Tech companies, subscription apps and e-commerce sites have for years used subtle tricks to nudge people toward a decision or purchase they might not otherwise make. There’s even a name for the tactics: dark patterns. Click here to read the story at nbcnews.com. Discussion Questions: What are “dark patterns”, as Read more…
One person’s trash can feed someone else in need … and likely wasn’t even trash in the first place. An estimated 1.4 billion tons of food is wasted each year, with 40 million tons coming from the U.S., more than any other country in the world, per Dole Sunshine. Click Read more…
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw more false advertising food and beverage cases filed than any year prior, continuing a trend in this area. One hundred seventy-seven actions were filed in 2019, up from 164 in 2018, and 145 in 2016 and 2017. To put these numbers in context, there Read more…
Target said it will pause sales of Pokémon cards and sports trading cards, citing safety concerns for shoppers and employees. In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, the retailing giant said the cards will still be available to purchase on its website. Click here to read the story at usatoday.com. Read more…
Fitness brand Peloton – known for its high-tech stationary bikes and cult-like following – announced Wednesday a recall of both its Tread and Tread+ treadmills following the death of a child and some 70 reported incidents associated with the products. Click here to read the story at thedrum.com. Discussion Questions: Read more…
Hillandale Farms Corp. will donate 1.2 million eggs to New York food banks to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of price gouging grocery stores, military facilities and wholesale food distributors in the state. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Hillandale on Aug. 11 2020, alleging that in the Read more…
Tide brand of laundry detergent has a new environmental sustainability plan, the “2030 Ambition,” that’s focused on the “wash cycle,” the point when consumers are using Tide to clean their laundry. In spring 2021, the company will launch a North American campaign that will encourage washing in cold water. Click Read more…
Lowe’s has a history of showing up for communities in times of crisis. Its Bucket Brigade helps communities in need by providing necessary supplies to those affected by natural disasters like the California wildfires. So, as the pandemic started to hit the United States and the country went into lock-down, Marisa Thalberg, Read more…
Disgruntled Robinhood users this week slammed past marketing campaigns touting mass public access to the stock market after the embattled retail brokerage firm restricted trades involving GameStop and other surging stocks in response to unprecedented volatility. A resurfaced March 23, 2016 post in which Robinhood said to “let the people Read more…
Social media platforms can be breeding grounds for innovation and creative consumer engagement, particularly while live activations are limited during the pandemic. But they can also serve as sounding boards for negative feedback when campaigns miss the mark. For instance, you might have heard about Kraft Macaroni & Cheese’s recent Read more…