Cubicle Task Force Tangent

I have been reeled into a project at work- something my co-workers are calling a "Task Force." What does this even mean?? When I think task force I don't think endless meetings trying to nail down huge grandiose ideas. In fact...

Did anyone else play Electronic Battleship growing up? I remember when my brothers and I finally made the upgrade from Battleship V1.0 to its electronic cousin... I thought I had reached a pinnacle of cool.

Task Force 1, enter letter, number, fire!

You could not only blow up other people's really expensive tiny plastic ship replicas, you could use strategy and trickery to try and fool your opponent.

Task Force 1 armed!

It was always a source of joy when I was able to hit one of my brother's ships first. Because for one brief second I was infinitely smarter and more coy. Kind of like the brief second when you are asked to join a new project group at work - "wha-what?! You guys WANT me to HELP you? Wow I must be really smart."

Task Force 2 Destroyer Hit!

Then you actually realize that being part of a "task force" may require more than you chilling in a swank conference room sippin on your diet soda. You may actually have to contribute work. You may actually have to live through something you only thought existed in the movie Office Space. And you may have to cling to the flourescent ray of hope emitting from the soft drink machine... because sometimes that's all you have.

Task Force 1 Sunk!

Crusade of the Fatophobes

A terrific tongue-in-cheek Op-Ed piece published in Saturday's New York Times pokes well-meaning fun at perfect bodies everywhere. The author, John Tierney, also pokes fun at another group - anti-food activists. He discusses the absurd irony inherent in the arguments of those he calls "fatophobes." He describes these fatophobes as people who routinely preach that the obesity epidemic is upon us, and who use this idea to attack those of the flabbier persuasion. However, as Tierney points out, these junk-food fighters are the same people that are the first to scream and moan when food companies reduce their products' calorie or fat content by using additives like Olestra or aspartame. He notes:

"... The crusade against fat was never just about science. The activists fighting the evil junk-food industry always had a streak of neo-puritanism in them. They cited scientific research to justify their battle against fatty foods, but then campaigned hysterically against Olestra, the calorie-free fat subsitute. Despite the research showing Olestra to be generally safe, the prospect of Americans enjoying fat-free junk food was too sinful to allow. So was the prospect of calorie-free colas. When soft-drink companies replaced sugar with aspartame, the food police again ignored the research and kept IMAGINING dangers."

Tierney accurately points out the oxymoronic-ness (or just plain moronic-ness) of many of these activists' arguments. The same people who are saying we eat too many calories are the same people who pitch a fit when we use safe science to consume less. I just want to look at them and say, "Give me a diet break, buddy."

Just some food for thought... organically-grown, free-range, no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or ingredients food for thought that is.

Diet 7Up Changes Formula

Looks like a new diet soft drink formulation is on the quickly approaching horizon. Cadbury Schweppes announced today that they will be introducing a new formula of Diet 7 Up. The new version will be sweetened with sucralose (Splenda brand sweetener) and is due to appear on shelves nationwide beginning May 23, 2005. This will make Diet 7 Up the only diet lemon-lime carbonated drink currently sweetened with sucralose.

Randy Gier, Cadbury Schweppes Executive Vice President of Marketing, had this to say about the new formulation:

"Inspired by our consumers, Diet 7 UP sweetened with SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener stays true to our great lemon-lime flavor, but also meets the needs of our calorie-conscious consumers."

I guess that's true... but I'm wondering what was wrong with the current sweetener they were using? Perhaps they are trying to jump on a bandwagon of sorts. But I've always been taught that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I wonder how big of a taste difference there will be between the current version and the new (different sweetener) version... this seems to be the key to whether the new formulation will experience great success, or if it will fall as flat as a soft drink that's lost its fizz.

And if I'm wrong... then (make 7) up yours.

Some Developments Should Just Be Avoided

Reading an online article from Sunday's Chicago Tribune I am reminded that just because we have the knowledge to make something, we shouldn't necessarily MAKE that something...

Spotlight on new product - Liquid Cereal - "brain" child of Larry Trachtenbroit and his one-year old company, Brain-Twist. Think leftover milk from the bottom of the cereal bowl... the stuff infused with flavors of the morning's cereal choice that basically separated kids into two groups: the kind who slurped the leftover milk... and the kind repulsed by that idea.

As of their product launch, Liquid Cereal is packaged in 11-oz. cans (roughly the same size as a normal size soft drink can) and comes in four flavors - Chocolate, Apple Cinnamon, Fruit and Peanut Butter. Truly reminiscent of popular cereal choices (think Cocoa Puffs, Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Captain Crunch PB flavor). Each can has 150 calories and is sweetened partially by sucralose, to cut excess calories.

I respect Brain-Twist's entrepreneurial spirit and idea... admit it... it's kind of funny. But besides the fact that the idea of drinking cereal-flavored milk that tastes like residual breakfast dregs sickens me a little, think about this from a "meal" and nutrition standpoint. Eating a bowl of cereal with a 1/2 cup of skim milk is roughly 150 calories... the same number as drinking one can of just the flavored milk. Why not just eat the cereal, drink the milk remnants (if you must... ick) and feel fuller and more satisfied on the same number of calories? It seems to me that just drinking the flavored product would still leave you hungry, meaning you would consume more overall calories during the course of a day. For once people are allowed to have their cake and eat it too, but instead they are choosing to package the icing and relegate themselves to only eating that.

Look at the product as a novelty item I suppose... just remember that novelty foods have calories too. And for those like me... we'll stick to eating the cereal rather than drinking it.

What's in a Name?

I'm curious about recent name changes implemented by diet soft drink companies. Diet Sprite became Diet Sprite Zero and Diet Sierra Mist was changed to Sierra Mist Free, both within the past year. But why? What are we as consumers trending towards with our purchasing power to cause such changes? Or are they merely experimental? I have discussed the possibility before that companies are changing the names of drinks to remove the word "diet" and appeal to a more masculine audience. But what about the women - How are the companies appealing to them? Or do the companies have demographic research showing that women don't really tend to buy lemon-lime type drinks? It's quite fascinating if you think about it... are colas more female-friendly?

Or perhaps the idea is getting back to consumer market research. Which name is more likely to convince consumers they NEED this product? The Motley Fool offers some interesting fodder on this subject:

"Here's the apparent logic behind the marketing concept: Zero implies an absence of quantity. What do people who are watching their weight look for? Yep, that's right -- an absence of any and all unnecessary calories. That's what you get with a diet drink, and that's what you get with Diet Sprite.

"Coca-Cola and competitor PepsiCo are chasing all growth opportunities, and the best way [they] know how is to constantly innovate their marketing schemes. They, of course, can develop new products to capture growth...but reenergizing a brand via new packaging and a new title can oftentimes be more effective, both in terms of cost and creativity. Plus, you don't have to worry about potentially damaging backlash to a different concept; "New Coke," you'll recall, wasn't appreciated by the beverage marketplace."

So maybe it's not a gender issue at all. Rather than feminine vs. masculine, perhaps it's youth vs. experience or diet-savvy vs. not. And what about lifestyle?

"Diet" products have a more conservative ring to them - such as, "I pay my bills on time, I never call in sick to work unless I'm really sick, I wear my seatbelt even while driving to the end of the driveway for the paper, and I am afraid of getting thick around the middle so I'm on a diet."

Then there's "Free" drinks - one's that conjure frolicking through poppy fields, following Phish's summer tour, backpacking across Europe, not just eating but living granola. Freedom from oppression, war, and calories.

And don't forget the "Zero" - Sex in the City watching trendsters who are so ahead of the game they are satisfied by a virtual "nothing." Nothing is cooler than zero, and love means nothing in tennis.

My aren't we a society of word plays, oxy-morons and conundrums. Or is it morons playing with conundrums? All this logic is making me thirsty...

A Smart Spot for Consumer Well-Being

For those of you trying to shop grocery shelves a little more diet-conciously, we now have a little guidance from one Food/Beverage conglomerate. Last fall, Pepsico launched their "Smart Spot" label initiative. Although it was officially launched about 6-7 months ago, I just caught word of the Smart Spot labels being rolled out recently (or should I say, I dug my head out of the sand and finally noticed the labels during a recent grocery store outing). The Smart Spot label is a symbol that Pepsico has placed on various food and beverage products that meet certain nutrition criteria such as:

• limited amount of total fat and saturated fat, and no trans fat
• low cholesterol
• low sodium
• limited amount of added sugars
• contributions of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber and/or protein

[and yes... even diet soft drinks have room in the equation!]

I know a lot of big companies have a bad rap when it comes to consumer well-being, but I think this initiative is a good idea. Yes, it means that Pepsico is drawing attention to their own products to hopefully sell more of said products. However, it also means that consumers can be made more aware of healthy choices. And I think we all could use a little guidance among the grocery shelves every now and then. Most people just don't understand how to feed themselves and/or their families in a healthy way. Or they think that the only ways to eat healthy are a) to eat repugnant foods that no one wants to eat or b) to spend lots of money on "health" products they really can't afford. While it may take some know-how and creativity, it is possible to find and eat good-tasting, satisfying healthy foods on a budget.

I honestly think that what Pepsico is doing for consumer guidance and education in the area of nutrition and health outweighs any selfish money-hungry intentions. Taking a look at the big picture, we are an overweight nation. But until this overweight nation is taught how to take care of themselves responsibly - i.e. how to fit activity into busy lives and healthy foods into tight budgets - outside of the "I always have a way out with Extreme Makeover" fallback mentality, we will continue to be an overweight, unhealthy nation. So I extend kudos to the Smart Spot label mastermind... as well as all others who truly care about educating our nation in areas of nutrition and health.

Diet Dessert A Success - Not to Mention Safe

I had a chance to try the Diet Soda Cake recipe earlier this week and it was suprisingly successful! I tried a white Funfetti cake mix with Diet Sprite. The cake was moist, tasty and reduced-calorie. I added Cool Whip on top for icing (the Lite kind of course) and it was really enjoyable. Although, I guess it's not so "reduced-calorie" if you eat most of it yourself. So upon feeling tempted, I just brought the rest to my brother's apartment so he and his roommates could dive in. Crisis averted.

After my reply earlier this week, I did a little more perusing of the web and found an additional source that affirmed the aspartame debacle is in fact an urban legend. This source prides themselves on stopping "junk mail and misinformation." A very respectable venture. The story notes that the arguments made against aspartame in a widely circulated Nancy Markle email "seem far-fetched, incomplete... and the fact that she tries to blame aspartame for virtually every disease known to man has many doubting the scientific fortitude of her claims. The bottom line is that none of her claims have been demonstrated in clinical study." I would have to agree that if there is no sound science backing certain claims, they are certainly not the source I would want to believe and listen to regarding my health. Because as the well-known adage goes, even if I lose money, friends, favorite dog, etc... "at least I have my health!"

The site closes it's aspartame comments by saying that "alarmist, anonymously authored and haphazardly forwarded information/emails are hardly the best place to get health advice."

Well there you have it. As for me and my diet soda... we're sticking to M.D.s with real credentials for diet advice.

Viva la Diet Drinks, Aspartame and All

I received a post recently, and feel it a good idea to go ahead and reply in an entry for all to see .

BugzyGrass writes...”I just wanted to know if you have done any research on some of the ingredients in diet sodas?? The one that I am referring to in particular is ASPARTAME. Please Google ASPARTAME and read some of the info that you find...you will find that although regular sodas have sugar, they are safer than their diet counterparts. I guess diet sodas are more effective, however...there is no better form of weight loss than death!!!”

Why reply publicly? Because chivalry is not dead, and I feel obligated to defend the honor of not only myself, but all those diet drink lovers out there and the millions who consume aspartame-containing products.

In answer, yes I have done some research on diet soda ingredients. I like to know a little about things before I put them into my body, whether a food ingredient, drink, supplement, etc. And as a competitive athlete in college, I was (and still am) concerned with proper nutrition.

It is fairly common knowledge that urban legends run RAMPANT around the web. While the entertainment value may be high, a great deal of info available on the web is not substantiated by any facts. And just because web sites are found in search engine results, they are not necessarily the most accurate sources of info. Here are a few sites that refute the inaccuracies presented on all those aspartame “scarelore” sites:

About.com Urban Legends
Snopes.com - Kiss My Aspartame
American Council on Science and Health

So there you have it… Viva la diet drinks!!