Mintel: Nuts, Cookies Rank as Healthy Snacks

It’s already three months in to 2012, which means some of those New Year’s Resolutioners have already caved back into their old ways. The gym is less crowded, and diet plans are already becoming “so last year.”

However, not everyone falters to old habits.

According to a Mintel study, 44% of healthy snackers say they tend to eat healthy most of the time, while 42% make it a point to snack on foods that are healthy. At the same time, indulgence can be part of a well-rounded lifestyle, as 39% of healthy snackers say they use less-healthy nibbles as an occasional treat.

“Eating healthy snacks can offer many benefits to consumers, such as increased energy and feeling fuller longer, so there is a big opportunity for the makers and marketers of snacks to leverage these connections to maximize health positioning,” says Molly Maier, senior wellness analyst at Mintel, Chicago. “The number of snackers who only consume healthy treats is a relatively small one, but one that shouldn’t be ignored by snack food manufacturers.”

Nuts and seeds place third (71%) among healthy snacks, the study says, followed by ice cream (12%) and cookies (9%). Not surprisingly, fresh fruit (86%) and raw vegetables (73%) ranked as the Top 2 healthy foods.

Additionally, nearly half (46%) of respondents say it’s challenging to find healthy snacks in vending machines or other on-the-go locations, while 16% believe it takes more time to prepare a healthy snack than other types.

“Increasing accessibility and portability can help maximize usage,” adds Maier.

Fisher Nuts Debuts New Website

Fisher Nuts launches a new and improved website, www.fishernuts.com. The interactive site features a user-friendly design and a fresh, contemporary look with a clean and simple design.

“Our new site was created with our consumers’ interests and needs in mind,” says Howard Brandeisky, vice president, global marketing, innovation and customer solutions for John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., the Elgin, Ill.-based producer of Fisher Nuts.

The site offers a robust recipe section spanning nine categories and featuring more than 50 fresh recipes comprising 10 different nut varieties and multiple recipe categories, including “Quick & Easy” and “Seasonal Ideas.”

The Nuts & Nutrition page features unique facts and nutritional information about 10 different types of nuts. The website also features a “Where to Buy” page, leading visitors to their nearest Fisher Nuts retailer.

Wheat Thins Launches ‘Family Guy’ Commercial

Kraft Foods, Northfield, Ill., launched TV ads and a digital campaign promoting its Wheat Thins brand. The 30-second commercial, titled “Do what you do,” features Stewie and Brian from the animated sitcom, “Family Guy.” The first spot shows them arguing over the pronunciation of Wheat Thins. The commercial ends with the two joining forces to refuse to let Stewie’s father (heard off-camera) be in the Wheat Thins commercial.

The theme emerged from the brand’s observation that members of its social media community like to share what they’re doing while eating Wheat Thins.

Meanwhile, the new digital campaign, from San Francisco-based AKQA, features “The Do-Minatrix,” a guy with a large mustache, whose face is shown in close-up only from the nose down. The character is meant to be a digital life coach, using humorous messages to inspire fans to get out and do whatever it is they like or want to do.

Doritos’ ‘Sling Baby’ Ad Wins USA Today Facebook Super Bowl Ad Meter

Let’s face it, the Super Bowl commercials are one of the top highlights next to the halftime performance. Thankfully this year’s set of billion-dollar ads produced nothing short of laughs.

That’s why the Doritos “Sling Baby” ad won USA Today’s Facebook Super Bowl Ad Meter. The ad features a grandmother who creates a way to sling her grandson—with a rubber band-like setup—across the yard to grab a Doritos bag from a taunting boy. The Facebook community rated the ad a 4.33 (on a scale of one to five stars).

The USA Today Facebook Super Bowl Ad meter voting was open to Facebook users who could view, rate and share all the national ads that aired during the game. Voting began right after the first ad aired Feb. 5 and continued until 6 p.m. ET on Feb. 7.

The Doritos brand is produced by Frito-Lay, Inc., Plano, Texas.