07/24/07 Advertising Junk Food to Kids

How dumb does cooperate America think we are? In a recent PR stunt that is merely a preemptive attempt to keep from being slapped with legislation limiting junk food ads to children, the large conglomerates like General Mills, Kellogg and Kraft all got together for a group hug and decided not to advertise sugary products to children. Hogwash! While they would like us to believe it is all about the welfare of our kids, in reality the big dogs save money on their advertising budgets. Like they were negotiating over NBA players Coca Puff will remain a Saturday morning stable airing on "children's" television with just 12 grams of sugar while Trix, with 13 grams is ousted over one teeny weenie tiny gram of sugar more than Coco Puffs. We are talking One gram! Did anyone consider the size of the cereal bowl? No longer for kids, it has been strategically negotiated so the poor Trix Rabbit can still peddle his product on programming deemed "family" without any problems. The limits of food making the cut to be peddled to children are laughable and a crafty PR stun. Let's not be dumb enough to buy into it.