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The Sugar Association is launching a multimillion-dollar marketing effort to revitalize sugar's waning public image, according to CandyBusinessInsider.com. After a 10-year hiatus from touting sugar's benefits, the association has hired Marriner Marketing and Communications based in Columbia, Md. to implement a $3 million to $5 million TV, radio and print ad campaign. Marketing efforts will be tested in St. Louis, Mo. and Cincinnati, Ohio in May before possibly being rolled out on a broader scale. The campaign is geared to "help reverse the impact of sugar bashing brought on by the low-carb craze and fueled by manufacturers of artificial sweeteners," said Andy Briscoe, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, in a prepared statement.

Editor's Insight: The sugar industry certainly has its work cut out for it. In addition to the impact of low-carb diets and a rising consumer awareness of obesity, sugar consumption has also been affected by aggressive marketing of salty snacks over the last several years.

In the vending industry, candy has lost a full row in most vending machines to salty snacks.

No doubt, the sugar industry will mount a positive campaign which will emphasize sugar's benefits and not the negative aspects of competing products. 01-14-05 by Elliot Maras