Obesity among American consumers - Essay Example

WEEK IP 2 Week IP 2 Nicholas J. Brown American Intercontinental Week IP 2 Given the trend in obesity among American consumers, which industries stand to benefit the most Why Those industries that sell products related to health, especially those related to foods that promise weight reduction benefit from these trends. The industries include the diet foods and low calorie foods. Those in the food industry that position their products as "health food" stand to gain the most. In addition, further those companies that sell natural or organic food also are likely to gain from this trend.

There are slimming powder marketers and slimming product manufacturers these are the marketers who are likely to profit from this trend. In addition there are slimming clinics and slimming gyms that will benefit from the trend. Finally, even esoteric clinics that teach practices like yoga will benefit from the increasing awareness of keeping slim. The business implications are also enormous. American girl's today shop for clothes that are roughly two sizes bigger than those worn by their mothers.

Seats in public places such as sports arenas are being made bigger, as are those in aircraft. Drug firms are searching for miracle slimming drugs and the latest dieting fads become best-sellers. After claims that its advice on healthy eating is obsolete, the Bush administration said on September 23rd that it will draw up new guidelines ("Bush Administration," 2005). Expect hard lobbying by food firms fearful that the government's panel of experts may advise against eating their products. Some food firms have announced plans that could affect the health both of their customers and of their profits.

On September 18th, Burger King launched its first product aimed at people watching their waistline: a low-fat chicken sandwich (Baar, 2003). It hopes to reverse a six-year slide in sales, in part due to competition from chains such as Subway that offer "healthier" alternatives to burgers and fries. McDonald's, having put salads on its menu as part of a global makeover, has signed up Bob Greene, an exercise guru best known as Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer ("Happy Anniversary," 2005). He will promote a new chicken-based meal called "Go Active" which comes with exercise tips and a clip-on pedometer to encourage customers to walk more.

Next year, Kraft Foods, America's biggest food firm, will trim its portion sizes and provide more nutritional information ("Interview with Food," 2003).How will consumers react New research shows that most Americans are well aware of the risks of obesity. "But people are not prepared to give up taste as their solution to this problem," says Gary Epstein of Euro RSCG Tatham Partners, part of an international marketing group (Big Business, 2003). One of the most striking findings of his new study on globesity is that some 90% of American consumers believe they are personally accountable for their weight.

Only a few blame fast-food firms. This does not remove the threat of litigation. But it does suggest that most Americans think it was right for a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit from two teenagers who blamed McDonald's for making them fat (Big Business, 2003).The recent explosion in the popularity of low-carbohydrate slimming methods, such as the Atkins and South Beach diets, and the launch of a host of new low-carb food products, further illustrates that, if firms can come up with easy and tasty ways to lose weight, then people will rush to try them.

The Atkins diet, for example, excludes carbohydrates, but allows dieters to stuff themselves with steaks and other fat-rich, protein-rich foods.Although health officials worry about the long-term effects of such diets, they have had a seismic effect on the slimming business-worth $40 billion in America alone. Attending a "carbo summit" held at the Flour Advisory Bureau in London this week were bakers, potato growers and pasta makers, whose sales have been hit by the popularity of the Atkins diet.

Carbo summiteers cheered a specially commissioned review of the scientific literature that concluded-surprise!-that the best way to lose weight is to exercise more, and to eat less fat and more carbohydrates ("The Obesity Industry," 2005). "Americans have certainly woken up to the threat of obesity," adds Mr. Epstein's report ("The Obesity Industry," 2005). Yet he believes that selling people more healthy lifestyles will be difficult. The study confirmed that, despite the very high level of consumer awareness about the problems of being overweight, people struggle to do something practical about it.

Crucially, that was even true of so-called "presumes", some 20% of his sample. These people tend to be better educated and are of particular interest to marketing experts because, savvy and adventurous, they set purchasing trends. "Consume less, consume better and exercise more isn't about to become a mass-market trend anytime soon," argues the report ("The Obesity Industry," 2005).The obvious conclusion: a growing herd of fat people will provide lots of demand for firms supplying everything from bigger towels to bigger beds and, alas, bigger coffins.

Demand for adult-sized electric tricycles may grow as some of the obese find it hard to walk. In health care, much will change. Some hospitals, for instance, are finding some obese people cannot be squeezed into MRI machines for scans. Drugs firms are targeting fat. Shares in Allonym, a British biotech firm, soared on September 19th after it said clinical trials showed its new anti-obesity drug to be as good as rival products, but with fewer side effects. Surgery, and eventually genetic manipulation, could become common forms of treatment.

Liposuction is but a start. Firms are scrambling to develop additives to make diet foods taste better, including by blocking bitter tastes. Expect the globesity business to grow fast, then, along with its expanding customers.How would you use the information on which Americans trust for marketing purposes I would use the information on which Americans trust by quoting the information in my advertisement, on the packaging of the products as well as in the literature that is circulated. Consider the examples that have been given, if I were a manufacturer of a slimming aid, a slimming gym or a slimming clinic I would widely publicize the figure that 80% of Americans over the age of 25 are obese.

This will help convert skeptics to my point of view and make them my customers.If I were a teacher I would command the trust in my community and would make a good use of the trust to further the causes that would benefit the society and the environment. In short the study has shown that teachers and priests have high credibility. For instance, if I were running a campaign for the election of a senator, I would try and get the local priest as a spokesperson that would help my senator perform better than his rival.

If the leisure time activities of my potential customers is reading then I would place my advertisements as well as publicity in those books, magazines or papers that my target audience reads the most. This will help me target my product efficiently. How can marketers use information on the leisure-time activities of Americans As stated above the leisure time activities are used to target potential customers. Most marketers need to communicate their message to their potential customers. Once they have decided who their target audience is the marketer typically finds out the leisure-time activities of their target audience.

Just knowing that 28% of Americans read is not enough, the marketer needs to know what the target audience reads. Is it fiction, magazines, sports weeklies or newspapers Once the marketer is able to find out specific information through marketing research, he puts his advertisements and publicity material in that medium that is read by his target audience. For instance, if the target audience of a car manufacturer reads business journals and in particular reads a soccer magazine, the marketer will insert his advertisements in that soccer magazine.

He will also get his publicity material published in the soccer magazine. This will help him communicate his message to the target audience.Also at 20% television viewing is an important American leisure time activity. This medium offers the facility of an audiovisual presentation that has advantages over printed matter. The marketer again needs to find further information like the programs most viewed by his target audience, the timing when the program is viewed and the positioning of the program before he commences the telecasting of his advertising.

It is now customary for marketers to have their publicity material telecasted on the channels that are watched by their target audiences. References: Baar, Alan (2003). Y&R Readies Intro for BK Low Fat Fare. Retrieved November 12, 2005, from http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jspvnu_content_id=1981699Big Business (2003). Retrieved November 12, 2005, from http://www.economist.

com/markets/bigmac/PrinterFriendly.cfmstory_id=2092710Bush Administration Fights WHO Obesity Report (2005). Retrieved November 12, 2005, fromhttp://www.cspinet.org/new/200402181.html Happy Anniversary, McDonalds (2005). Retrieved November 12, 2005, from http://www.cspinet.org/new/200504141.htmlInterview with Food Police (2003). Retrieved November 12, 2005, fromhttp://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0307/01/se.09.htmlThe Obesity Industry (2005). Retrieved November 12, 2005, from http://www.economist.

com/markets/bigmac/displayStory.cfmstory_id=2092710