Foods to Avoid
Science of Appetite
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
National Nutrition Month
National Nutrition Month® —
The theme for March 2009 is
"Eat Right."
National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Registered Dietitian Day, also celebrated in March, increases awareness of registered dietitians as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services and recognizes RDs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/NNM_2007_home.htm
You can take the nutrition quiz here!
The theme for March 2009 is
"Eat Right."
National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Registered Dietitian Day, also celebrated in March, increases awareness of registered dietitians as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services and recognizes RDs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/NNM_2007_home.htm
You can take the nutrition quiz here!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Marketing on Twitter
How Bad Is Marketing Spam On Twitter?
Bloomberg News
Are marketers ruining the Twitter experience? Bloomberg talks to several people who think so. One woman, who says she signed up for Twitter to keep in touch with friends, is now considering discontinuing her use of the microblogging service because random marketers keep contacting her. Home Depot, for example, wished her luck painting her room, a medical company recommended a device for helping her with her ear infection, and a DJ recently told her to check out his new single. "I don't want random people contacting me," she said. "Don't try to sell yourself through my Twitter."
Christopher Peri, founder of TwittFilter, which lets Twitter users restrict who can follow their updates, agrees. "It is starting to get out of control," he said. "The original value of Twitter is friends talking to friends. When someone says, 'I'm going to pimp this product,' it's no longer a social media." Meanwhile, the microblogging service continues to grow like a weed. According to the most recent data from comScore, visitors to Twitter.com increased to 9.31 million in March, compared to just 524,000 last year. And the more Twitter grows, the more companies are interested in reaching its users.
Most approaches to using the site are not intrusive, but some companies are using it solely to send unsolicited marketing messages. Twitter tried to stamp out the problem earlier this month by disabling a feature that allows users to automatically follow people who follow them. "Spam will always be an issue that requires attention," co-founder Biz Stone said. "Our goal is to stay ahead of spam and keep the user experience great for folks on Twitter." - Read the whole story...
Bloomberg News
Are marketers ruining the Twitter experience? Bloomberg talks to several people who think so. One woman, who says she signed up for Twitter to keep in touch with friends, is now considering discontinuing her use of the microblogging service because random marketers keep contacting her. Home Depot, for example, wished her luck painting her room, a medical company recommended a device for helping her with her ear infection, and a DJ recently told her to check out his new single. "I don't want random people contacting me," she said. "Don't try to sell yourself through my Twitter."
Christopher Peri, founder of TwittFilter, which lets Twitter users restrict who can follow their updates, agrees. "It is starting to get out of control," he said. "The original value of Twitter is friends talking to friends. When someone says, 'I'm going to pimp this product,' it's no longer a social media." Meanwhile, the microblogging service continues to grow like a weed. According to the most recent data from comScore, visitors to Twitter.com increased to 9.31 million in March, compared to just 524,000 last year. And the more Twitter grows, the more companies are interested in reaching its users.
Most approaches to using the site are not intrusive, but some companies are using it solely to send unsolicited marketing messages. Twitter tried to stamp out the problem earlier this month by disabling a feature that allows users to automatically follow people who follow them. "Spam will always be an issue that requires attention," co-founder Biz Stone said. "Our goal is to stay ahead of spam and keep the user experience great for folks on Twitter." - Read the whole story...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
It all starts with diet
*********************************************
Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
http://cfch.berkeley.edu
A CDC Center for Chronic Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion Research
*********************************************
It all starts with diet
Federal 'guidelines' are too fatty
T. Colin Campbell,Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., San Francisco Chronicle,
March 17, 2009
As scientific researchers who have spent our careers establishing the
link between diet and disease, we find President Obama's directive on
"restoring scientific integrity to government decision-making" very
welcome news.
We hope this will lead to health care policy that is informed by
America's most ignored scientific fact on health: That a whole-foods
plant-based diet can prevent and in many cases reverse heart disease,
diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases.
Today's health care debate has very little to do with what makes us
sick. It is centered almost entirely on who gets covered and who
pays. Extending coverage to more people is a good thing. But
Americans who already are covered are suffering rising rates of
chronic disease. Lack of coverage is not causing their disease, and
expanding coverage won't cure these diseases in others. We have to do
more than increase coverage.
The No. 1 cause and cure of America's health care crisis is right
under your nose - it's what you put in your mouth.
Unfortunately, the scientific findings on diet and disease are
marginalized by the political power of huge, mutually reinforcing
commercial interests - meat, dairy, sugar, drugs and surgery.
These industries are desperate to sell a solution that obscures their
part in the problem. If they can convince people that the cause of
our health crisis has nothing to do with eating unhealthy food, and
everything to do with increasing access to drugs and surgery,
Americans will spend trillions more on health care without improving
their health. That's what happens when you leave science out of public policy.
If President Obama wants Americans to get the full benefit of
scientific research on health, then he should add three measures to
his health reforms.
One: Change the way government develops its dietary guidelines. Right
now, the U.S. government's most widely publicized dietary
recommendations are deadly. The Food and Nutrition Board's 2002
report says that to reduce degenerative diseases like heart disease
and cancer, we can consume up to 35 percent of our calories as fat,
up to 35 percent of our calories as protein and up to 25 percent of
calories as added sugars.
Here is a daily diet that meets those nutrition guidelines:
Breakfast: 1 cup Fruit Loops; 1 cup skim milk; 1 package M&M milk
chocolate candies; fiber and vitamin supplements. Lunch: Grilled
cheddar cheeseburger. Dinner: 3 slices pepperoni pizza, with a
16-ounce soda and 1 serving Archway sugar cookies.
This helps explain why 12-year-old schoolchildren develop thickening
of their carotid arteries to the brain, and 80 percent of 20-year-old
soldiers, dying in combat, are found to have coronary artery heart disease.
How could the government distribute this information and call it
science? Members of the committee had financial ties to industries
that benefit from higher protein and sugar allowances, and the panel
was partly funded by corporate money.
The Obama administration should establish a rule: No scientist with
financial ties to the food and drug industries should chair - or
choose the members of - panels that set dietary guidelines.
Two: President Obama should establish a new institute at the National
Institutes of Health dedicated exclusively to exploring the link
between diet, health and disease. Today, there are 27 institutes and
centers at the National Institutes of Health, but none devoted to
nutrition, despite the great public interest in the subject. For the
sake of the people who pay the bills, it's time for NIH to dedicate
an institute to studying the effect of nutrition on health.
Three: Congress should require that medical schools - as a condition
of receiving federal grants - offer residency programs on dietary
approaches to preventing and treating disease. Americans don't
understand the disease-fighting power of a good diet because their
doctors don't. Medical schools teach a drug-centered curriculum. They
do not learn about the many population-based studies that show the
connection between diet and disease. They do not review the
biochemical studies on disease formation that support the
population-based studies. And they do not study the results found in
treating disease with diet in clinical settings. Drugs and surgery
can offer miraculous benefits in certain cases. But it's
unconscionable for doctors not to know about - or tell their patients
about - the preventive and healing power of food.
These three proposals won't cost much, and they will pay back our
investment a million-fold by making people healthier and reducing
health care costs. Moreover, they reflect a commitment - expressed by
the White House last week - to finally let the public enjoy the
health benefits of scientific research.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of nutritional
biochemistry at Cornell University. He is co-author of "The China
Study." Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., M.D., former president of the
American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, is a preventive medicine
consultant at the Cleveland Clinic. He is the author of "Prevent and
Reverse Heart Disease."
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/17/ED3K16FAI8.DTL
Soda Wars
MediaPost Pubications Coke Joins Pepsi in Move to Slow Soda Decline 01/22/2009
Ready for the return of the Cola Wars? On the heels of Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" campaign, which uses a redesigned logo similar to the one President Barack Obama used during his campaign, Coca-Cola has unveiled a new marketing effort and tagline, "Open Happiness."
" It's fascinating to me that both Coke and Pepsi at the same time are launching big new campaigns and big marketing blitzes behind their flagship colas," John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Marketing Daily. "It's probably the most directly competitive I've seen these two companies over their big colas in over a decade."
Coke launched its new campaign this week with television advertising during broadcasts of "American Idol" on Fox. The beverage marketer will also hit other high-profile advertising events like the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards. The campaign will roll out globally over the coming weeks.
One of the new television commercials for the U.S. depicts people using their digital devices (computers, phones, etc.) and turning into their alter-ego online avatars. When one man--who has not turned into his avatar--reaches for a Coke at the same time as a scary-looking beast, the beast turns into a pretty woman and a real-life connection is made. Another ad humorously depicts what could occur if something happened to one of the two men who know Coke's secret formula ("Cookouts would be catastrophic." and "Santa would be sleepy.").
In addition to the television ads, the effort also includes new point-of-sale, promotions, outdoor, print and music components. One of the new commercials will feature a music track that will be released as a commercial music single. The music is billed as a collaboration between recording artists from Gnarls Barkley, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.
"Open Happiness is designed to work at every level--from national advertising all the way down to coolers and store shelves, with a clear call to action at the point of purchase," said Coca-Cola Chief Marketing Officer Joe Tripodi in a statement. "The combination of inspirational marketing and in-store execution in collaboration with our bottling partners worldwide will ensure we continue to reinvigorate the sparkling category."
Coke's launch comes only weeks after Pepsi introduced an effort tagged "Refresh Everything." As part of its campaign, Pepsi had a presence at Obama's inauguration on Tuesday, with headlines featuring "Yes you can" and a redesigned logo similar to the image Obama used during his presidential campaign. As part of the campaign, the company created a Web site through which people could upload a video message to Obama.
The timing of the two efforts is not coincidental, Sicher says. Sales of carbonated soft drinks have been declining, as sales of bottled water and energy drinks have grown. With the economy slowing and sales of bottled water and energy drinks softening, it's time for the two companies to focus on their core brands, he says.
"These two brands are so big relative to the rest of their companies' portfolios that if they don't do better than they've been doing, getting the strong beverage growth is going to be difficult," Sicher says. "These efforts by Coke and Pepsi won't return these brands to growth anytime soon, but could begin decreasing the rate of decline and maybe even get them back to break-even in terms of volume."
Ready for the return of the Cola Wars? On the heels of Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" campaign, which uses a redesigned logo similar to the one President Barack Obama used during his campaign, Coca-Cola has unveiled a new marketing effort and tagline, "Open Happiness."
" It's fascinating to me that both Coke and Pepsi at the same time are launching big new campaigns and big marketing blitzes behind their flagship colas," John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Marketing Daily. "It's probably the most directly competitive I've seen these two companies over their big colas in over a decade."
Coke launched its new campaign this week with television advertising during broadcasts of "American Idol" on Fox. The beverage marketer will also hit other high-profile advertising events like the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards. The campaign will roll out globally over the coming weeks.
One of the new television commercials for the U.S. depicts people using their digital devices (computers, phones, etc.) and turning into their alter-ego online avatars. When one man--who has not turned into his avatar--reaches for a Coke at the same time as a scary-looking beast, the beast turns into a pretty woman and a real-life connection is made. Another ad humorously depicts what could occur if something happened to one of the two men who know Coke's secret formula ("Cookouts would be catastrophic." and "Santa would be sleepy.").
In addition to the television ads, the effort also includes new point-of-sale, promotions, outdoor, print and music components. One of the new commercials will feature a music track that will be released as a commercial music single. The music is billed as a collaboration between recording artists from Gnarls Barkley, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.
"Open Happiness is designed to work at every level--from national advertising all the way down to coolers and store shelves, with a clear call to action at the point of purchase," said Coca-Cola Chief Marketing Officer Joe Tripodi in a statement. "The combination of inspirational marketing and in-store execution in collaboration with our bottling partners worldwide will ensure we continue to reinvigorate the sparkling category."
Coke's launch comes only weeks after Pepsi introduced an effort tagged "Refresh Everything." As part of its campaign, Pepsi had a presence at Obama's inauguration on Tuesday, with headlines featuring "Yes you can" and a redesigned logo similar to the image Obama used during his presidential campaign. As part of the campaign, the company created a Web site through which people could upload a video message to Obama.
The timing of the two efforts is not coincidental, Sicher says. Sales of carbonated soft drinks have been declining, as sales of bottled water and energy drinks have grown. With the economy slowing and sales of bottled water and energy drinks softening, it's time for the two companies to focus on their core brands, he says.
"These two brands are so big relative to the rest of their companies' portfolios that if they don't do better than they've been doing, getting the strong beverage growth is going to be difficult," Sicher says. "These efforts by Coke and Pepsi won't return these brands to growth anytime soon, but could begin decreasing the rate of decline and maybe even get them back to break-even in terms of volume."
A diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol...
A diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol could lead to similar changes in substances in the brain which are also seen in the development of Alzheimers, according to a new study.
Mice that were fed for nine months on the diet, which represents the nutritional content of most fast food, developed abnormalities in the brain similar to those observed in the brains of Alzheimers patients, said the study published in a doctoral thesis from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet (KI).
The research offers some indication of the role that diet could play in prevention of the disease which currently affects an estimated 5.2m Americans.
Researcher Susanne Akterin, a postgraduate at KI Alzheimers Disease Research Center, told FoodNavigator-USA.com: Several studies have been published during the last years linking diet with the development with Alzheimer's disease and dementia and especially too much cholesterol have been found to be particularly bad.
This is probably because the brain is an organ that is especially rich in cholesterol and where cholesterol has many functions, and therefore is tightly regulated.
When you eat too much cholesterol this regulation will be disturbed, leading to many negative effects.
All kinds of food that contain a lot of fat, sugar and cholesterol is likely to have the same bad consequences.
Considering the lack of effective medication for this dreadful disease, to prevent the disease from developing in the first place would be desirable.
Akterin said the most common risk factor in Alzheimers disease is a variant of a certain gene that governs the production of apolipoprotein E, which transport cholesterol. The gene variant is called apoE4 and is found in 15-20 percent of the population.
The research team studied mice that had been genetically modified to mimic the effects of apoE4 in humans for her doctoral thesis.
They noted an increase in phosphate groups attached to tau, a substance that forms the neurofibrillary tangles observed in Alzheimers patients, which prevent the cells from functioning normally and eventually leads to their death.
They also saw indications that cholesterol in food reduced levels of another brain substance, Arc, a protein involved in memory storage.
Akterin said: We now suspect that a high intake of fat and cholesterol in combination with genetic factors, such as apoE4, can adversely affect several brain substances, which can be a contributory factor in the development of Alzheimers.
All in all, the results give some indication of how Alzheimers can be prevented, but more research in this field needs to be done before proper advice can be passed on to the general public.
Previous research has shown that a phenomenon known as oxidative stress in the brain and a relatively low intake of dietary antioxidants can also increase the risk of Alzheimers.
Thesis: From cholesterol to oxidative stress in Alzheimers disease: A wide perspective on a multifactorial disease
Author: Susanne Akterin, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, KI Alzheimers Disease Research Center, Karolinska Institutet.
Burger King and the Simpsons
http://www.kidscreen.com/articles/news/20081110/simpsons.html
After 20 years on the air, The Simpsons is marking another first in the licensing and promo realm as Burger King rolls out its largest Kids Meal program based on a TV series today.
The Hang Out With The Simpsons! promo is rolling out simultaneously in the US and 58 other territories across the globe and is being supported by an extensive marketing campaign, including national TV advertising (the US, Turkey, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina and New Zealand) and in-restaurant promotions. The promo will also have a spot on the QSR's dedicated kids site www.ClubBK.com. The US version of the site is sporting a new Simpsons game and the campaign gets the spotlight in the company's Adventures Newsletter domestically.
Hang Out With the Simpsons! Kids Meal buyers will receive one of six new character-themed collector toys that join together so kids can put their own spin on the couch adventure, a.k.a. the iconic opening sequence of The Simpsons where Homer, Bart et. al. gather in front of the TV.
After 20 years on the air, The Simpsons is marking another first in the licensing and promo realm as Burger King rolls out its largest Kids Meal program based on a TV series today.
The Hang Out With The Simpsons! promo is rolling out simultaneously in the US and 58 other territories across the globe and is being supported by an extensive marketing campaign, including national TV advertising (the US, Turkey, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina and New Zealand) and in-restaurant promotions. The promo will also have a spot on the QSR's dedicated kids site www.ClubBK.com. The US version of the site is sporting a new Simpsons game and the campaign gets the spotlight in the company's Adventures Newsletter domestically.
Hang Out With the Simpsons! Kids Meal buyers will receive one of six new character-themed collector toys that join together so kids can put their own spin on the couch adventure, a.k.a. the iconic opening sequence of The Simpsons where Homer, Bart et. al. gather in front of the TV.
Affluent Consumers Eating More Fast Food
Affluent consumers increased their visits to fast-food burger restaurants, but cut back on visits to the more upscale chains within the family restaurants category in the months following the economic "meltdown" in early October.
Those are among the restaurant-related trends emerging from newly released Experian Simmons data from the latest three-month wave of the Simmons National Consumer Study (Fall 2008).
The preliminary data reflects week-by-week trends for the period spanning Aug. 18 to Dec. 8 last year. Because the data are not yet weighted (fully projected to the U.S. population), absolute percentages are not claimed to be exact; however, the relative percentages are indicative of trends across time.
Following the meltdown (pegged at Oct. 3), the data show a distinct uptick in reported recent (last 30 days) visits to fast-food burger chains among households with incomes of $75,000 and above.
Furthermore, the uptrend was more marked among the highest incomes levels. For example, the percentage of consumers with household incomes of $100,000+ having visited one (unnamed) burger chain jumped from 50.1% pre-meltdown to 57.3% post-meltdown, and the percentage reporting visiting a second unnamed burger chain rose from 25.7% to 31.3%.
Simmons Experian notes that a simultaneous downward trend post-meltdown in the numbers of consumers with a household income of $75,000+ indicating that they try to eat gourmet food as often as possible seems to corroborate that their eating patterns were affected by the onset of the economic crisis.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=100216&passFuseAction=PublicationsSearch.showSearchReslts&art_searched=affluent&page_number=0
Those are among the restaurant-related trends emerging from newly released Experian Simmons data from the latest three-month wave of the Simmons National Consumer Study (Fall 2008).
The preliminary data reflects week-by-week trends for the period spanning Aug. 18 to Dec. 8 last year. Because the data are not yet weighted (fully projected to the U.S. population), absolute percentages are not claimed to be exact; however, the relative percentages are indicative of trends across time.
Following the meltdown (pegged at Oct. 3), the data show a distinct uptick in reported recent (last 30 days) visits to fast-food burger chains among households with incomes of $75,000 and above.
Furthermore, the uptrend was more marked among the highest incomes levels. For example, the percentage of consumers with household incomes of $100,000+ having visited one (unnamed) burger chain jumped from 50.1% pre-meltdown to 57.3% post-meltdown, and the percentage reporting visiting a second unnamed burger chain rose from 25.7% to 31.3%.
Simmons Experian notes that a simultaneous downward trend post-meltdown in the numbers of consumers with a household income of $75,000+ indicating that they try to eat gourmet food as often as possible seems to corroborate that their eating patterns were affected by the onset of the economic crisis.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=100216&passFuseAction=PublicationsSearch.showSearchReslts&art_searched=affluent&page_number=0
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