food advertising

It's well-known that junk food ads on TV can strongly influence what kids want to eat. A study finds social media influencers can have the same effect on kids --but not when it comes to healthy foods.

Social Media May Sway Kids To Eat More Cookies — And More Calories

1:00pm March 04, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

It's well-known that junk food ads on TV can strongly influence what kids want to eat. A study finds social media influencers can have the same effect on kids, but not when it comes to healthy foods.

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People were more likely to try mealworms — such as these mealworm chocolate truffles sprinkled with coconut — when the ad focused on taste and experience, a study showed.

Should Hyping Edible Bugs Focus On The Experience Instead Of The Environment?

11:49am January 10, 2019

by Berly McCoy

A new study shows that when ads made hedonistic marketing claims, such as "exotic" or "delicious," rather than targeting environmental interests, more people were willing to try eating insects.

There is a whole subset of people who can't imagine popcorn without a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, which is naturally full of B vitamins that are harder to come by in meat-free diets.

Health & Safety

How A Little Science And A Lot Of Shady Advertising Boosted Yeast's Popularity

12:06pm December 28, 2018

by Tove Danovich

Nutritional yeast isn't a new health fad — in the 1920s, sales exploded due to the "Yeast for Health" campaign. But bad news about the candida strain affected all yeast, and it's just now rebounding.

Science

This Is Your Brain On Ads: How Media Companies Hijack Your Attention

3:13pm April 27, 2018

How many ads have you encountered today? On this week's radio show, we discuss the insidiousness of advertising in American media.

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The hardworking Instant Pot, touted by its fans on social media, is Amazon's top-selling item in the U.S. How it got to No. 1 is a lesson in viral marketing savvy.

National

Not Just A Crock: The Viral Word-Of-Mouth Success Of Instant Pot

1:51pm January 18, 2017

by Grace Hwang Lynch

Launched in 2010, the multifunction cooker became a sleeper hit last year. That's when its maker harnessed the enthusiasm of owners – self-dubbed "addicts" – to spread the word online.

Two people at a food pantry in Portland, Maine, choose items from a display of produce. Several food banks around the country have been trying something new to get people to choose healthier foods. And it's working.

Health & Safety

Food Pantries Try Nutritional Nudging To Encourage Good Food Choices

6:50pm November 07, 2016

by Courtney Collins

Simply shuffling the shelves may be a powerful way to help those living in poverty choose healthier options, a nationwide study of food banks suggests.

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In this 2011 photo, a banner in an Iowa grocery store advertises

Why Does Government Act As Tax Collector For Agribusiness?

1:35pm September 26, 2015

by Dan Charles

The federal government collects money from farmers to finance ad campaigns for beef, pork and more than a dozen other commodities. Critics say this turns government into a servant of industry.

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