Saturday, January 26, 2013

Coca-Cola Obesity Campaign




An anti-obesity ad rolled out this week from an unlikely source: Coca-Cola.

The world's biggest beverage company debuted the "Coming Together" commercial in hopes of flexing its marketing muscle in the debate over fizzy drinks and their impact on public health.
Attempting to make consumers aware of the calorie content in its fizzy drinks.
The theme ties into the company's "Live Positively" and "Open Happiness" campaigns.

The soft drink giant unveiled a campaign that will take on what it's calling "the issue of this generation." The first ad in the campaign, the 2-minute spot, notes that Coke can "play an important role" in the fight against obesity. The ad also points out that of its 650 beverages, Coca-Cola now offers 180 low- and no-calorie choices. In addition, the company has introduced smaller-portion drinks which Coke intends to have in 90% of the country by the end of the year. It's unclear whether another ad in the series will run during the Super Bowl. Coke has purchased three 30-second spots during the big game.
In  the campaign, Coke cited several anti-obesity initiatives, including nutrition labeling, school beverage guidelines and Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness, which offers "military-style fitness classes like calisthenics, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and other fitness and nutritional techniques to families in communities most in need of wellness services."
The push comes after the Center For Science in the Public Interest has been a vocal critic of Coke, linking its soft drinks to obesity and diabetes. The beverage giant is diving face-first into the fray about sugary drinks and health, releasing a two-minute commercial, helping to solve the problem while simultaneously trying to shift some of the blame to other, unnamed foods and, perhaps most oddly, to consumers themselves. Or, as the voiceover gleefully chirps, "If you eat and drink more calories than you burn off, you'll gain weight!" Thanks for the pointer.
Michael Jacobson, executive director of the CSPI offered the following statement about the campaign on its Facebook page:
"They're trying to stem the tide of criticism by taking a page out of crisis control 101, which is to pretend like they're concerned about the issue. If they were serious, they would stop advertising full-calorie drinks, charge less for lower calorie options, and stop fighting the soda tax. They're just running feel-good ads aimed at neutralizing criticism."
What do you think of Coke's new campaign?
McDonald's is launching a new global packaging design that uses QR codes to give consumers nutritional information about their food. It is the next brand to promote informed decisions about health. Are Coke and McDonald's starting a new trend for companies?!
Fiona Lucey
Marketing Advisor

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