Leading food and beverage manufacturers and providers have decided it's time to change the way they advertise to kids. And after yesterday's announcement that the group had created new guidelines for child-oriented advertising, that's exactly what they intend to do.
The companies taking part in this self-regulation exercise include McDonald's, The Coca-Cola Co., Campbell Soup Co., Cadbury Schweppes USA, General Mills, The Hershey Co., Kellogg Co., Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever.
Advertising targeted to kids has become a hot button issue as more children have been classified as overweight, and as chronic diseases once almost exclusively confined to adults, such as Type 2 diabetes, have become more common.
The rules the companies agreed to abide by include limiting the use of popular children's characters, such as Shrek, SpongeBob Squarepants and Little Mermaid, in ads promoting foods that do not have a healthy profile.
The companies have also agreed to not advertise in elementary schools and to make sure online "advergames" are used to promote healthy food products and/or ways to become more fit.
"Today's announcements are another significant step in combating obesity, as companies use advertising to promote healthier products and healthy lifestyle messages to children and adults," said C. Manly Molpus, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, in a press release. "We congratulate the CBBB (Council of Better Business Bureaus), NARC (The National Advertising Review Council) and the many food and beverage companies that participated for their efforts to provide consumers with the tools they need to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle."
Not everyone saw the announcement as reason to cheer. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told The Associated Press, "The only changes from the status quo in these guidelines occur at the fringes. If a 'healthy lifestyle message' means that Ronald McDonald is pedaling a bike while peddling junk food, that message still does more harm than good."
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, an outspoken critic of food company advertising directed towards kids was encouraged by the announcement and said he would monitor the companies' progress.
"If employed successfully, this could be a good first step," he said. "But the program leaves companies significant leeway to continue marketing unhealthy foods to kids."
Discussion Question: What is your reaction to the announcement yesterday regarding voluntary rules for advertising food products to children?