Must Share Comical Video: ‘The Natural Effect’

Would you buy food that was labeled “Kinda Natural” or “Made With Partially Natural Stuff”?

Didn’t think so… And food labeling marketers know this as well!

A not-for-profit organic foods group (Organic Voices) has produced an online parody video that points out the differences between natural and unnatural foods, or really the lack of difference when it comes to food labeling.

‘The Natural Effect’ is a comical video featuring a smooth advertising executive that shares his little secret on how “natural” labeling works and what foods can be approved to use the golden word “natural” on their labels.

As the exec in the video confesses, “Your product may contain growth hormone and antibiotics. Just throw that word natural on there. Maybe add a picture of a barn?”

Voila! “By adding natural to your package, you increase purchase intent and then people think you’re just as healthy as organic. We pride ourselves on this type of confusion.”



So basically unless the food company is adding shards of glass, nails or highly-illegal drugs into their food products, they’ll probably get approved!

What’s the key message to this video?

Don’t trust the label on the front of the packaging, make sure to always read the small print of the ingredients panel and stay clear of any products that list ingredients you can’t pronounce or think are unsafe for your body.

One label that you can trust is the “100% USDA Certified Organic” product logo that requires all of the ingredients to be 100% organic. Just be careful as there are two labels that USDA Organic hands out, and one omits the “100%”, meaning that only 95% of the ingredients need to be organic.

I hope you enjoy this comical, yet serious video on debunking “natural” food myths.

Sometimes it takes people to laugh at an issue for the message to really sink in.

In good health,

James.

Do you think it’s time that food labels were properly controlled and more transparent about their unnatural ingredients?