Branding Fat
By Kim LaFleur

When it comes to food and nutrition, fat has a long history of being labeled as the primary nutritional evil in the American diet. Back in 2002, fast food purveyor McDonald’s recognized this and tried to improve its image by announcing that it would begin cooking its famous french fries in a new oil that would reduce the trans fat content by half. McDonald’s became the first major fast food restaurant to attempt to provide healthier fast food options. However, consumers began complaining that the food giant’s fries just didn’t taste the same – even before McDonald’s had begun using the new oil. This consumer outcry caused the restaurant to rethink its plans, and it never switched to the lower trans-fat oil.

Since 2002, the news that a majority of Americans are overweight, the acknowledgement of good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and bad fats (saturated and trans fat) and today’s obsession with rail-thin celebrities have sparked a new trend in the American diet. New fad diets are erupting everyday pointing to an overall greater shift in American food consumption. Today, Americans are supremely concerned with good carbs and bad carbs, good fats and bad fats, low-calorie, low-fat foods. Even city governments are getting involved as New York, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., and Austin, Texas, mull over trans-fat bans. And restaurants, particularly fast food giants, such Wendy’s, KFC and Burger King, have taken notice.

All three of these fast food companies are planning on switching to trans-fat-free oils for frying in order to address consumer health concerns and to capture more market share. The use of these oils has earned the popular eateries accolades among the public and throughout the industry.

Four years ago, McDonald’s was presented with the opportunity to be the first to get in on the beginning of the good fat/bad fat trend in Americans’ diets. If the food chain had jumped headfirst into the health food trend, it would have solidified its image as a leader in the fast food industry. Instead, McDonald’s left itself open to attack. It was the only restaurant featured in the 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” and it has constantly fallen under intense speculation by the public and the media for its role in child obesity. Why has no other restaurant befallen this fate?

Because McDonald’s is the leader. And consumers expect it to lead in new trends. It should lead not just in market share, but also in thought. So, when competitors like Wendy’s and Burger King make the first move, they receive all the praise (and credibility, and therefore sales) while McDonald’s gets attacked.

This lesson in fat gives marketing and public relations professionals in every industry an example of the ever-changing marketplace and the importance of recognizing trends and taking advantage of them. No, you don’t want to jump on your industry’s version of The Atkins Diet, a fad, but look at the changes around you, and see how they contribute to the big picture. And, when they make sense for your business, jump on the opportunities.

The redefining of fat in the American diet presented those in the food industry with a unique opportunity to address consumer health concerns before the trend went mainstream. Paying attention and reacting to trends in your industry can help you build a better and stronger brand. After all, if someone can make fat look good, surely you can do the same for your company.

E-mail the author: Kim LaFleur

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