While the debate heats up about the impact of food marketing on American childhood obesity rates, baby food and baby care company Gerber says most parents are eager to help their children start healthy and stay healthy. They just need some encouragement in the right direction.
To help guide and motivate parents, it is launching the Gerber Promise on May 1. The integrated campaign will support the company’s expanding product line for infants and older babies. It starts with 43 million FSIs and 3 million direct mail pieces to new parent households, all offering a premium package that includes a jewelry-styled safety pin and a “Promise” certificate.
The premiums will be fulfilled through a newly redesigned Gerber.com. The Web site, also launching May 1, will feature richer content on feeding guidelines and other parenting advice.
In-store events through such retail partners as Fred Meyer Stores begin in May, followed by appearances at American Baby parenting fairs throughout the summer. In October, Wal-Mart will host a series of events.
“Babies are a huge priority for Wal-Mart, and programs like these are a great rallying point,” says Mack Jenks, Gerber director of Relationship Marketing.
The statistics are alarming to anyone who cares about babies. According the 2002 FIT Study (feeding infants-toddlers), which Gerber conducted with the American Dietetics Association in summer 2002, 50% of all children 2- to 18-years-old eat less than one serving of fruit a day. Further, the average 15-month old consumed french fries more frequently than any other vegetable.
Since the FIT study was published in October 2002, Gerber has tied its marketing messages to the “Five-a-Day” campaign (which encourages parents to have children eat at least five fruits or vegetables per day), with selections of five different food colors (to encourage a balance of nutrients).
“The Promise pulls together all our goals,” Jenks says. “We hope to get an enormous response from parents.”
In conjunction with the Promise campaign, Gerber is making a simultaneous $100,000 donation to the American Academy of Pediatrics CATCH program (for “community access to childrens health”).
The 2005 U.S. campaign includes a significant overlay for Gerber’s Latino market, which may be extended to Mexico and Puerto Rico in 2006.
J. Brown Agency, Stamford, CT, executes, with support from its sibling, foodbroker Crossmark.
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