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As the 2000s unfold, the marketplace is rife with all manner of "healthy" products and services, ranging from the so-called "health" foods, to home exercise equipment. Some of these products are legitimate; some are not. Taken together, it is hard for consumers to escape the onslaught of health-related products on store shelves. This lecture explores the Marketing of health and fitness in the United States, and seeks to show not just what is being done, but also why it is being done. A historical timeline is provided to put the phenomenon in context. Examples of the various types of "healthy" marketing are given. Finally, a prognosis for the future is offered.
What precipitated this trend? It was a huge swing in the US birthrate that caused the population to have a bulge in its distribution. In pre-WWII 1935, the US birthrate was 18.7 per 1000 people. Following victory, the US settled into a preoccupation with making babies. The birthrate soared to 25.0 in 1955. In fact, from 1946 through 1964, some 76 million babies were born. This cohort is known as Baby Boomers, the darling of Marketers who now want their massive wealth. After 1995, though, the birthrate began to drop. War in the 1960s helped bring the rate down even further, eventually bottoming out at 14.6 in 1975. The post-Baby Boom cohort became known as Generation X, a very misunderstood group of consumers that are often given short shrift while everyone continues to pander to the Boomers. A "baby boomlet" of sorts occurred in the 1980s as the original Baby Boomers had their families, but the Boomers did not reproduce as did their parents. Statistically, Baby Boomers are not even replacing themselves. While the birthrate inched upward to 16.7 by 1990, it then started a decline, and is forecasted to drop all the way to 13.8 by 2005. We are thus left with the "pig in the python" phenomenon as this bulge of population makes its way through life. Quite naturally, Marketers are enamored with the Boomers, who are all in their peak earning years (more on this later). Further adding to the aging of America is the fact that life expectancies have increased dramatically in the past century. On average, American men will live to their early 70s, while American women will reach a ripe old age of 80. Furthermore, the theoretical lifespan has increased dramatically, with centenarians being almost common. (The theoretical human lifespan was recently raised to 122 with the passing of a French woman.) Age-group statistics tell the story best. The 25-44 age group stood at 27.9-percent of the population in 1980, and grew to 32.6-percent by 1990; it was forecasted to drop to 30.1-percent, though, by 2000. For the 45-64 age group, the same decennial statistics are 19.6-percent, 18.7-percent, and 21.7-percent. For the 65+ group, their decennial stats are 11.3-percent, 12.6-percent, and 12.8-percent. Adding further to these trends is the composition of the American family. The prototypical American family (Mom, Dad, and two kids) is more a myth than reality. While most Americans do marry, they are marrying later in life, delaying childbearing, and having fewer children. In fact, couples with no children at home under the age of 18 now account for over one-half of all American households. To summarize, the American population, while growing slowly, is aging fairly rapidly, with a rather large cohort of citizens moving through middle age (34-52). It is this aging of the population that is helping fuel interest in health-related products, as consumers come to grips with their own mortality.
Our increased understanding of the connections between these various entities has bred not just concern, but also fear. Fear, of course, is an emotion that is easily marketed to, and Marketers have not failed us in this regard. This aspect will be discussed in greater detail below.
This obsession is even more apparent when one views mainstream media, such as fashion magazines and primetime television. Seldom does one see women with full-size figures. The so-called "super models" strut their stuff down the runways of fashion venues in Paris, Rome, and New York, as if their pencil-thin bodies were the norm and not the exception. NBC's Dateline did an interesting segment on this phenomenon on Monday 8th December 1997. Contrary to what the fashion moguls would have us believe, a full 60-percent of American women wear size 14 or larger ("plus-size" in garment lingo). Still, advertisements beckon women to get thin, as evidenced by Dannon's TV ads with an aerobics instructor exhorting "C'mon ladies, you can do it!" But women are not the only ones tempted by the "beautiful people" myth. Men are also lured, but in different ways. Magazines like GQ showcase studly-looking men in dashing clothes. Men's Health and Fitness shows hunks with washboard abs and buns of steel. And Inside Triathlon shows all-heart-and-lungs Lycra-clad athletes running, swimming, and biking across the world. Television ads only fuel the fire. Hanes' now-legendary commercial showed two women sitting on a parkbench, giddily wondering aloud whether each male passerby was wearing "boxers or briefs." Along comes Michael Jordan (the epitome of American athleticism), and puts their inquiring minds to rest ("They're Hanes."). What's a man to do? Get skinny, and hope that women ogle them and try to predict their underwear preference? It has reached the point where anyone with a beer belly, thunder thighs, or a double chin is made to feel guilty and inadequate. The cure? Get thin, and look good. Who cares if it doesn't feel good, or if dangerous drastic measures are used along the way (anorexia, bulimia, etc.).
These growing concerns have produced a bevy of new "healthy" food products to be launched, ranging from "clear" products (see Lecture 14) to organic products. Lifestyle changes have also occurred, as witnessed by the rise of vegetarianism (shunning meat, fish, and poultry, but consuming dairy and eggs), and even veganism (consuming no animal-originated food). The phrase "macro-biotics," once heard only in conjunction with some eastern religions, has become popular in many circles as people reject meat and all processed foods, and try to consume only foods raised in their particular region. For an interesting alternative to grocery-store shopping, check out Whole Foods, an Austin compny that has grown to over 200 stores since its inception in 1980 (more about them later). Whole Foods is not just a shopping-mall "health-food" store; rather, it is a complete supermarket, with some of its newest stores occupying 30,000 square feet of selling space, and carrying a complete line of groceries and vitamins. The impetus toward Health Marketing came in the 1960s when the Surgeon General made findings known about the dangers of cigarette smoking. At the same time, concerns were made about dietary cholesterol, and eggs were indicted as accessory to the crime. Furthermore, there were (misguided) attempts to get people to consume more protein (at the expense of carbohydrates and fats). Industry responses ranged from voluntary to mandated. Cigarette warning labels appeared, and by the early 1970s, cigarette advertising had been banned on American television. Egg substitutes also appeared on grocer's shelves as a way for people to help control their intake of cholesterol. These were the humble beginnings of what is now a steady inquest, an ongoing investigation into the health consequences of the products around us. Gone were the days of blind optimism that everything would be alright in the end, and that there was nothing to every worry about. By the 1970s, the health and fitness movement really took off. The role of participant sports jumped significantly, with running, bicycling, and tennis the major beneficiaries. Upstart companies like Nike, Reebok, New Balance, et al, started churning out a new kind of shoe: the running shoe. Whereas children of the 1960s had simple, basic "tennis shoes" for leisure pursuits, highly specialized shoes for running and other sports were introduced. The sporting goods industry was off to the races, literally and figuratively. Tennis idols like Billie Jean King helped fuel our interest in that sport. The mass merchandising of the ten-speed racing bicycle saw millions of people take up that sport in the 1970s. And people were running, like Forrest Gump, everywhere. While for many people these activities were more of a way to just "look healthy" as opposed to being healthy, the foundation was laid. Baby Boomers led the charge of the "light" brigade as everyone sought, some more than others, to shed pounds and be in good shape. Concurrent with this was the beginning of the Green Movement, and Earth Day. Consumers were becoming more conscious of themselves, as well as their environment. Little did they realize that this would be a long-term trend. By the 1980s, the health and fitness boom had expanded and evolved. Membership gyms started to become popular, and aerobics took off as the latest sensation. What aerobics lacks in competition and action was more than made up for in pulse and sweat. Participants were mostly women, who all strived to see who could look the best in a leotard, while admittedly some should never have been allowed outside in Lycra to begin with. Men, too, continued their passion for participant sports, with the range of activities increasing dramatically as the 1990s loomed ahead. While running, tennis, and biking had faded somewhat since the 1970s, a derivative sport emerged: mountain biking. Hatched in the fertile hills and valleys near San Francisco, it was a harbinger of things to come: extreme sports. Food manufacturers, seemingly acting in concert, released thousands of "healthier" food alternatives. These ranged from legitimately healthy products (like many of the products sold at Whole Foods), to mass-merchandised processed foods made by Kraft, Del Monte, and others. For example, the beer industry, following Miller's 1970s success with Lite Beer, inspired everyone else to run with the "light" moniker. Suddenly there were "light" pancake syrup, peaches, whipped cream, salad dressing, and virtually anything else that could conceivably be "lightened" in some way (of course, no one really knew what "light" meant, but it didn't matter; it sounded good). And then there were the Caffeine Wars in the soda industry. Seven-Up was the first, in 1982, to tout its "No Caffeine: Never Had It, Never Will" campaign. Quick to follow was Royal Crown, who promoted their Diet Rite in a newly formulated version as caffeine-free. They also produced a caffeine-free RC. Then came Pepsi, with Pepsi Free (regular and diet). Noticeably absent was Coca Cola, who shocked the world in July 1982 with the introduction of Diet Coke, which contained caffeine. But in an effort to not disappoint soft drink fans, they eventually introduced decaffeinated versions of both Coke and Diet Coke. Cholesterol reared its head again in the 1980s. Suddenly, everyone was concerned about dietary cholesterol. But cholesterol is still a misunderstood concept; it comes from two sources: manufactured in our bodies, or from consuming animal products. Still, some Marketers smelled a chance for a Marketing victory. One soda manufacturer, Vess, of St. Louis, proudly proclaimed on cans and bottles that their soda had "no cholesterol," the implication being that the others do. Of course, no soda has ever contained cholesterol, unless someone slipped a piece of bacon into it. Sodium then became a big concern. A rash of more new products came out that were low-sodium, or sodium-free. And then fat became the buzz word, followed by low-fat and fat-free products. Fat-free cookies, like Snackwell's, became the rage as the 1990s ensued, consumed in mass quantities by people who merely replaced fat with sugar. All of these new products left people's heads spinning (and often, their stomachs yearning for some tasty food). The 1990s and 2000s have seen even more home exercise equipment, with infomercials laying a 30-minute guilt trip on consumers. Even more "healthy" foods have been introduced, and consumers, if anything, are confused. The federal government intervened in 1994, though, by requiring food manufacturers to use consistent, approved labels for nutritional content. Furthermore, it regulated and defined the use of terms such as "fat-free," "low-fat," "sodium-free," etc. Thus, consumers are now in a better position to understand the ingredients of the products they buy. American lifestyles have continued in their direction toward the great outdoors, with the emphasis on extreme sports. Although golfing, too, is enjoying somewhat of a comeback (as the Boomers age and slow down a bit), the overall theme is active, and danger is welcome. This infatuation with sports is played out also in the automotive industry, with the popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs). SUVs allow people to go places they could not ordinarily go, and they allow them to take their other toys with them (dirt bikes, mountain bikes, X/C skis, etc.). All told, the past 30 years have seen a lot of fads and fears come and go, but the overall trend is still one of health consciousness. While some people only pay it lip service, and while some Marketers are more con men than good guys, the general movement is still toward a healthier way of life. This is to be expected. As noted above, the Baby Boomers are aging and having to come to grips with their own mortality. The Boomers are collectively the best-endowed group ever to live in this country, and price is no object when it comes to staving off the Grim Reaper (or sagging thighs, bulging tummies, etc.). Furthermore, the 65+ up group is the fastest growing demographic in America, and with 76 million Boomers running head-long toward this bracket, it promises to keep growing for many years to come. This group, which is even closer to the end of their road, constitute an enormous market for vitamins and anything else that may soothe their fears of aging. Another hotbed of interest (and controversy) is that of alternative medicine. Alternative medicines include folk remedies, homeopathy, and other treatments that, generally speaking, have not undergone the rigors of scientific testing. Frost and Sullivan reported that the 1997 market for homeopathic medicine, herbal supplements, and vitamins produced $5.8 billion in sales. America's fascination with alternative medicines is shown in the popular media, who have almost glamorized and proselytized (unwittingly) products like echinacea, zinc lozenges, glucosamine sulfate, and others. The public's distrust of western ("allopathic") medicine is growing, and people are willing to embrace other "natural" remedies that are more consistent with the other "natural" products they consume. Another interesting recent issue was the use of fen-phen, a diet pill cocktail taken by an estimated one million Americans to aid in weight loss. The FDA recently banned the sale of this substance, and a race is on to find a safe substitute to sell to this waiting market. That this many people would take an essentially unproved and untested product is testament to our preoccupation with appearance, for it is a symbolic magic bullet taken for immediate results. These people want the health benefits of being slender, but do not want to adopt the healthy lifestyle necessary for it to last (i.e., careful dieting and exercise). All things considered, the "health" market is stronger than ever, and appears to be here to stay for quite some time. |