Posted on 01/19/2006 4:10:03 AM PST by SheLion
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A consumer group wants to keep Tony the Tiger from promoting sugary cereals on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon show or anywhere else kids are watching.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest said on Wednesday it would sue Kellogg Co., the maker of cereals such as Frosted Flakes, and Viacom Inc., which runs the Nickelodeon cable network, if the companies do not change some marketing practices aimed at children.
The Center said letters had been sent to Kellogg and Viacom saying it would settle for a commitment from the companies within 30 days rather than sue.
But, the Center added, if its demands were not met, a lawsuit would be filed asking a Massachusetts court to stop the companies from marketing junk foods in venues where 15 percent or more of the audience is under age 8, and to stop promoting junk foods through Web sites, toy giveaways, contests and other techniques aimed at that age group.
"The industry has had decades to clean up its act, but instead it has only intensified its marketing," the Center's executive director, Michael Jacobson, said at a news conference, where he displayed crackers, cookies and other snacks dotted with television characters.
The proposed lawsuit would mark the latest attempt to battle the growing obesity crisis in the United States through the courts. The would be plaintiffs, including the Center, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and two parents, assert Kellogg and Viacom could be forced to pay billions of dollars in damages if found liable in a trial.
A widely watched lawsuit filed in 2002 accused fast food leader McDonald's Corp. of using misleading advertising to lure children into eating unhealthy foods. McDonald's has called the lawsuit frivolous and parts of the case have been dismissed.
KEEPING KIDS AWAY FROM JUNK FOODS
If a suit were filed, it would contend that Kellogg and Nickelodeon are harming children since the overwhelming majority of food products marketed to them are high in sugar and fat.
"It's hard for a parent to compete with so many ads making junk food fun and cool," Sherri Carlson, a mother of three who would be a plaintiff in a lawsuit, told reporters. "Although I have a strict policy against junk cereals in my house ... this doesn't stop my children from asking me for them, especially after seeing enticing ads."
Nickelodeon said in a statement that it is "an acknowledged leader and positive force in educating and encouraging kids to live healthier lifestyles," and that it would continue to encourage advertisers to provide balanced marketing.
The company said it has also licensed its characters for "good-for-you" products, such as a deal that has SpongeBob characters on packages of Grimmway carrots.
A Kellogg spokeswoman said the company just learned about the proposed action, but would "continue to educate and inform consumers of all ages about the importance of both balanced nutrition and physical activity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle."
The Center said that, of 168 ads for food that appeared on Nickelodeon during a review in the fall, 88 were for foods with poor nutritional quality. Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants appeared on packages of Kellogg's Wild Bubble Berry Pop-Tarts, which the Center categorized as junk food.
The findings follow a study released last month that found ads influence the foods preferred by children, especially the very young.
The Center's Jacobson said his group was forced to threaten a suit because federal regulators and Congress would not enforce laws against deceptive or harmful marketing.
"The (Federal Trade Commission) and Congress have failed to protect families from commercial exploitation," he said.
The FTC's chairman, Deborah Majoras, has said she opposes the idea of imposing new regulations to ban or restrict children's food advertising and marketing.
Majoras has opposed the idea of imposing new regulations on the industry, instead urging more self-regulation and further efforts to educate parents and children about nutrition.
"If there is evidence of illegal deception in specific advertising, the FTC, the states' attorneys general, and the industry's self regulatory bodies can all take action," said Lee Peeler, deputy director of the agency's consumer protection bureau.
(With reporting by Kenneth Li in New York, Nichola Groom in Los Angeles, Susan Heavey in Washington and Jessica Wohl in Chicago)
I am asking Anheiser-Busch to immediately stop advertising its products anywhere an alcoholic might see such ads.
ping for later.
Pan_Yan and I were discussing last night, that no matter what the advertising has been like for soda, we have always been able to keep our kids away from it. No means NO! Why is it SOME PARENTS refuse to take responsibility in their own kitchens, and demand that the government control everything? IMHO, these parents do NOT know how to make a good example... maybe they should forfeit their parenting rights. (Like that'll go over big!)
And I am going to write to NASCAR telling them to STOP the advertisement of LIQUOR on the race cars. FOR THE KIDS you know.
I don't want the KIDS to see all that beer and liquor advertisements on the race cars. What's up with that?!
Nothing against Kellogg or any other cereal maker, but all cereal is junk food.
I have seen this with the war on the smokers. When someone doesn't like the SMELL they want it BANNED. When certain people do not like something, they want government intervention.
This garbage thinking has to end!
Won't be long and we will all be marching in jack boots wearing little brown shirts. This disgusts me SO much!
Good point. And I would like more honest advertising by the rats.
That can not possibly be true. You could have said all cereal that tastes good is junk food.
Be right back, I'm going to go pour a bowl of grape nuts.
When I was young I saw an ad that said chit was good for you. I've been eating it ever since.
Every time I do my monthly grocery run and walk down the cereal aisle I am reminded of what was available when I was a kid. The only “kids’ Cereal” I remember were Maypo, Sugar Smacks, Frosted Flakes, Wheaties, Cheerios and Quaker Puffed Wheat, or Quaker Puffed Rice. I usually had Wheaties, Shredded Wheat or Quaker Puffed Wheat (endorsed by Sergeant Preston of the Mounties!).
Now the cereal aisle is the length of the store and packed with brightly colored boxes displaying well known cartoon characters – with the highest sugar content cereals low enough to be within easy reach of the spoiled brats who rule their home.
My 92-year-old dad is flying out on a private jet tomorrow morning to start a five day stay on someone's yacht in the Bahamas and he is bringing along his special cereal mix and prunes.
That's about it!
I didn't realize 8 year olds were rushing to the grocery stores to buy these products...
*Liebral battle cry.
He must be doing something right!
“Creative Marketing”, like the candy displays at the checkouts.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.