Conflict for Coca-cola to sponsor national heart health campaign?

Diet Coke sponsors the Heart Truth campaign. (Have you seen the limited edition heart graphics on special packages?) For part of the campaign, Diet Coke sponsors the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show. Heidi Klum is its heart health ambassador. Also, through MyCokeRewards, members who donate points can have Diet Coke match their donations and give money to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health "to further efforts of women's heart health awareness and research," says a description from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

It's all good...right?

Well, let's look at the truth. Soda, and all its easy-to-guzzle calories, has been blamed for our nation's obesity epidemic. Some nutritionists even fault the diet varieties, for fueling our appetite for sweets. For that reason, the Center for Science in the Public Interest calls the Heart Truth sponsorship into question. In a letter to institute director, Dr. Susan Shurin, the center says "It is like allowing Philip Morris to be a sponsor of the government anti-smoking campaign."

The New York Times' Tara Parker Pope asked readers of her Well column, Should Coke Talk About Heart Health? Many readers are responding, some chuckling about the irony, some with suggestions (attach the campaign to Dasani,Coke's brand of bottled water), and some with tangents (taxing soda.)

Diet Coke is a major sponsor, but keep in mind the other companies behind Heart Truth. They include: Swarovski, which makes jewelry; the makers of Tylenol and St. Joseph Aspirin; Bobbi Brown Cosmetics; A&E Group (medical apparel); Alps2o mineral water; CanolaInfo; Cheerios; Creative Nail Design; CVS Caremark; DERMadoctor specialist skin care; Dial, Essence, Eyebobs; Glamour; Graham Beauty and Graham Medical; Hamilton Beach; Johnson & Johnson; Lifespan (fitness equipment); Lifetime television; Metamucil; Minute Maid; Newsweek; Pretty City, Inc.; Prevention magazine; Roaman's (plus-sized fashions); and Sara Lee; Simon Property; Synder's of Hanover; Time Inc. Womens Group; and Woman's Day.

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