In response to the growing concern for personal well-being, new segments of health conscious consumers are popping up demanding greener, healthier products. Vega’s new SaviSeeds is an example of such a product. Recently as I was doing my grocery shopping, I came across a couple of these bags hanging at the end of the aisle. Its sleek packaging instantly caught my eye, and I had to stop to take a look.

Source: http://myvega.com/sites/myvega.com/files/shared/Saviseed-Grouping.jpg

The packaging included many keywords that health nuts love to hear: Omega-3s, antioxidants, protein, fiber, and – of course with Djokovic’s meteoric rise to the top of the tennis world after eliminating gluten from his diet – gluten-free. I did not end up buying the product, mostly because there were no free samples and impulse buys have never worked out for me. It did, however, peak my curiosity and lead me to their website where I learnt much more about SaviSeeds, Vega’s other products and the company as a whole.

Source: http://myvega.com/sites/myvega.com/files/u1/Bars-Family-Object.jpg

Vega offers added value to its products by making sure that its operations are as “green” as possible. As consumers become increasingly time-poor, Vega capitalizes on this by positioning themselves as healthy “on-the-go” meal replacements. The rising popularity of yoga and its accompanying lifestyle has also led consumers to become more health conscious.

As a student with a finite amount of time, especially around midterm season, I will definitely be picking up a packet for myself the next time I go to the grocery store.

Sources:

http://myvega.com/products/vega-saviseed/features-benefits

Tiger Woods was once described as “the world’s most bankable athlete”, a family man and role model. He was on top of his game, widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers to ever step onto the course. There was little doubt in anyone’s mind that he would break Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major wins until disaster struck..

At the end of 2009, Tiger Woods found himself amidst one of the largest scandals in recent history. One by one, women with whom he had had affairs with were coming out to the media. On December 11th, Tiger announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from golf to save his marriage. In light of recent events, many of his sponsors began cutting their ties with him. Nike stood by Tiger despite the overwhelmingly negative press and fast-forward four months, they announced his comeback to the game with this ad:

The ad is simple, a thirty-second shot of Tiger Woods looking as “contrite as can be” and a posthumous voiceover from his father, Earl Woods. The commercial was viewed by over three and a half million people and wildly controversial, almost split 50/50 on YouTube’s “Likes/Dislikes” meter. Some viewers are appalled by the fact that Earl’s words were taken out of context and spliced together, others are struck by the simplicity of the ad.

I personally found the commercial to be brilliant for two reasons. First, Nike and Tiger acknowledged the fact that there were transgressions on Tiger’s part, but more critically showed his remorse and guilt as his father, “the only person on earth whose opinion ever seemed to matter to him”, chastises him. Second, the ad evokes sympathy for Tiger who not only lost his father, but also his “best friend” when Earl Woods passed away. It leads viewers to wonder if perhaps the loss of his father “fundamentally affected” him and led him astray.

Of course, a thirty-second clip cannot completely restore Tiger’s image, but it is a huge step in the right direction.

Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/tiger-woods-ad-ripped-audio-2004-documentary/story?id=10323878#.UGulPJiUM24

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/chronology-of-the-tiger-woods-scandal/article4313560/?page=all

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1231857/Tiger-Woods-crash-mystery-deepens-revelations-BOTH-passenger-windows-car-smashed-in.html

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1978986,00.html

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/04/whats-really-wrong-with-the-tiger-woods-nike-ad/38677/