Blogs

To block advocates' efforts to tax soda, the industry is wielding a well-oiled PR machine with carefully crafted messages. Knowing what its spokespeople are saying is key to fighting back. Read more >

Two seasoned public health advocates reflect on diabetes, soda consumption, and the strategic use of mass media to curb them both. Read more >

Change takes time, especially when it comes to changing social norms and public health policy. But even the biggest industry Goliaths eventually crumble. Big Soda will be no different. Read more >

A new campaign attempts to make summer camps healthier places for kids. Here's how we all gain. Read more >

A new study from BMSG explores the tobacco industry's use of personal choice messaging to shift blame for its products' health harms onto consumers. Now Big Food is taking a page from tobacco's well-worn playbook. How similar are the two industries and what does this mean for advocates? Read more >

By not reporting more comprehensively on suicides, the news media are reinforcing the contempt many people have for those who take their own life and making it harder to demonstrate the need for prevention. Read more >

In 2012, the soda industry spent $4 million to orchestrate a sophisticated opposition to soda tax proposals in two small California cities, all the while disguising its presence in the debate. Now that San Francisco is considering a tax, the industry is using a similar strategy. Read more >

Research has shown that sugary drinks are linked to diabetes and other chronic diseases. Yet instead of doing the responsible thing and reining in their marketing, soda companies have been ratcheting up efforts not only to sell their products but also to discourage people from drinking water. Read more >

Getting media coverage of a public health issue or policy goal can seem daunting. Here's how advocates can turn one common challenge for journalists into an opportunity to make headlines. Read more >

The way the media portray an issue influences how we think about and act on it. Throughout the year, advocates have used memorable media bites to help shape the news, challenge people to think about problems from a public health perspective, and come up with creative solutions. Here are 10 of our favorites.