how retail, food and drink brands are shaping uk health ... · coke’s initiative in particular is...

Health and the High Street

How Retail, Food and Drink Brands are Shaping UK Health with Content

© 2015 NewsCred / NewsCred.com / +44 (0) 203 701 0400 / [email protected]

Table of Contents

3 Methodology

4 Introduction

6 Key Stats – At A Glance

7 A Hunger For Health Content – And Brands’

Responsibility

14 Case Study: Boots WebMD

15 What Brands Are Offering – And What

Consumers Really Think

17 From Calories To Conditions – What’s In

Demand

19 Case Study: Sainsbury’s Active Kids

20 The Brands That Are Cutting Through

24 Case Study: M&S Eats Well

25 Questioning Transparency, Quality And

Trustworthiness

31 Case Study: Flora Pro-Activ

32 Playing To Age Groups

33 Case Study: Weight Watchers

34 Conclusion

Introduction

By Shafqat Islam, CEO

and co-founder, NewsCred

We have long lived in a world where an

individual’s health is not self-governed, with

significant decisions often laid in the hands of

the system, public or private, depending on what

country you live in and what you can afford. But

like it or not, some of the biggest changes to

how UK residents are managing their health –

as well as being informed and educated about

it – are down to brands operating in the closely

related industries of retail, food and drinks, and

we at NewsCred are expecting to see more of

this in 2015.

This is not just because the UK public is hungry

for health content, as this latest NewsCred

report outlines, with 47% of people saying they

have become more health conscious in the past

12 months, but because 76% say that brands

now have a responsibility to provide consumers

with health content. With just 27% saying they

feel informed regarding health issues, there is

a huge opportunity for relevant brands to meet

this demand.

The demand driven by a changing consumer

mindset towards health is so great that last

year, Cannes Lions even launched a dedicated

health event preceding the main show. Writing

in Marketing magazine ahead of the 2014 event,

former Procter & Gamble CMO Jim Stengel and

Publicis Healthcare Communications president

Alexandra von Plato decreed that this was

not a trend, but a fundamental shift because

“people want to make better, more confident

choices when it comes to health and wellbeing,

and brands that authentically give people the

opportunity and information to make those

choices are the ones that are going to win.”

Yet while many brands were already doing good

things, they wrote, many were still behaving like

“deer in the headlights” – but can they afford

to behave this way in 2015? I would think not,

especially as the bar-raising slogan for this

year’s Cannes Lions Health is ‘Life-changing

creativity’ – a simple mantra for brands to live

and breathe through the content they create.

Anyone who’s a major player in retail, food and

drink is already responding to the challenge.

Brands like Burger King, McDonald’s and

Subway have pledged to associate themselves

more with healthy eating, while Coca-Cola

and Pepsi have upped their games by both

launching lower calorie, more natural drinks.

Coke’s initiative in particular is part of a £20

million investment in anti-obesity projects.

Supermarkets like Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, Asda

and Tesco have invested in revamping their in-

house healthy food lines, while also launching a

range of health and wellness initiatives.

Arguably, much of this is down to the

Government’s Public Health Responsibility

Deal, launched in March 2011 to encourage

businesses to work collaboratively to improve

public health by allowing people to make better

informed choices that lead to healthier lives –

and ultimately remove 5 billion calories from the

daily diets of Britons.

But as Cannes Lions Health is setting out with its

2015 slogan, it is time to think outside prescribed

3© 2015 NewsCred


initiatives that are purely formulaic, didactic, and

process-driven, and move forward by being bold

and harnessing the power of different content,

formats, media and voices. Are those who have

made the biggest commitments staff-wise the

ones who will lead the way? Tesco and Mars

have made health investments all the way up to

their senior teams, ensuring it is more than just

a mission statement, and that it truly lives within

the company. In June last year, Tesco moved its

UK marketing director David Wood into a new

role to lead a renewed push of its health and

well-being agenda, while in July, Mars appointed

former marketer Debra Sandler to the newly

created role of chief health and wellbeing officer.

We will be watching to see how these executives

and brands raise the health stakes in 2015 and

what intelligent, valuable content will come out

of this that will make a difference to consumers.

Yet the results will be affected by pressures

on budgets dedicated to content, marketing

and corporate social responsibility as both

brands and the Government continue to be

squeezed to do more with tighter resources –

but arguably this is what will facilitate greater

collaboration. Public Health England in July

announced that it would place a renewed focus

on co-creating health content with brands, to

cost effectively achieve greater cut-through. At

the time they commented that “over the course

of this strategy we will deliver more agile, more

interactive, more frequent, lower-cost content

using a broader range of methodologies and

partners that drive change for more specific

target audiences”. An example is a Change4Life

campaign in partnership with Disney, which

has seen content running on the media brand’s

children’s programmes.

As more collaborations like this come to the fore,

our perception of ROI is bound to change too.

The propensity to buy from or recommend a

brand will be linked to how well health messages

are delivered (29% of UK consumers we

surveyed said they feel more positively towards

brands that offer health content), while reach

will be measured in conjunction with results (the

Government claims it has already reduced the

country’s collective sugar intake by 8% since the

Responsibility Deal was launched).

This will become even more evident as the NHS’

latest anti-obesity campaign unfolds throughout

this year, propelled by findings that 25% of

adults in the UK are obese, making it the second

fattest country in Europe. Obesity is by far the

number one health problem in the UK that the

consumers we surveyed think brands should be

helping to combat via the content they provide

– 48% chose obesity against other health issues

such as heart disease, cancer, general health,

nutrition, substance abuse, mental health,

smoking, strokes and sexual health.

The opportunity to make a difference to the

state of the nation gives a new meaning to

content marketing. In the pages to come,

NewsCred outlines just what consumers think

when it comes to health content from brands.

There are many positive indicators, but there

also many gaps to fill especially when it comes

to trust (many still trust mainstream media more

than brands). Will 2015 be the year you rise to

the challenge, and do more than just fill a gap?

We hope so.

4© 2015 NewsCred


Key Stats – At a Glance

of British consumers

say they have become

more health-conscious

in the past 12 months

say they feel informed

regarding health issues

say health content has

improved their opinion

of brands

think obesity is the

number one UK health

problem that brands

should combat with

content

read health articles at

least a couple of times

a week

say it is highly

appropriate for brands

to provide health

information

feel brands are

genuinely helping

consumers by offering

more health related

content

say brands have

a responsibility to

provide consumers

with health content

say it’s about time

brands offered more

health content

47%

27% 29% 48%

49%

77% 46%

76% 65%

5© 2015 NewsCred


A Hunger For Health Content - And Brands’ ResponsibilityBrands need to meet a new level of health-consciousness in the UK

head-on – 47% of British consumers say they have become more health-

conscious in the past 12 months, with 49% of people reading health articles

at least a couple of times a week. This clearly shows that the UK public is

hungry for health related content. This is compounded by the fact that just

27% of people say they feel informed regarding health issues – showing

that there is space for brands to be delivering this information to their

audiences.

6© 2015 NewsCred


Once a day or more

Monthly

Once a year or less

A couple of times a week

Only a few times a year

Never

49% of respondents read articles about health at least

a couple of times a week

7%

25%

4%

4%

42%

18%

7© 2015 NewsCred


Almost half of respondents (47%) feel that they “have become more

health-conscious in the past 12 months,” much more than those who

have become less health-conscious (5%)

I have become more health-

conscious in the past 12 months47%

42%

I feel informed regarding

health issues27%

I am not very informed

regarding health issues4%

My level of health-consciousness has

not changed in the past 12 months

I have become less health-

conscious in the past 12 months5%

8© 2015 NewsCred


47%

Our survey results not only show a desire from consumers for health content from

brands but also a growing sentiment that there is a strong onus on brands to use

their resources and expertise to lead the way in arming their consumers with the

right information to make sound life choices. 77% say it is highly appropriate for

brands to provide health information. Going further, 76% of people even say that

brands have a responsibility to provide consumers with this content. 70% believe

brands should provide health content purely because they can tap into the expert

knowledge they have about their products and sector.

Over three quarters (77%) agree that it is “highly

appropriate for brands to provide health information,”

while 76% agree that “brands have a responsibility to

provide consumers with health information.” Overall,

respondents agree that brands can and should provide

health information.

9© 2015 NewsCred


I think it is highly appropriate for

brands to provide health information77%

Percentage of those who use “agree” or “strongly agree” with these statements

76%

Brands have expert knowledge of their products so

they should provide health information about them

Health information produced by

brands is mostly just marketing

I don’t think it is appropriate for

brands to provide health information

56%

17%

15%

Brands have a responsibility to provide

consumers with health information

I worry that health information produced

by brands is mostly just marketing

I don’t find this kind of information

particularly relevant

70%

51%

10© 2015 NewsCred


77%

76%

The expectation for brands to make a difference is clear - 33% of UK consumers

feel brands are helping combat national health issues like obesity with the content

they provide. This is in line with the national health agenda and ahead of the NHS’

New Year campaign to combat obesity, in which GPs will be asked to identify at-risk

patients to be put on anti-diabetes programmes and offered lifestyle advice.

Almost half (48%) think that the number one health

problem in the UK, that brands should help combat via the

content they provide, is obesity.

11© 2015 NewsCred


Obesity 48%

14%

Cancer

Nutrition

Other

Mental health

Sexual health

12%

2%

2%

2%

Heart disease

General health and wellbeing

Smoking and related ailments

Alcohol/substance/drug abuse

Strokes

13%

4%

1%

1%

1%

Perception of health issues in the UK by percentage

12© 2015 NewsCred


Case Study - Boots WebMDBoots WebMD started in 2009 as a partnership between the high street chemist and what was

originally a US health advice site. The idea was to bridge the gap between the free information

provided by the National Health Service and the other limited resources available at the time. The

website is staffed by professional writers and contains GP reviewed health information, allowing

people to look to someone other than their doctor for issues concerning health.

The partnership was formed on the basis that both Boots and WebMD could pool their resources

when it comes to expertise in health and wellbeing, so the joining of both these knowledgeable

outlets would make for an informative and trustworthy free health content provider – and increase the

brand value of each name.

The website dedicates a whole section to ‘Living Better’, with content covering a vast range of

health topics such as weight loss tips, fitness and nutrition advice, dieting, healthy ageing and

pregnancy guidance. All this is displayed in an interesting and distinctive way with visitors able to

consult a symptom checker and BMI calculator, take part in quizzes, view slideshows, animations

and interactive graphics, and read easily digestible facts. The site also contains content from other

reliable sources like the nationally recognised British Medical Journal and NHS Choices.

Boots markets the website through its traditional e-commerce site and through other owned channels

such as its loyalty programme and its in-store magazine, as well as encouraging pharmacists around

the country to share the tool with their customers. It monetises the site through advertising revenue

and uses the site to leverage its own in-store products and promotions.

The website’s success has made Boots a front-runner in the nation’s health industry. Traffic to Boots

WebMD has grown on average by a quarter every year for the past three years, and it currently

receives around 3.5 million visitors per month.

13© 2015 NewsCred


What Brands are Offering – And What Consumers Really ThinkBrands have been stepping up to the plate in terms of the health content they are investing in, and

the results are starting to show. 46% of UK consumers say they have noticed an increase in health

content offered by retail, food and drink brands in the past year, while 46% also feel it’s valuable and

well thought-out.

Our results show there is tangible ROI to be achieved through carefully crafted content, with 29% of

UK consumers agreeing that health content has improved their opinion of the brands that offer it. This

links to the view of 46% of people who feel brands are genuinely helping consumers by offering more

health-related content, which shows how content can actually shift consumer perceptions.

Above all, 65% of those surveyed say that it’s about time supermarket, food and drinks brands

offered more health-related content – adding further evidence to the shifting consumer mindset, both

towards greater health-consciousness and a more open level of receptivity to a dialogue with brands.

The statement most repsondents agree with is that “it’s

about time supermarket and food/drink brands offered

more health related content” (65%).

14© 2015 NewsCred


It’s about time supermarket and food/drink brands

offered more health-related content65%

Percentage of those who use “agree” or “strongly agree” with these statements

61%

I think supermarket and food brands only offer health-related

content because they think it will make them more money

I think the health-related content supermarket and food/drink brands

are offering consumers is valuable and well thought-out

I think supermarket and food/drink brands are helping combat health issues in

the UK such as obesity through the health information they are offering

I think the health content offered by supermarket

and food/drink brands is not of a good quality

46%

37%

33%

29%

I think the supermarket and food/drink brands are only offering

health content because it is part of a marketing strategy

Supermarket and food brands are genuinely helping

consumers by offering more health-related content

I think the health-related information supermarket and food/drink

brands are offering consumers is credible and authoritative

59%

40%

15© 2015 NewsCred


Calorie labelling of food has been embraced by the likes of McDonald’s and Burger King, and the next piece

of public health legislation to be mandated is whether calorie labelling in the EU should apply to alcoholic

beverages. This is also linked to obesity, as there is evidence to show that heavy drinkers are at greater risk of

obesity than moderate or non-drinkers.

However our survey suggests that perhaps the British public is ready for more detailed health information from

brands beyond simple calorie counts. When asked about the types of health content they wish to see more of

from brands, calories came in at 25%, at the bottom of the list. At the top of the list are fat and sugar content

(41%) and condition specific information (40%). Rounding out the top five health topics in demand are disease

prevention (37%), nutrition (35%) and age group-specific advice (34%), suggesting what brands could take

inspiration from when developing health content.

From Calories to Conditions – What’s In Demand

41% of respondents would like to see more

information and advice about fat/sugar content.

16© 2015 NewsCred


Information & advice

about fat/sugar content

41%

40%

37%

37%

35%

34%

32%

29%

29%

41%

48%

6%

No

94%

Yes

53%

49%

43%

49%

52%

45%

11%

19%

14%

10%

16%

24%

19%

19%

26%

Information on how to prevent disease

(e.g. cancer, heart diseases, etc.)

Recipes and advice on healthy eating

Weight loss advice

Advice on living longer

Information & advice relating to

allergies (e.g. nuts, gluten, dairy, etc.)

Calorie information

Condition specific information (e.g.

asthma, arthritis, diabetes, acne, etc.)

Nutritional information

Information on treating general ailments

(e.g. cold and flu, nausea, headaches, etc.)

Age group-specific information (e.g. pregnancy and

baby health, children, teenager, adult, middle-aged, etc)

Exercise tips

I would like to see more of this

Happy with the amount of

information currently provided

Not interested in this

28%

26%

26%

43%

54%

58%

28%

20%

15%

Are there any other subjects respondents

would like to see more information?

These include:

• What is suitable for vegetarians/vegans

• Level of salt

Interests in topic by percentage

17© 2015 NewsCred


Sainsbury’s Active Kids is an annually run scheme which aims to encourage children to become more

active at school and at home. Launched in 2005, the campaign initially revolved around the collection

of vouchers with each purchase which could then be redeemed for sports and cooking equipment

for a child’s school. It has grown into one of the nation’s most identifiable health initiatives, garnering

the support of highly respected sports ambassadors such as Olympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and

footballer David Beckham. Lending further credibility to the campaign are partnerships with nationally

recognised associations such as the Youth Sports Trust, Clubmark, The Scout Association and Scope.

In 2014, the campaign launched seven months ahead of key changes to the national curriculum on

cooking and healthy eating, which meant that all pupils between the ages of seven and 14 are now

taught cookery at school. The Sainsbury’s Active Kids scheme offered new cooking products and well

as revamped downloadable toolkits for teachers and parents, developed in collaboration with the

British Nutritional Foundation and the Department of Education.

The supermarket is about to announce the winner of its Superstar Cooks competition, which asked

students around the country to create the ultimate healthy main meal for four people, following the

recommended healthy eating guidelines set out in the competition toolkit. Winners are to be selected

by judge Ashley Banjo from dance group Diversity, with the prize being £10,000 worth of new kitchen

equipment for their school, plus an exclusive visit from Ashley himself. This particular initiative has

resulted in a swathe of local press coverage around the UK.

Since its launch, Sainsbury’s Active Kids has donated over £150 million worth of equipment and

experiences to schools and children across the country.

Case Study: Sainsbury’s Active Kids

18© 2015 NewsCred


Weight Watchers achieves an incredibly high 84% when it comes to brand awareness by the UK

public. British supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, M&S, Morrison’s and Asda also achieve respectable

placements within our top 10 for brand awareness.

The top 10 most popular branded health portals in the UK, by awareness:

• Weight Watchers – 84%

• Flora Pro-Activ – 75%

• Sainsbury’s Active Kids – 64%

• My Special K – 52%

• M&S Eat Well – 52%

• Morrison’s Healthy Living – 47%

• Kellogg’s Fit for Life – 40%

• Boots Web MD – 38%

• Asda Be Food Smart – 37%

• Mars Change 4 Life – 34%

The Brands that are Cutting Through

19© 2015 NewsCred


Percentage of respondents aware of each initiative/portal shown

Weight Watchers

Diageo Think How You Drink

PepsiCo Play 4 Life

Coca Cola Movement is Happiness

Superdrug Online Doctor

Kraft Healthy Living

The Co-op Get More

Unilever Project Sunlight

Aldi Change for Life

Sainsbury’s Healthiest Baskets

Tesco Eat Happy Project

Boots One Health

Nestle Good Food, Good Life

Weightrose Love Life

Mars Change 4 Life

Asda Be Food Smart

Boots Web MD

Kellogg’s Fit For Life

Morrison’s Healthy Living

Marks and Spencer’s Eat Well

My Special K

Sainsbury’s Active Kids

Flora Pro-Activ

84%

64%

75%

52%

52%

47%

40%

38%

37%

34%

31%

28%

28%

25%

24%

21%

21%

21%

21%

18%

18%

17%

14%

20© 2015 NewsCred


However, it’s a different story when it comes to positive perception - Boots Web MD instead

tops the list, with 32% of those who’ve heard of it indicating they feel positively towards

it, highlighting the success of its partnership with an established quality content provider.

Sainsbury’s Active Kids has become a national institution for children and parents around the

country, while M&S has leveraged its reputation for quality food with a gastronomic content

portal that focuses on taste and health. While Weight Watchers falls further down the top 10,

its strong heritage and brand credentials still see it earn its place in the list. See more on these

brands in the case studies throughout this report.

The top 10 most popular branded health portals in the UK, by positive perception:

• Boots Web MD – 32%

• Sainsbury’s Active Kids – 27%

• Diageo Think How You Drink – 21%

• M&S Eat Well – 21%

• Flora Pro-Activ – 20%

• Waitrose Love Life – 19%

• Aldi Change for Life – 19%

• Kraft Healthy Living – 19%

• Weight Watchers – 18%

• Boots One Health – 18%

21© 2015 NewsCred


Of those who were aware of each initiative/portal,

were the attitudes positive, neutral, or negative?

Boots Web MD

Coca Cola Movement is Happiness

PepsiCo Play 4 Life

Asda Be Food Smart

Nestle Good Food, Good Life

The Co-op Get More

Unilever Project Sunlight

Kellogg’s Fit For Life

My Special K

Tesco Eat Happy Project

Superdrug Online Doctor

Sainsbury’s Healthiest Baskets

Morrison’s Healthy Living

Mars Change 4 Life

Boots One Health

Weight Watchers

Kraft Healthy Living

Aldi Change for Life

Weightrose Love Life

Flora Pro-Activ

Marks and Spencer’s Eat Well

Diageo Think How You Drink

Sainsbury’s Active Kids

58%

63%

50%

65%

61%

61%

57%

57%

61%

68%

59%

68%

63%

56%

60%

60%

63%

62%

62%

61%

70%

47%

44%

32%

27%

21%

21%

20%

11%

11%

29%

12%

19%

19%

19%

18%

18%

18%

17%

17%

17%

16%

15%

15%

14%

14%

14%

14%

12%

11%

16%

29%

24%

21%

14%

26%

15%

21%

28%

24%

25%

23%

24%

24%

21%

18%

41%

Positive NeutralNegative

22© 2015 NewsCred


High quality food has long been a cornerstone of the Marks and Spencer’s offering. Leveraging

this to promote healthy living then came as a natural brand extension, with the Marks and

Spencer’s Eat Well campaign stemming from the food range of the same name that was launched

in 2005.

The campaign, and Eat Well portal, has been centred around the philosophies of helping

customers choose healthier diets by offering delicious choices; by helping them eat more,

not less; to give customers a boost by allowing them to enjoy ‘a little of what you fancy’, and

ultimately, to eat well for life.

The site shares tips on how to ‘get your 5 a day’ and how to eat seasonally, with healthy eating

advice extending to children and pets. Visitors can download a four week healthy eating menu

planner, which is designed to achieve 2,000 calories and five servings of fruit and vegetables per

day. Users can also search for advice on their diet needs based on their relevant life stage.

The site also offers a resident online nutritionist and personal interactive tools such as a diet

assessment and planner, personal weight tracker, BMI calculator and more.

In 2015, M&S plans to make the Eat Well brand ‘work harder’ by investing in increasing

awareness levels of the initiative as well as recognition of its sunflower logo.

So far, the Eat Well food range is responsible for 40% of the brand’s food sales, showing how

they have been quick to respond to growing customer demand for healthier food options, and

content to support this.

Case Study: M&S Eat Well

23© 2015 NewsCred


Despite their openness and general positive reception to branded health content, UK

consumers are questioning the agenda behind branded health content, meaning there is a job

to be done at building trust in brands and credibility in the health content they provide. 61%

feel that brands are only offering health content as part of a marketing strategy, while 53% feel

sceptical of it.

Questioning Transparency, Quality and Trustworthiness

24© 2015 NewsCred


61%

I think supermarket and food brands only offer health related

content because they think it will make them more money

I think the supermarket and food/drink brands are only offering

health content because it is part of a marketing strategy

59%

Health information produced by brands is mostly just marketing

I don’t think it is appropriate for brands to provide health information

56%

17%

15%

I worry that health information produced by brands is mostly just marketing

I don’t find this kind of information particularly relevant

51%

Percentage of those who use “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statements

Percentage of those who use “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statements

25© 2015 NewsCred


Just 2% trust “completely” the health information provided by supermarket and

food drink brands. The majority (53%) are either “fairly” or “very” sceptical

2%

7%

46%

45%

Not at all/very sceptical

I’m fairly sceptical

I trust them to some extent

I trust them completely

26© 2015 NewsCred


Despite a wealth of branded health information being available in the UK, traditional sources of

health content like the NHS and mainstream media are still the most commonly relied upon, showing

that consumers still tend to trust names and outlets they are familiar with and that have a history of

providing health information. GPs are the most frequently cited source of health information, with 37%

of UK consumers saying this is a source they consulted often or frequently. This is followed by the

NHS, at 27%. Health charities, newspapers and magazines all come ahead of brands.

This may indicate that brands should think about:

• How they work with the public’s preferred content providers

• How they can transform their own channels to increase their

content visibility – and become publishers in their own right

• Invest in amplifying the content they create by making it

accessible across more channels

• Positively, brand websites are considered more popular

health sources than gyms (11%), blogs (10%), or vlogs (8%).

Positively, brand websites are considered more

popular health sources than gyms (11%), blogs (10%),

or vlogs (8%).

27© 2015 NewsCred


Percentage of those who use the sources “often” or “extensively” shown

Your GP 37%

Information relevant charities - eg British Heart... 23%

NHS website 27%

Health sections and articles in national newspapers 22%

Health sections and articles in lifestyle magazines 16%

Articles in health magazines eg Women’s Health, Men’s... 13%

Information shared by friends and family on social media 12%

Health blogs 12%

Information from retail and food/drink brands eg Tesco,... 12%

Your gym 11%

Health information on lifestyle blogs 10%

YouTube/Video blogs 8%

Information from sports brands eg Nike, Adidas... 6%

28© 2015 NewsCred


37%

This traditional approach to sourcing health

content plays out in social media habits of the

UK public too - 58% say they don’t use social

media to find health content. Yet, 29% say they

use Facebook, so there is an argument for

targeted Facebook content amplification

So how can brands increase the trust their

audience feels in their content? The strongest

influences on trust in content as voted by the UK

public were using evidence and using experts

– this was considered more valuable than the

content being free, showing a demand for quality

content that brands have invested a lot in:

• Evidence – 63%

• Experts – 52%

• Practical advice – 31%

• Well written – 29%

• Free to access – 16%

None 58%

YouTube 16%

Facebook 29%

Twitter 10%

A health app on my phone or ... 6%

Instagram 4%

LinkedIn 3%

Pinterest 3%

Other 2%

Snapchat 1%

29© 2015 NewsCred


Flora is one of the most influential health and wellbeing brands in the UK, and has proven this through

the success of its Pro-Activ initiative.

In 2000, Flora Pro-Activ was launched initially as a new cholesterol reducing spread range, but it has

now advanced into a fully-fledged online dietary service whose main aim is to help users lower their

cholesterol levels. Flora has continued to invest in research and development to adapt its food formula

(along with partnerships with the British Heart Foundation and Heart UK) and genuinely live up to

claims that its products can help decrease the risk of cholesterol related illnesses such as coronary

heart disease.

The website provides users with a cholesterol lowering starter kit, a 3 week diet and exercise

challenge pack as well as a wealth of recipe ideas. Individual success stories are displayed on the

website, not only as proof of the campaign’s success, but also as motivation to people who still strive

to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Flora continues to be one of the nation’s top selling spread brands, with its Pro-Activ Facebook page

attracting over 40,000 Likes. It is part of parent company Unilever’s ‘Brands in Action’ initiative, which

aims to help more than a billion people improve their health and wellbeing.

Case Study: Flora Pro-Activ

30© 2015 NewsCred


While our survey spans 2,000 UK consumers, there are certain elements

that stand out across specific age groups which are worth honing in on, to

be able to target age groups via the media they are most familiar with, or

those that are most receptive to engaging with brands.

18 to 34 year olds are more likely to be seeking out content, doing so

across multiple platforms, and tend to perceive brands and content more

positively. 18 to 24 year olds in particular are the most trusting of branded

health content, while the 65 plus age group is the most sceptical.

There are specific content topics that resonate more with 18 to 34

year olds, which index higher than responses from the whole survey:

healthy eating and recipes, exercise, age group specific, weight loss and

information on general ailments.

18 to 24 year olds in particular display an increased level of health

consciousness – 57% say they have become more health conscious in the

past 12 months, compared with 47% of all respondents. This age group is

also less likely to feel that content is just part of a marketing strategy (38%

think this vs 46% of the whole survey) and therefore appear to be more

open to branded content.

Media habits also vary across age groups. 18 to 34 year olds are around

twice as likely as other groups to look for health information on health

Playing to Age Groups

blogs, lifestyle blogs and vlogs. They are also more likely to source health

information from their gym than other demographics, showing the potential

for retail, food and drink brands to tap into young gym-goers through

content partnerships.

This age group however splits down the middle when it comes to using

traditional media such as newspapers as a source of health information. 18

to 24 year olds are less likely to use this type of media for health content,

yet 25 to 34 year olds consider newspapers a valid source. For older

demographics, more direct sources of health content win out, such as GPs,

charity websites, and the NHS.

Although social media is not considered a primary source of health content

for the majority of survey respondents, it’s worth noting that Facebook and

YouTube both index more highly amongst the broad range of 18 to 44 year

olds versus older demographics. 18 to 24 year olds specifically though are

more likely than other age groups to look to apps, Instagram and Pinterest

for health content.

While 18 to 24 year olds are more health conscious and less critical of

content’s relation to sales and marketing, it’s 25 to 34 year olds that are the

most aware of an increase in health related information from brands. This

age group is also more likely to read health content on retail/food/drink

brand websites.

31© 2015 NewsCred


Case Study: Weight Watchers

From humble beginnings, Weight Watchers has now become a household

name and is recognised as one of the world’s leading weight loss brands.

The brand has developed an in-depth understanding of the psychology of

the weight loss consumer, and structures its services and content around

the key principles of support and socialising.

Launched 50 years ago, the organisation primarily held meetings for

people who share this principle. The intention of these group sessions

was to create a sense of group reinforcement and encouragement. Within

the meetings, participants share weight loss tips, ways of keeping fit and

update other members on the progress of their weight loss journey.

The shift to digital was one of the world’s most rapid and large-scale

changes in content creation. Weight Watchers were sensitive to this and

transferred all those qualities found in the support groups and created

engaging pieces of content that could be used across different digital

platforms.

With the launch of the Weight Watchers ‘Online Plan’ came the creation

of unique content such as exercise tips and workout ideas, nutritious

recipes, online videos, apps and meal plans. The sense of community

and motivation was not lost with the move to digital. Weight Watchers

succeeded in building a thriving online community with the introduction of

content for social media such as Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Online

experts were also made available for nutritional advice and inspiring

success stories made available for members to look up to.

Giving customers the option of completing their weight loss journey

online has greatly expanded the organisation’s horizons. In 2013, Weight

Watchers online attracted over 8 million website visitors per month and

had around 1.72 million paid online subscribers. The Weight Watchers

brand portfolio now spans not just the online and in person support

services, but a successful printed magazine and food product range that

includes frozen ready meals and snacks.

32© 2015 NewsCred


Conclusion

The verdict is clear – UK consumers are wisening up to the fact that it’s time to look after

their health better, with 47% saying they have become more health conscious in the past

12 months. They are now passing the baton over to brands, and are expecting them to

take on the responsibility and tap into their resources to provide health content, and help

combat serious national issues such as obesity.

But despite these expectations, our results show that consumers still trust traditional

sources of health information such as GPs and the NHS, as well as mainstream media,

more than they do brands. Brands therefore still face challenges in assuring consumers

that their content is trustworthy, and is not simply part of a marketing agenda.

This proves that the journey from brand to publisher is not an easy or a quick one,

regardless of what sector you operate in. Building audiences requires building trust.

The challenges are real, but far from insurmountable. Progress is achievable by

understanding what consumers place their trust in and analysing how you can translate

that into trust in your brand - and content.

33© 2015 NewsCred


Methodology

This study was conducted for NewsCred by Redshift Research among

2,034 UK adults. The interviews were conducted in December 2014

using an email invitation and an online survey. It was facilitated by

WITH PR.

Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate

representation of the total populations aged 18 and

older. The sample was selected from the Crowdology

and Crowdology partner panels which are balanced

across regional, age and gender demographic

factors, and is nationally representative of the UK

population. Each respondent completes 120 profiling

questions before being accepted to join our panel.

Panel Quality Management is carried out frequently

to ensure reliable surveys.

NewsCred is the world’s leading content marketing platform. We’re powering marketing

technology for the future – helping brands transform the way they connect with people,

build brand love, and win more customers.

Our cutting-edge technology enables top brands such as Pepsi, P&G, Dell, General

Electric, and AIG to create amazing content experiences with simplicity, speed, and

global scale. We provide brands with a single platform to streamline the entire marketing

process – from unparalleled audience insights, content recommendations, and brand

governance, to social publishing, distribution, and analytics. In one place, brands gain

exclusive access to the world’s largest content marketplace, licensed content from 5,000

leading publishers, original bespoke content from winning creators, and user-generated

content from your brand’s biggest fans.

NewsCred is on a mission to help marketers create content people love, and prove that

great storytelling will drive long-term business growth. Learn more at newscred.com and

follow us on Twitter @newscred.

About NewsCred

35© 2015 NewsCred


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