Type | Margarine |
---|---|
Owner | Unilever |
Markets | Global |
Website | Becel (Canada) |
Becel is a brand of margarine produced by Unilever and sold in a number of countries. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic and Australia, the product is sold under the name Flora, in Brazil, Poland, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, and Turkey as Becel and in the United States as Promise.
The name Becel originates from the three letter acronym BCL (Blood Cholesterol Lowering). When introduced, the blood cholesterol lowering effect was achieved by modifying the triacylglycerol (TAG) profile of the fat used in the margarine: an increased level of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduces the blood cholesterol level (see e.g. A. Keys et al., Serum cholesterol response to changes in the diet. IV. Particular saturated fatty acids in the diet, Metabolism 14, 776-787 (1965)).
More recently, products were introduced under the "pro-activ" sub-brand. These products are based on the effects of plant sterols and sterol esters on blood cholesterol lowering (see e.g. M.B. Katan et al., Efficacy and Safety of Plant Stanols and Sterols in the Management of Blood Cholesterol Levels, Mayo Clinic Proceedings 78, 965-978 (2003)). In recent years the Becel/Flora brand has been extended to products other than margarine. Cooking oil, pot yoghurts and yoghurt drinks are some of the non-margarine products launched by Unilever under the Becel/Flora brand, all of which are designed to help lower blood cholesterol level.
2010 Academy Awards controversy
In 2009, Becel commissioned Sarah Polley to direct a two-minute short "to inspire women to take better care of that particular vital organ" [the heart].[1] A week before the short's planned premiere in Canada during a commercial break during the broadcast of the 82nd Academy Awards, Polley attracted headlines for taking her name off the film. Polley had understood that the film, titled "The Heart," would be used to promote the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, but was unhappy with the association with Becel. "Regretfully, I am forced to remove my name from the film and disassociate myself from it. I have never actively promoted any corporate brand, and cannot do so now."[2][3][4] In response, Becel said it was a "founding sponsor" of the Heart Truth campaign and had commissioned the film "to put heart health on the radar of Canadian women."[5]
References
- ^ Gayle MacDonald. "Sarah Polley's new work gets Oscar debut". The Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/sarah-polleys-new-work-gets-oscar-debut/article1399110/. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
- ^ Melissa Leong (2010-03-03). "The matter with The Heart is product endorsement". National Post. http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=2634726. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
- ^ Katherine Monk (2010-03-03). "Sarah Polley strips name from Oscar short". Vancouver Sun. Canwest News Service. http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Sarah+Polley+strips+name+from+Oscar+short/2633177/story.html. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
- ^ "Polley pulls name from sponsored film". CBC News. 2010-03-02. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2010/03/02/polley-heart-short-oscars.html. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
- ^ Jeromy Lloyd (2010-03-03). "CTV and Becel React to Polley's Rebuke". Marketing. http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/pr/article.jsp?content=20100302_171155_1920. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
External links
- Becel Brazil website
- Becel Canada website
- Becel Denmark website
- Becel Germany website
- Becel Netherlands website
- Becel Turkey website
- Promise (Unilever/Becel USA) website
- Flora Poland website
- Flora UK website