Joe Bonfiglio

Today, most Americans recognize the name Jared Fogle, he was the once overweight, now Subway success story and spokesperson. In 2000 Jared lost over 245 pounds, a feat that was accomplished in just a year. His dieting success was attributed mostly to the healthy sandwich options Subway offers weight conscious customers.

Wanting to capitalize on his story, given the fact that nearly a third of the U.S. population struggles with obesity, Subway created a controversial campaign that earned them billions of dollars over their competition. Have the concepts of weight loss and fast food really become synonymous?

This is a question that, for many, has been answered with fast food’s latest dieting success, Christine Dougherty. Christine is the subject of Taco Bell’s marketing campaign, the Drive-Thru Diet. Advertisements for this campaign, both on television and the web display several before and after pictures, the latter of which includes a bikini-clad Christine now 54 pounds lighter. Like Jared, Christine speaks of her weight loss success in these campaigns by selecting choices from Taco Bell’s healthier, Fresco menu.

The Fresco menu consists of seven taco and burrito options that eliminate the shredded cheeses and sauces found in Taco Bell’s less healthy menu items, replacing them with a tomato, onion and cilantro salsa. These healthier options may only shave 20 to 100 calories from their “fully loaded” counterparts.

The American Marketing Association (AMA) has created a code of ethics which aims to hold advertisers to certain standards of ethical advertisement. Honesty and openness are among the ethical norms and values defined by the AMA. Marketers are to be truthful in their messages to consumers, while presenting any risks or other factors that contribute to the consumer’s perception of a product.

Are Subway and Taco Bell’s exciting campaigns truly honest and open?

In today’s fast paced world and struggling economy many Americans turn to fast food as the quick, convenient and affordable option. What isn’t highlighted in either marketing campaign is the fact that the success of both Jared and Christine’s weight loss was due only in part to menu items offered by Subway and Taco Bell. It was healthier eating paired with a reduction in calorie intake and a regular exercise regimen that really helped these individuals shed the pounds.

Sure, disclaimers such as “results not typical” and “not a weight-loss program” are made with both campaigns, but these disclaimers are flashed quickly and so minute that they’re barely legible without the aid of a magnifying glass. These disclaimers are almost invisible when compared to large, flashy campaign titles such as The Drive-Thru Diet boasted by the clever advertisers.

It’s only with further research, research that most consumers wouldn’t bother with, that Jared and Christine’s full stories are learned. Both individuals made dramatic lifestyle changes, not only to lose the excess weight, but also to maintain their new, svelte physiques. Christine reduced her daily consumption by 500 calories while Jared incorporated a regular workout schedule into his routine. While Subway and Taco Bell were convenient sources of food, they were only minor components to these now infamous weight loss strategies.

Although proper disclaimers are incorporated in these marketing campaigns, are these “disguised” truths meant to mislead consumers?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal