Obesity and National Geographic

Here's a classic example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Just as National Geographic magazine is tackling obesity in a cover story called "The Heavy Cost of Fat," its younger sibling, National Geographic Kids, is being accused of contributing to the obesity problem by running ads for unhealthy food. The catalyst appears to be the May issue of National Geographic' Kids, which featured a prominent ad for fast food chain, Arby's, on the cover. Perception, perception, people. It is so important to make your marketing plan coherent. The website should cohere with the brochure which should cohere with your press releases, and so on. Right down to the person who answers your phone. It's unlikely that an entity as substantial as National Geographic will suffer a long-term credibility blow from this, but for a smaller company or an entrepreneur, this kind of oversight could have painful (and costly!) repercussions. The answer? Plan, Compare, and Cross-check. Always.