The measure is rooted in a recent study which showed some of the unbelievable lengths people will go to get their sugar fix
Reebok has released a video to make a statement. Aptly titled See Ya Soda, the spot premieres on the heels of a company-wide sugar reduction initiative activated in 2015 and United States focused general population survey conducted recently by the global fitness heavyweight.
The gist of the commercial’s message is: Added sugar has to go. Beginning with spring, and at its global headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts, soda has turned into an unwelcome presence on Reebok grounds. The move is part of a drastic measure to eliminate the offering from its servings.
The announcement traces back to the aforementioned study, which uncovered some of the unbelievable lengths people will go to get their sugar fix. The report’s findings indicate that Americans are willing to risk life and limb for the sake of their favourite soft drinks.
Nearly 30 percent of those surveyed said they would rather give up their pinky toe than soda, while three in 10 others stated they would prefer to lose their jobs than kick the soda habit. Participants of the poll were found to be willing to publicly embarrass themselves in the name of the can.
Three out of five Americans admitted to having belched or farted in public after drinking soda. The data revealed that many don’t know what they’re consuming. In one of the more staggering stats, it was learnt that up to four in 10 people are unable to name three ingredients in soda, water included.
In addition to the removal of sodas and sugary beverages, large candy bars, fried foods, white breads, and pastas have been stripped from the company’s campus and replaced with whole foods like nuts, fruits, and vegetables across the group’s Massachusetts main office.
As a name that prides itself on being one of the most fitness-conscious in the world, Reebok wasn’t simply going to change its food menu and have old vending machines taken out in the middle of the night. Led by Reebok CrossFit One instructor, Austin Malleolo, the brand enlisted the help of its own staff.
At the beginning of 2015, it issued a bold challenge to the world with a campaign that continued the brand’s mission to change how people perceived and experienced fitness. Be More Human goes beyond an exercise or a tagline—it’s a rally cry to live up to one’s full potential.
Over 85 percent of its 1,000 Canton employees participate in some form of physical activity daily at Reebok’s sprawling campus. It offers facilities like a 12,000 square foot CrossFit Box, basketball court, soccer pitch, tennis courts, cycle studio, running track, obstacle course, and 37,000 square foot fitness centre.
“After seeing the survey results and hearing directly from many of our employees, we felt that removing sugary products was the right thing to do. As a fitness company, we know how to use our body, but what we put in our bodies is equally important,” said Matt O’Toole, President of Reebok.
