Communications & New Media March 2015 I Vol. 29 No. 3 The food issue March 2015 | www.odwyerpr.com Vol. 29. No. 3 March 2015 EDITORIAL MILLENNIALS’ UNIQUE Horde of lawyers chip away at FOCUS ON NUTRITION freedoms. A study of Millennials reveals 6 18 telling details about this demo- WALMART REAPS GOOD graphic’s perspectives on health, PR FOR WAGE HIKE diet, nutrition and well-being. 10 Walmart received positive press for decision to hike employee wages, 8 SODA ALTERNATIVES GAIN but now faces another challenge. IN FOLLOWING, PROFITS As health consciousness grows, DIETARY GUIDELINES 19 soda alternatives are becoming STIR CONTROVERSY more prevalent within the bever- Historic proposals in the latest age industry. federal recommendations for di- 9 etary guidelines could affect U.S. IS THE U.S. EXPERIENCING food policy in a big way. HEALTH FATIGUE? After years of messages regard- 19 Cover photo by Cayla Zahoran and REGULATIONS CONFUSE 20 ing the importance of a healthy Food Styling by Allie Wist. CONSUMERS ON SUPPS. diet, consumer fatigue may be Dietary supplements have come setting in. WWW.ODWYERPR.COM under scrutiny, and PR pros bear a 10 Daily, up-to-the-minute PR news unique responsibility communicat- PEOPLE IN PR ing with consumers on this issue. IS MISINFORMATION IN 21 U.S. FEEDING OBESITY ? Studies show consumers want PROFILES OF FOOD & to make positive health changes, 12 BEVERAGE PR FIRMS but are bombarded with diet fads and conflicting information. 22 RANKINGS OF FOOD & HOW RESTAURANTS BEVERAGE PR FIRMS SHOULD TREAT REVIEWS Learning how to address custom- 35 er comments online can often turn 14 a negative into a net positive WASHINGTON REPORT EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2015 40 January: Crisis Comms. / Buyer’s Guide CHALLENGES FROM THE February: Environmental & P.A. TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN March: Food & Beverage Never before in history have so many been able to consume so 16 columns April: Broadcast & Social Media much, while simultaneously re- May: PR Firm Rankings PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT June: Global & Multicultural maining malnourished. Fraser Seitel 36 July: Travel & Tourism OMC, PUBLICIS, IP POST FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT August: Financial/I.R. STRONG Q4 GAINS 37 Richard Goldstein September: Beauty & Fashion As the global economy picks up 17 OPINION October: Healthcare & Medical steam, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe 38 Arthur Solomon November: High-Tech and Interpublic expect 2014’s mo- December: Entertainment & Sports mentum to carry into this year. ADVERTISERS Allidura Consumer..................................................................................11 Makovsky...............................................................................Inside Cover Artisan Production House.........................................................................8 MediaMax Online.....................................................................................3 Bob Thomas Productions.........................................................................9 Omega World Travel................................................................................25 Cision......................................................................................................7 Peppercomm..........................................................................Back Cover FoodMinds............................................................................................13 RF | Binder..............................................................................................15 ICR..........................................................................................................5 Strauss Media Strategies........................................................................36 Log-On..................................................................................................33 TV Access..............................................................................................38 O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 a year ($7.00 for a single issue) by the J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc., 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. (212) 679-2471; fax: (212) 683-2750. Periodical postage paid at New York, N.Y., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to O’Dwyer’s, 271 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. O’Dwyer’s PR Report ISSN: 1931-8316. Published monthly. EDITORIAL Horde of lawyers chips away at freedoms he legal assault on three Hampton towns by the East End Eruv Association, aided by Verizon, LPEG/LIPA and two huge law firms, is an example of lawyers running amok, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF robbing Americans of free speech and freedom of religion, as well as freedom from Jack O’Dwyer T [email protected] religion. Founders of the country wanted to start with a fresh slate — barring the “seditious” libel ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER that led to drawing and quartering of government critics in the U.K. and belief in anything John O’Dwyer supernatural, which spawned the Inquisition, among other abuses. The word “god” is not in [email protected] the Constitution. Under the U.K. system, Parliament had free speech but not the press or people. Offenders ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER were tortured and executed for something they said. The modern Inquisition is the legal Kevin McCauley system where frivolous lawsuits can bankrupt a company or individual. [email protected] Few trust U.S. court system EDITOR Anti-lawsuit sites such as Faces of Lawsuit Abuse say 87% of the public fears frivolous Jon Gingerich lawsuits. Only 16% trust the legal system to defend them against such suits, says a Harris [email protected] poll. They cost Americans at least $200 billion yearly. Lawyers started to drag America back to the British system with the Sedition Act of 1798 SENIOR EDITOR that allowed Congress to penalize Americans for the “crime” of expressing “dissent.” Libel Greg Hazley laws that could be used against the press and others were soon added. [email protected] New York Supreme Court Judge Charles Ramos argued in a 5,000 word article in the July CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 24, 1995 New York Law Journal that media should not be sued for libel because free speech Fraser Seitel was deterred. Half of PR execs polled by the O’Dwyer Co. agreed, including Howard Ruben- Richard Goldstein stein, Richard Edelman, PRSA president John Beardsley, Robert Dilenschneider and Mark Ragan, of the Ragan Report. EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS The number of lawyers in the U.S. has now reached 1.22 million. They file 15 million civil & RESEARCH Chandler Klang Smith lawsuits yearly — a far greater proportion of both than in any other country. Japan has 23 Caitlin Dullahan-Bates lawyers per 100,000 citizens, whereas the U.S. has 391 or 17 times as many. Canada has 26 lawyers per 100,000. ADVERTISING SALES “The U.S is choking on litigation … anyone can sue for anything no matter how absurd or Sharlene Spingler egregious,” wrote Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby May 9, 2014. Associate Publisher & Editor Eruv lawsuits are frivolous [email protected] One example of frivolous suits can be found in the multiple actions against Westhampton John O’Dwyer Beach, Southampton and Quogue, which are now in their fifth year and offer no end in Advertising Sales Manager sight. This has cost the affected towns and the grass roots organization Jewish People Op- [email protected] posed to the Eruv $1 million so far in payments to law firms. The towns are threatened with millions in penalties and court costs. O’Dwyer’s is published monthly for $60.00 Westhampton Beach has also been slammed as a result of the suits as anti-Semitic. A New a year ($7.00 fwwAve., New York, NY York Post editorial on January 9 headlined “Making room for Jews” accused Westhampton 10016. (212) 679-2471 Beach residents of “bigotry.” Fax (212) 683-2750. The courts, unfortunately, have bowed to this kind of irrationality in some communities. © Copyright 2015 The Federal District Court for Tenafly, N.J., ordered an eruv in that city removed but this J.R. O’Dwyer Co., Inc. was overruled by an Appeals Court. Despite the hundreds of thousands of words filed in this litigation, it’s a no-brainer: Jewish OTHER PUBLICATIONS: Orthodox markings do not belong on utility poles any more than the sign of the cross or Muslim symbols. www.odwyerpr.com Breaking news, commentary, useful data- For a sample of tortured logic and legal hair-splitting on what is or is not a sign, specious bases and more. and fatuous reasoning and verbal overkill, readers should explore some of the more than 70 legal links on the Westhampton Beach website. What they will find is an almost bottomless O’Dwyer’s Newsletter swamp of verbiage in which they will quickly drown unless they have some life preservers An eight-page weekly with general PR of logic. That is the object of these massive legal actions — intimidate and discourage exam- news, media appointments and placement ination by citizens. Reporters, who ask a simple question and get “a roomful of information” opportunities. are familiar with this ploy. O’Dwyer’s Directory of PR Firms The job of the press and concerned citizens is to cut through this overgrown jungle and get Listings of more than 1,300 PR firms to the heart of the matter. Both press and citizens have to mobilize public opinion. Vigorous throughout the U.S. and abroad. public discussion, the bedrock of democracy, is needed. Lawyers, unfortunately, are often in the position of tamping down public discussion. O’Dwyer’s PR Buyer’s Guide Products and services for the PR industry in 50 categories. — Jack O’Dwyer jobs.odwyerpr.com O’Dwyer’s online job center has help wanted