Current literature demonstrates that 33% of the United States population is on some form of the Atkins Diet (Maresco 2005). After suffering with the effects of obesity Dr. Atkins realized after reading an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that reducing the intake of carbohydrates in the diet will lead to weight loss he promptly followed this and lost 27 pounds (Maresco 2005). Society is obsessed with dietary carbohydrate reduction and meal preparation is changing to conform to this weight loss fad (Maresco 2005).
This weight loss program has been promoted by such celebrities as Renee Zellwiger, Demi Moore, Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt (Maresco 2005). Commercial marketing adopted four principles which lead to successful promotion of the product: consumer motivation, employing one unifying idea, effective reach, and effectiveness prior to large scale launch (Curtis, Garbrah-Aidoo, & Scott 2007). Organizations spend a large percentage of the budget seeking education on improving the skill of the marketing department because of its importance (Curtis, Garbrah-Aidoo, & Scott 2007).
The promotion of the Atkins diet used all for preying on society’s obsession with weight loss that is quick and easy. Dr. Atkins used instructional books to promote his diet which led to a word of mouth communication of this diet. The image of weight loss was propogated by previous successes. Social marketing was used to promote the existence and benefits of the Atkins diet with much success. There are four principles of social marketing which are: product, place, price, promotion which builds knowledge and skills of the product (Kraak & Pelletier 1998).
The product that Dr. Atkins was promoting was his diet, the place was via his instructional books, the price was inexpensive and the promotion was in infomercials and word of mouth. Social marketing principles are used by organizations to provide knowledge to convince consumers to buy the product that is promoted (Kraak & Pelletier 1998). Messages to the consumer must possess the following characteristics: repetition, and consistent, while promoting the rewards of purchasing such product (Kraak & Pelletier 1998).
Messages must be presented in a clear manner and be formatted in a method that is easily remembered (Kraak & Pelletier 1998). Dr. Atkins obviously presented this material in a effective manner (Kraak & Pelletier 1998).
References Curtis, V. A. , Garbrah-Aidoo, N. , Scott, B. (2007). Masters of Marketing: Bringing Private Sector Skills to Public Health Partnerships. Health Policy and Ethics. 97 (4) 634-643. Retrieved on December 20, 2008 from the ebscohost database. Kraak, V. , Pelletier, D. L. (1998). How Marketers Reach Young Consumers: Implications for Nutrition Education and Health Promotion Campaigns. Family Economics and Nutrition Review 11 (4) 31-42. Retrieved on December 19, 2008 from the ebscohost database. Maresco, P. A. (2005). The Atkins Diet Phenomenon: How the Carbohydrate Lifestyle Has Revolutionized the Consumer Behavior of American Dieters. Journal of Food Products Marketing. 11 (2) 21-38. Retrieved on December 19, 2008 from the ebscohost database