Pepsi and Healthy Snacks: Smart or Stupid?

In the Wall Street Journal's October 5, 2006 issue, the front page contained a headline noting that Pepsi is trying to "push" healthy snacks in what the WSJ termed "inner city" locations. At issue: those Baked Doritos and Baked Lay's potato chips, now increasingly found side by side with Cheetos and other not-so-healthy snacks.

While Pepsi continues to sell and promote its sugar-laden sodas and high-fat, high-calorie snack foods, it simultaneously is using advertising dollars to promote its healthier snacks, such as the Baked Cheestos. So the question is: is it smart...or stupid? Should a company, regardless of its size, seek to influence the public's eating habits at the risk of potentially losing customers and/or "wasting" its money? Or should they put their message where their product is -- and stay consistent?

An example: TriActive America, where I work. At Triactive America, we seek to promote fitness through outdoor exercise products, fitness trail equipment, and related healthy living products. We're not trying to sell French fries and hot fudge sundaes side-by-side with ellipticals, treadmills, and rowers. And that, in a nutshell (make that a fried nut!), is what I think is worrisome about Pepsi. As an entrepreneur OR a large corporation, it's essential to provide the public and potential customers with a consistent message that parallels your product.