Food Marketing Workgroup

PepsiCo pulls racist, misogynist Mountain Dew ad after widespread criticism

Heather Gehlert — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:43:25 +0000

PepsiCo’s video featured a badly battered woman being asked to identify her attacker out of a lineup of black men and a goat. After being taunted and threatened by the goat, the woman ran from the room, screaming, “I can’t ‘do’ this” — a play on words in reference to the brand, Dew.

The ad’s racial stereotypes and making light of violence against women have no place in any advertising, let alone marketing for products targeting young people.

Taco Bell Super Bowl ad, pulled in response to consumer concern, ridiculed vegetables

Heather Gehlert — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:29:05 +0000

Responding to widespread concerns from consumers and public health advocates, Taco Bell has done the right thing and agreed to take down an ad that ridiculed vegetables and the people who eat them. Intended for the Super Bowl, an event that adults and kids alike watch, the ad tried to convince people that bringing a veggie tray to game day is “a cop out” and “people will hate you for it.” The ad encouraged partygoers to instead bring 12-packs of tacos, loaded with calories, sodium and saturated fat.

Pepsi’s Live for Now campaign is the Joe Camel of soda marketing to youth

Heather Gehlert — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:26:20 +0000

As the public becomes more aware of the health problems tied to soda, they are drinking less of it. And marketers are responding with campaigns to reverse the trend. As the Public Health Advocacy Institute shows, this one from PepsiCo takes advantage of youth vulnerabilities to boost consumption among young people.

Marketers use holidays as excuse to push junk on kids

Heather Gehlert — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:12:02 +0000

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … a SpongeBob SquarePants chocolate bar? Companies say promoting candy to kids on holidays is an occasional exemption, but Halloween runs into Christmas, and Christmas into Valentine’s day, and Valentine’s day into Easter. Their “occasional” exemption lasts ¾ of the year. bit.ly/dump-the-junk

Cookie Crisp cereal as sugary as regular cookies

Heather Gehlert — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:27:53 +0000

Cookies are not a breakfast food. Yet this kid-marketed cereal has as much sugar as three Chips Ahoy! cookies. Both have 11 grams of sugar — half the recommended daily amount for kids.

Sugar: the first ingredient in popular kids’ cereal Apple Jacks

Heather Gehlert — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:22:04 +0000

In spite of being loaded with sugar, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative have deemed Apple Jacks a healthy product.

Disney uses loophole to market candy to kids during holidays

Heather Gehlert — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:10:35 +0000

Public health groups have lauded Disney for discouraging the use of its characters to market junk food to kids. But the company has made an exception for candy marketed during Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter or other “special occasions.” Since 25 percent of candy sales happen during these holidays and Christmas, Disney can do better. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has called on Disney’s CEO to close the loophole.

Food giants use Madagascar 3 movie characters to target kids

Heather Gehlert — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:52:11 +0000

A wide range of promotional tie-ins to the DreamWorks movie Madagascar 3 are being used to sell junk foods to kids. Examples include Airheads candy, McDonald’s Happy Meals and Lance cookies and crackers. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has urged Lance and DreamWorks to set nutrition standards for the companies’ marketing of food to children.

Girl Scout-themed Crunch candy bars violate Nestle pledge

mwaters — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:00:22 +0000

Nestle claims it doesn’t market candy to children, but health advocates say a new line of Girl Scout-themed Crunch candy bars violates the company’s pledge. The limited-edition candy bars bear the familiar Girl Scouts logo and evoke three popular Girl Scout Cookie flavors. A key difference between the candy bars and cookies is that the new candy bars have more calories, more saturated fat, and more sugars, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). CSPI and fellow Food Marketing Workgroup member Berkeley Media Studies Group have urged [pdf] the company to stop marketing unhealthy foods featuring the Girl Scout’s name and logo and refrain from similar marketing approaches in the future.

Lunchables uses ‘corporate social responsibility’ campaign to peddle junk

mwaters — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:06:37 +0000

Check out this outrageous “corporate social responsibility” program. Lunchables blankets the Burbank Boys & Girls Club with its logos and other marketing to kids. The action begins at 1:23 into the video.