learnthe4ps.com - For students of marketing.

Should the U.S. government ban food marketing to kids? Should kids cereals no longer include cartoon characters, free prizes inside, and other promotions directed at children? That is the position taken by one side in a debate at USA Today “Ban food marketing to kids” (October 16, 2011). The other side of the debate can be read in “Food fight over marketing to kids misses the mark” (USA Today, October 16, 2011), which advocates new voluntary guidelines created by the food industry.

Read the editorial and counterpoint.  Where do you come down in this debate?  Why?

Is the future of online advertising one of incredibly targeted advertising based on your interests, online activities and Facebook “likes,” or is it one dictated by robust privacy controls that keep those details out of the hands of marketers?

This article at CNN.com “‘Like’ it or not, online ads are getting personal” (January 31, 2011) starts by asking this question. It is my belief that many of my students care very little about their personal online privacy. The article describes behavioral advertising and notes that the Federal Trade Commission is considering a “Do Not Track” list similar to the “Do Not Call” list created to curb telemarketing. It looks like the browser makers are getting out in front of the issue by creating the “no track” option — Microsoft Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox offer the opportunity to “opt out” of behavioral tracking, few users are likely to select this option (that assumes the default is that you will be tracked — but that is another issue).

What about you?  Do you care about your online privacy?  Would you dig into your browser to click a switch that prevented online tracking of your browsing behavior?  Or do you like the more targeted advertising that results from behavioral targeting?

Terrachoice Environmental Marketing has released its third annual report on greenwashing – “The Sins of Greenwashing:  Home and Family Edition, 2010.“  The report finds, among other things, that more than 95% of products making a green claim were found to commit at least one of the 7 sins of greenwashing.  If you are not up for reading the whole report, you can read highlights of the report posted at Greenbiz.com.

Consumer interest in making sustainable choices may be limited. Sun Chip is ditching its environmentally-friendly compostable (but apparently much noiser) bag. Sales of the snack dropped after the new bag was introduced (“It’s Better for Whose Environment?“, Wall Street Journal, October 8, 2010 – note this link takes you to a back door for non-subscribers). This sentiment is also expressed at Adweek, “Consumers Don’t Warm to Eco-Friendly Products” (October 12, 2010).

Is there only a small segment of consumers interested in sustainability?  Is the “price” for making socially responsibly purchase too high?  What can firms do to make sustainable products more appealing?  Should the government get involved to help promote this behavior?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has brought a class action lawsuit against Coca Cola.  CSPI claims that Vitaminwater’s health claims violate FDA guidelines.  Each 20 oz bottle of Vitaminwater contains 33 grams of sugar and 125 calories.  Vitaminwater’s health claims may violate the FDA’s jelly bean policy — where you can’t claim that a jelly bean is healthy because is has no cholesterol.  See “Is Vitaminwater Really a Healthy Drink?” in Time (July 30, 2010).

What do you think?  If not legal, is it ethical for Coca-Cola to make the health claims it makes?  Every consumer for themselves?  Or should the government be protecting consumers from this type of promotion?