U.S. food companies promise to limit ads for kids
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070718/hl_nm/food_children_advertising_dc
I've got a better idea.......why don't the U.S. food companies stop making "crap" for kids?! Then they could advertise however they want. They seem to be taking the wrong approach and yet they're still being applauded for it. The food still is, and always will be unhealthy junk! :P
Like this:
"PepsiCo Inc., which makes Frito-Lay snacks, Quaker Foods breakfast cereals and drinks such as Pepsi and Gatorade, will advertise only two of its products to children -- Baked Cheetos Cheese Flavored Snacks and Gatorade energy drinks --and said the ads will emphasize active lifestyles."
Those sound healthy! Baked Cheetos Cheese Flavored Snacks?! You don't need to be a chef to create the recipe for those....you need to be a *$^*%$& scientist!
"I would like the media industries to come forward with their own set of voluntary commitments," said Rep. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee.
Oh boy, I just love the whole: "We"ll just sit around and do nothing, but hope the problem will fix itself" approach
UGH this makes me so mad!!!!! When these companies make their own 'voluntary' program it's just to hide the fact that they need a real one!!
OH and McD's!?!?!? Double UGH
"McDonald's Corp. said 100 percent of its advertising primarily directed to children under 12 would further the goal of healthy dietary choices."
RIGHT. Healthy like, a new "DON'T EAT HERE!" campaign?
They aren't actually going to stop advertising to kids at ALL... just just tell them to make healthy choices??? What? HUh?
Thanks McD's but teaching kids to make healthy choices is a parent's job, so I'll take it from here... and trust me, your services won't be needed. ;)
Of course, you're right that they should just stop making/selling crap food to kids.
But when I read that they are going to stop targeting children under twelve, I hear them saying they can still target a twelve year old and still run the advertisement (e.g., commercials between cartoons on Saturday morning). Twelve year old, eight year old...not much of a difference if you ask me. It's just paying lip service--you just know it's a bunch of insincere bs. Kind of like the "war on drugs."
lmao!! yeah, "baked" is okay but "cheese flavored"?!?! at least if you're gonna eat dairy eat the real thing. sure, it will kill ya in the long run, but artificial cheese?! ???
i know it's not what you mean but I had to chuckle..... alot of us eat "artificial cheese" all the time.
I just think it's up to the parents. I ate fastfood a handful of times - literally - while growing up. Mainly when out with friends as a teenager. But, in growing up there was no junk in our house. And that included all processed sugar. So, for a long time, the only sweet stuff I had was honey and maple syrup. We didn't even eat desserts regularly. It was a special treat kind of thing, like on birthdays or holidays. But, normally it was a lot of whole grains and fruits/veggies.
My TV time was also limited. I came home from school, and my homework HAD to be done first. I was only allowed to watch two programs per week. So, basically, two hours of TV per week.
By the time I was 12, whenever I'd go to friend's homes for sleepovers, I'd refuse the cupcakes, candy, etc. Just because I wasn't used to it and it wasn't what I liked.
So, for me, commercials aren't really the problem. I don't know too many kids who can drive themselves to a fastfood restaurant and pay for it. I think good nutrition and active lifestyles start in the home, with the parents.
I'm with you, Ecstatic. We ate some meat growing up, but overall, we had healthy balanced meals. When I was a kid, I didn't know people went to restaurants during the week, because my parents always cooked. Going out to eat was a special celebration type thing...and hardly EVER fast food. Now, I did go through a rebellion phase when I first went to college...eating things I could never have at home, but when it really came down to it, I chose to eat the things my parents cooked for me as a kid (except the meat!)