Ronald McDonald, Tony the Tiger and a host of other kid-friendly corporate characters are pitching fast food and sugary cereals to the 12-and-younger set in more places than just Saturday morning television commercials.
According to a study released Wednesday by children’s advocacy group the Kaiser Family Foundation, 85 percent of the top food brands targeting kids through television ads are also reaching out to them online.
Web sites with games, sweepstakes and other brand-centric features aimed at young consumers are an increasingly popular strategy for marketing to children, the study found.
“Food companies are really undermining parents’ ability to feed their kids healthy diets,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The study, which is the first comprehensive look at online advertising aimed at children, looked at ways corporations such as Kraft and Kellogg’s market their products on the Internet. Online games were the most popular, with 73 percent of the Web sites reviewed offering some type of interactive game, most prominently featuring the company’s product.
In the United States, where 17 percent of children are obese, the online ads are a disturbing trend, officials in the nutrition community said.
“[Online advertising] is a double-whammy,” said William Dietz, director for the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “It not only promotes unhealthy foods, but it also promotes inactivity.”
Corporate representatives played down online advertising’s contribution to the epidemic of overweight children.
“All of the experts agree that there are many different factors that contribute to childhood obesity,” said Nancy Daigler, vice president of corporate and government affairs for Kraft Foods. Daigler said Kraft is constantly reassessing its marketing practices and works to promote healthier fare to its customers.
“[Online advertising] certainly is a way we talk to consumers, but it’s a small part of the marketing mix, especially to children.”
What is an advergame?
» An advergame is an online game that features corporate branding. For example, General Mills cereal Lucky Charms has a game on its Web site that lets players ride Lucky’s “Wild Chocolate Mine.” Cheetos lets players navigate a space ship or surf with Chester Cheetah, while M&M’s has trivia games for kids.
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
