Honest Tea has moved steadily toward the mainstream of the U.S. beverage business in recent years, as Coca-Cola has invested more and more in the brand. But since it was purchased outright by Coke last year, the Bethesda, Md.-based organic-tea and -juice startup has moved at the even faster pace that would be expected of a tiny company now backed by the immense marketing and distribution resources of the world's biggest soft-drink concern.

So it's not surprising that Honest Tea has launched its first integrated advertising campaign (and a new tagline: "Refreshingly Honest") and, what's more, that it includes the brand's first foray into TV advertising — as you can watch below:Continue reading...

The obesity debate continues to dominate the public conversation in America. Policymakers and nutritionists and bureaucrats pondered "The Weight of the Nation" at a federal-government conference this week while the four-part HBO series of the same name that debuts on Monday. PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are trying to position their brands as part of the solution, via the lobby group where they're the 800 pound gorilla members at any meeting.

The American Beverage Association's "Delivering Choices" campaign has already launched on TV to promote "how America's beverage companies are making it easier to choose the drink that's right for you — with more choices, smaller portions, fewer calories and clear calorie labels." (The sub-text: consumers have choices, and should take personal responsbility for their weight and health.)

The campaign is now getting more targeted with local marketing in the Big Apple. A New York-centric website talks up the Delivering Choices platform while promoting good works by the ABA's members in the city, such as Dr Pepper Snapple Group funding playgrounds in Brooklyn, and the recent Great Recycle event staged by Coca-Cola's Honest Tea brand in Times Square. Facebook and Twitter marketing are reinforcing the messaging.

Now the ABA is expanding its NYC push to the subway system, with a new campaign placing posters on trains and in the stations — New York being the same market where the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has been promoting a healthy agenda, including a PSA campaign depicting their beverages with globs of fat and packets of sugar.Continue reading...

Proving that not all eco-efforts have to happen on Earth Day, Honest Tea's new eco-centric campaign, The Great Recycle, launches on Monday April 30th with the goal of boosting recycling awareness and activity across America in general, and consumer recycling of all of Honest Tea bottles by 2020.

It took 10 people to inflate the 30-foot-tall 100% recyclable recycling bin (at right) that will be placed in New York's Times Square on Monday in a bid to collect at least 45,000 beverage containers in a single day, approximately the same number of Honest beverage bottles typically sold daily in New York in April.

The company generates about 20 million glass bottles and 60 million plastic bottles each year, just a sliver of the total Americans used in 2010: 38.6 billion glass and 71.9 billion plastic, according to the Container Recycling Institute.

Hard statistics on U.S. recycling activity are hard to come by, although the Environmental Protection Agency estimates about 33% of glass bottles and 27% of plastic bottles are currently recycled.Continue reading...

Walmart copes with fallout from revelations of bribery in Mexico.

Chrysler aims new Dodge Dart at Millennials, opens new door to get suppliers' best ideas, and returns to China with new concept vehicle at Beijing Auto Show.

Disney accepts resignation of film chief after loss on John Carter, while more companies hire Disney Institute to help with customer service.

Amylin is searching for a buyer.

Audi sees demand surge in China and U.S.

Avon arrives late at e-commerce.Continue reading...

Coca-Cola and Nestle are no longer taking the Nestea Plunge together in America. The two multinationals are dissolving their Beverage Partners Worldwide group, which produces Nestea-branded products, in the United States, Forbes reports, so they can each market their own beverages.Continue reading...

Our most-read blog posts of the week include Nike's Back to the Future shoes, Diet Coke's new can, Lady Gaga's social network, Fashion Week, and more:

#1 NIKE MAG eBay Auction Goes Live - and Back to the Future [Video]

#2 Chipotle Scores Sustainable Hit with Willie Nelson's Coldplay Cover

#3 Diet Coke's New Look Launches at Target

#4 Dear America: Zara Launches US Web Sales

#5 Honest Tea a Wallflower No More Thanks to Label Redesign

#6 Bollywood's Bodyguard Features Hollywood-Style Product Placement

#7 Lady Gaga's Gift to Fans: The LittleMonsters.com Social Network

#8 Sir Richard’s: The Philanthropic Prophylactic

#9 As Fiat x Gucci Unveils at Fashion Week, "Icon" Claim May Be Unfashionably Early

#10 New York Fashion Week: Greener, Cleaner and Meaner

Honest Tea is refreshing its labels this month as its PET (eco-friendlier) plastic bottles gain national distribution.

The first relaunch of the beverage brand since Coca-Cola took ownership in March, the new look PET bottles of Honest Tea and Honest Ade (its glass bottles, and tea flavors, remain unchanged) are intended to capture "the brand's heritage of taste, organic ingredients and whimsy."

Compare it to the old look plastic bottle labels below and let us know what you think.Continue reading...

In the midst of the sweltering heat across America this week, Honest Tea conducted a little experiment.

On July 19th, the Coca Cola-owned beverage brand set up unattended kiosks in 12 cities, inviting the public to enjoy a chilled drink, but to also leave $1 on the honor system — to test Americans' honesty (a riff on the brand's name).

The winner?Continue reading...