Why Is Michelle Obama Hawking Soda at Costco?

https://www.thecut.com/article/michelle-obama-selling-soda-costco.html

When I think of a famous person hawking a beverage amid us common folk, there are some names to come to mind. Bella Hadid went to Target to promote Kin, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are always shilling their tequila, and at any given moment in this country a Real Housewife is at a liquor store signing bottles of poorly made wine. It’s all part of the hustle, I get it — but it’s not something you’d expect to see, say, America’s favorite First Lady getting up to.

Nonetheless, Michelle Obama was at a Costco in Livermore, California, earlier this week promoting her new line of healthy kids drinks, PLEZi FiZZ. Roll the tape.

Someone get her a microphone, please! Even one of those silly at-home karaoke mics would be better than watching her yell, “This is a healthy drink,” at a big (but not huge) group of onlookers.

Were you unaware that the former First Lady was the co-founder of a healthy soda brand for kids? I was, too. PLEZi —yes, that’s how it’s stylized — is the continuation of Obama’s efforts to make sure kids are as healthy as possible. PLEZi (the more juice-forward option) and PLEZi FiZZ (the “soda”) are a “worry-free alternative” for kids who might otherwise get hooked on Dr. Pepper. “It’s got less sugar, less sweetness, and more nutrients like fiber and potassium than you’ll find in many drinks out there,” Obama wrote in a letter on the website.

Of course, I respect Obama’s commitment to keeping kids off of high-fructose corn syrup or whatever. At the same time, it’s concerning that even Michelle Obama has a side hustle. If they’re making her go to the furthest reaches of the Bay Area suburbs to put in a shift … oh baby, the recession is coming.


https://www.thecut.com/article/michelle-obama-selling-soda-costco.html

Michelle is also entering the single use market; her drink packaging will be clogging up the planet for centuries to come. Plezzi juice boxes, cans, etc, all disposable waste that is unnecessary.

Anonymous wrote:Stop holding black women to your white beauty standards. Thank you.

This is DCUM, there are no beauty standards -- white, blacks, yellow, or purple. Have you not seen local women in the wild?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop holding black women to your white beauty standards. Thank you.

I agree.

She looks rough but we should stay on point as to why she is peddling this drink .

Fact: She's 60 years old and looks a lot better at 60 than the overwhelming majority of you did or will at 60.

And at least she isn't peddling stupid grifty garbage like tacky overpriced, poorly-made gold sneakers like your guy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13865621/amp/michelle-obama-throws-soda-costco-warehouse-california.html

Michelle Obama surprised crowds at Costco when she was spotted giving a sales pitch for her new healthy drink, Plezi Fizz, at a Costco in Livermore, CA.

A TikTok video posted on Tuesday showed the former first lady standing in front of a stockpile of the drinks that were launched in March.

Have you tried her new drink? I have never even heard of it.

This is definite UN "Becoming"! The Obama's are millionaires since he left office and this is just greed and tacky.

LOL - so says the person who is fine with Trump hawking one failed scam or product after another -

Trump University
Trump Vodka (he supposedly doesn't drink)
Trump Steaks
Trump Magazine
Trump Airlines
and... ugly, gaudy, overpriced golden sneakers



Seriously, you people are in no place whatsoever to be judging Michelle Obama. None.

And you say Trump is awful for doing these things while Michelle is a-MAZE-ing! Guess she’s awful too?

You have that backwards. You have been saying Michelle is awful for doing this, right from the start and all throughout this thread, but you had nothing to say about Trump doing things that are demonstrably even worse, which has only been illustrated here for the very first time. That makes you the disingenuous hypocrite, which you have been, right from the start. It says nothing about anyone else here. And now you want to whine about whataboutism. That's your second fail.

I’m a conservative - what is wrong with you people? The woman created something and is now selling it. If you aren’t interested, walk on by. If you are conservative too, shame on you. She’s out there in person marketing and selling what she’s created. That’s work and should be respected.

Anonymous wrote:Stop holding black women to your white beauty standards. Thank you.

I agree.

She looks rough but we should stay on point as to why she is peddling this drink .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Studies report that kids are drinking way more sugar-sweetened beverages now despite years of health guidance against doing so. Guidance to just drink water or milk is clearly not resonating for a large portion of the population. Kids are people, and people are biologically programmed to like sweet treats.

I hate stevia as a sweetener, but this is a better sweet beverage than something like a Capri Sun or Gatorade or especially a soda. Probably even better than straight juice from a glycemic impact perspective.

Harm reduction is the name of the game here. I approve.

Agree. I don't think her target population is the typical DUMC parent. Low income kids are huge consumers of sugar-sweetened drinks. This stuff is available at Walmart and Safeway, not Whole Foods. I think she's trying to appeal to a demographic that typically doesn't have a lot of healthier options. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/6420/76-of-low-income-children-regularly-drink-sugar

Uh-huh. And how much is she charging the low-income consumer for her sugary drink? Ridiculous. If she was trying to influence low-income families to eat better, she should have thrown her weight behind either water or actual orange juice.

She already has done that — with her efforts to improve school lunches. She was blasted by quite a few people, including many who viewed her goals as “unrealistic “.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13865621/amp/michelle-obama-throws-soda-costco-warehouse-california.html

Michelle Obama surprised crowds at Costco when she was spotted giving a sales pitch for her new healthy drink, Plezi Fizz, at a Costco in Livermore, CA.

A TikTok video posted on Tuesday showed the former first lady standing in front of a stockpile of the drinks that were launched in March.

Have you tried her new drink? I have never even heard of it.

This is definite UN "Becoming"! The Obama's are millionaires since he left office and this is just greed and tacky.

Maybe, although my first thought, as the country has become increasingly polarized, was : what would it cost to provide ongoing security for Sasha and Malia — indefinitely? Through no fault of their own, they will both be potential targets for violence. They’re now living independently. Maybe the Obama’s are either covering the costs of security— or want to be in a position to do so, should it be urgently needed.

It’s quite possible that grief and the recent loss of Michelle’s mother has changed a lot for this family— including what it takes for some of them to feel safe and secure. I’m granting Michelle a lot of grace with this one, until I learn a reason to do otherwise.

FWIW, I’m also in the camp that views this as an extension of Michelle Obama’s longtime efforts to encourage “better” dietary choices, and get that while this product is not going to be “better” for everyone, but it will be “better” for some.

To add: This reminds me of Jackie Kennedy after her husband was assassinated. She said that if Kennedys were getting killed, then her children would be targets. So she married a very rich old man — who owned his own island, and was able to provide security on multiple levels. Michelle is creating multiple income streams, and, as someone who knows quite a bit about racist backlash, she’s preparing for a future that will either include the first female/first Asian/ first Black female president or a reign of terror with Trump and Vance. Both options are likely to raise serious concerns about security for Michelle Obama and her family.

Stop holding black women to your white beauty standards. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13865621/amp/michelle-obama-throws-soda-costco-warehouse-california.html

Michelle Obama surprised crowds at Costco when she was spotted giving a sales pitch for her new healthy drink, Plezi Fizz, at a Costco in Livermore, CA.

A TikTok video posted on Tuesday showed the former first lady standing in front of a stockpile of the drinks that were launched in March.

Have you tried her new drink? I have never even heard of it.

This is definite UN "Becoming"! The Obama's are millionaires since he left office and this is just greed and tacky.

Maybe, although my first thought, as the country has become increasingly polarized, was : what would it cost to provide ongoing security for Sasha and Malia — indefinitely? Through no fault of their own, they will both be potential targets for violence. They’re now living independently. Maybe the Obama’s are either covering the costs of security— or want to be in a position to do so, should it be urgently needed.

It’s quite possible that grief and the recent loss of Michelle’s mother has changed a lot for this family— including what it takes for some of them to feel safe and secure. I’m granting Michelle a lot of grace with this one, until I learn a reason to do otherwise.

FWIW, I’m also in the camp that views this as an extension of Michelle Obama’s longtime efforts to encourage “better” dietary choices, and get that while this product is not going to be “better” for everyone, but it will be “better” for some.

Anonymous wrote:

Can SNAP recipients use their SNAP to buy the coins?

Good for her!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Studies report that kids are drinking way more sugar-sweetened beverages now despite years of health guidance against doing so. Guidance to just drink water or milk is clearly not resonating for a large portion of the population. Kids are people, and people are biologically programmed to like sweet treats.

I hate stevia as a sweetener, but this is a better sweet beverage than something like a Capri Sun or Gatorade or especially a soda. Probably even better than straight juice from a glycemic impact perspective.

Harm reduction is the name of the game here. I approve.

Agree. I don't think her target population is the typical DUMC parent. Low income kids are huge consumers of sugar-sweetened drinks. This stuff is available at Walmart and Safeway, not Whole Foods. I think she's trying to appeal to a demographic that typically doesn't have a lot of healthier options. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/6420/76-of-low-income-children-regularly-drink-sugar

Uh-huh. And how much is she charging the low-income consumer for her sugary drink? Ridiculous. If she was trying to influence low-income families to eat better, she should have thrown her weight behind either water or actual orange juice.

Anonymous wrote:Studies report that kids are drinking way more sugar-sweetened beverages now despite years of health guidance against doing so. Guidance to just drink water or milk is clearly not resonating for a large portion of the population. Kids are people, and people are biologically programmed to like sweet treats.

I hate stevia as a sweetener, but this is a better sweet beverage than something like a Capri Sun or Gatorade or especially a soda. Probably even better than straight juice from a glycemic impact perspective.

Harm reduction is the name of the game here. I approve.

Agree. I don't think her target population is the typical DUMC parent. Low income kids are huge consumers of sugar-sweetened drinks. This stuff is available at Walmart and Safeway, not Whole Foods. I think she's trying to appeal to a demographic that typically doesn't have a lot of healthier options. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/6420/76-of-low-income-children-regularly-drink-sugar