Day: April 18, 2008

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Controling Obesity by What We Buy!

Yep, aren't we thin!Probably one of the more interesting articles on controlling obesity through marketing food products that are more in-line with most people’s consumption habits is entitled: “De-Marketing Obesity” from the California Management Review vol. 47 No.4 Summer 2005.  (produced by Brian Wansink and Mike Huckabee)

Marketing Nutrition also by Brian Wansink is “a book that examines the intersection of consumer psychology, nutrition, and business.”

For me the four points that jumped out of the study:

1) 57% of consumers would pay 15% more for packaging ‘that helps them better control what they eat.’ Practically speaking, folks want multi-packs with smaller individual servings, and packaging that is ‘slightly more difficult to open, access and eat from.’

2) Change the Product but not the price. When prices go up on goodies, consumption also goes up … oddly enough

3) Small changes in the recipe will reduce calories without changing the perceived taste.

4) ‘Consider co-promoting healthy options, recipes…’

Many marketers are already utilizing the principles. Jenny Craig is a master at all of these principles. Anyone who has had to wrestle a ‘Jenny Craig’ package KNOWS that this is ‘part of the dining experience!’ The food is very low calorie and low fat, but tastes very close to ‘the high priced spread’ and this makes all the difference! The chocolate cake is delicious!

So…. what are you waiting for?

Roger Freberg

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What Cal Poly’s dance with Saudi Arabia really Costs

What does Cal Poly hope to gain? And what is the true cost?Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has decided to provide an education to male Saudi nationals in Saudi Arabia over the objections of Cal Poly faculty, students and the larger community.

The benefits are clear to the Cal Poly administrators but rather murky to the rest of us. Why are we here and what is it really we are going to get out of all of this?

It seems reasonable to look under the surface and see who and what Saudi Arabia really is. First of all, it is clear that the Saudi’s really don’t know much about the outside world… as one report states:

Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization reporting on freedom of the press and of expression throughout the world, labeled Saudi Arabia one of the 15 “Enemies of the Internet.” Saudi Arabia is reported to have blocked over 400,000 websites

It’s also hard to grasp the plight of women in this part of the world until one looks at how women are viewed and treated at an early age. The case of 8 year old Najood Ali trying to divorce her 30 year old husband should have been a good focus for positive social change… but the Yemeni government found no compelling reasons to pursue this issue.

On a more chilling note in a CRS (Congressional Research Service) brief before Congress contained the following report:

In June 2002, in the course of briefing a high-level group that advises the
U.S. Department of Defense, an analyst from the Rand Corporation asserted
that “Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies” and added
that “the Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners
to financiers.”

So, why again is Cal Poly involved in Saudi Arabia?

Roger Freberg