Food Ads

Bolthouse, one of the two major carrot growers, advertised its baby carrots, a truly healthy food, like Frito-Lay might market its snack foods. How refreshing it was to see commercials that were funny and captivating. While the campaign did not last very long, it certainly got the attention of people in the nutrition and advertising worlds…and enhanced Bolthouse’s reputation.

This beautifully produced 2013 animation highlights the inhumanity of factory farming and sterility of manufactured foods. The film features Fiona Apple’s cover of “Pure Imagination.” The film resonates with current criticisms of ultra-processed foods, but was actually an advertisement, disclosed in the final seconds, for Chipotle restaurants and it tied in to a game sponsored by that company. It is worth noting that Chipotle’s signature offerings, though made without questionable additives, may be sky-high in calories and sodium. (Chipotle ad; 2013; 3’22”)

A typical junk-food ad aimed at children, this one featuring Bart Simpson.

Burger King’s 2015 McWhopper proposal

Restaurants’ contribution to obesity (from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO, 2015; 20”)

Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s ad (2016; 1’)

Dolly Madison and Coca-Cola Sponsors 1966 Intro and 1980s Ads

ABC-TV PSA