Oprah Winfrey starts trends. When her book club features a book, chances are good that it will be a bestseller. When she mentions a product on her talk show, millions of viewers will check that product out.
Earlier this month, Oprah discussed healthy living with her regular guest Dr. Mehmet Oz, who presented his “Ultimate Health Checklist,” which included three points about eating:
- Antioxidants (Dr. Oz recommends tomatoes, broccoli, kidney beans, blueberries, artichokes and prunes)
- Omega-3 fats (salmon, scallops, walnuts, ground flaxseeds, soybeans and squash)
- Fiber (oatmeal, 100% whole grain bread, lentils, pine nuts, peas and raspberries)
- Olive oil
“Oprah’s ability to influence her audience’s behavior is legendary, and retailers should take note of these recommendations, as they may influence purchasing behavior across the U.S. Our LabelTrends service, which tracks health claims of nearly every food product that passes through U.S. cash registers, will analyze data for these foods later this year; if we see a significant spike in sales of the products highlighted on the show, we may be able to attribute that to Oprah,” said Tom Pirovano, Director of Industry Insight at Nielsen.
