alli's Obesity Film

A marketing ploy or a real attempt to help solve the obesity issue in America?

The weight loss brand alli has taken some heat in the press and in social media circles for its support of a new documentary being planned about the obesity issue here in the states. Many are criticizing the brand for just using the film as a marketing gimmick.

Amanda Ehrlich wrote a nice account of the story in OTC Perspectives, and you can read about it here.

What do I think? Obesity is a tremendously complex issue, and we need to put all the resources we can against it to help solve it. We need public, private, and brand support in any way that we can get it. The brand is not being deceitful and has no control over content of the film. They are merely supporting it, making sure that it gets the funding it needs to get off the ground.

Nothing wrong with that in my eyes. Now it is true that alli has had its issues, and it has not been as successful as anyone originally thought. And it's not for everyone, that's for sure.

But it's still a legitimate way for some people to lose and control their weight, if it's right for them and if they understand how to use it (just like anything else, really). And I applaud the brand for being out there, right in the middle of the obesity issue, attempting to continue to bring awareness and solutions to it. And for partnering with the entertainment industry to harness the kind of resources it takes to begin to solve a problem.

What's your experience? Jim.