Kellogg Makes A Sweet Change
June 20, 2007

It may have taken threats of lawsuits from parents and nutrition advocacy groups along with pressure from the Federal Trade Commission, but nonetheless, Kellogg Co., the largest cereal maker in the world, is planning massive marketing and recipe changes for many of its products.

Known for flagship brands like Sugar Frosted Flakes (yes, "theeeeeeey're Great!"), the company says it will no longer promote foods in the media to audiences in which the majority of viewers are under 12 unless the specific products meet a wide range of new standards. These include caps on the number calories and amount of sugar and sodium an item can contain.

At first glance, the new amounts are definitely a move in the right direction. For instance, sugar will be limited to about a maximum of 35% of the product's total content.  That may still seem outrageously high, but considering some cereals (and not necessarily only Kellogg brands) push 50% total sugar, this is a substantial improvement.

The company plans to actually reformulate many of its products as well, so they will meet the new nutrition levels. According to news reports, the plan should be in effect by the end of 2008, and the new standards will affect about half of the company's products that are marketed to children.

But what's even more interesting is the food company's determination to change the way they advertise their products to children. For instance, reporter Barrie McKenna from Washington writes in Toronto's Globe and Mail that the company has also, "vowed to stop using cartoon characters, such as Shrek or Tony the Tiger, for products that fall short of the new standard."

Other changes cited in a report from the Canadian Press on June 14, 2007 include ceasing advertising any foods in schools and preschools that have children under the age of 12, no more sponsor placement of any of its products in any medium primarily directed at children under 12, and no licensed characters in ads or on the fronts of food packages unless they meet the new nutrition guidelines (although, according this report, it appears this will exempt Kellogg owned characters, like Tony the Tiger).

Kellogg is doing a good job in getting ahead of what is likely to come in the future. In October 2006, the Federal Trade Commission announced the government might soon require food manufacturers to reveal the amount of marketing dollars they spend promoting their products to children and adolescents. The Commission has requested input on the issue from various stakeholders and has been met with a supportive response, including the American Medical Association. The decision was spurred by a report from the Institute of Medicine in December 2005 that indicates marketing practices of food and beverage companies were "out of balance with recommended healthful diets."

In their Fact Sheet titled Preventing Childhood Obesity: Advertising, Marketing and the Media, the IOM provides numbers that are nothing short of staggering. Young consumers spent more than $27,000,000,000 in 2002 on foods and beverages! The food and beverage manufacturers spent between $10 to $12 billion to reach those young consumers. $1 billion was spent on direct media advertising, primarily television. Another $4.5 billion was spent on youth-targeted promotions like coupons and contests. $2 billion was tossed into youth-targeted public relations (the IOM Fact Sheet does not define what this specifically means), and another $3 billion truly goes into the dump -- it was spent on packaging designed for children.

Noting that more than half of television advertisements directed at children promote foods and beverages such as candies, fast food, snack foods, soft drinks, and sweetened breakfast cereals that are high in fat and low in fiber, the Fact Sheet points out that, at this point, advertising still has not been directly linked to childhood obesity, but the institute does remind us that the immersive marketing environment in which our children live does alter their choices -- both directly and indirectly through their parents -- about foods, beverages, and what they do with their free time.

It could be argued any advertising that doesn't convince its audience to purchase the featured products isn't giving the sponsor value for their money. But the difference here is the age of the audience. Children have not developed the critical thinking skills to know and understand when something is being sold to them without their best interest at heart. With the lead Kellogg Co. is taking, hopefully other contenders for the appetites of our nations' youngest customers will do likewise.

Rod Gustafson

Besides writing this column for the Parents Television Council, Rod Gustafson authors Parent Previews® - a newspaper and Internet column (published in association with movies.com) that reviews movies from a parent's perspective. He's also the film critic for a major Canadian TV station, various radio stations and serves on the executive of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. Finally, his most important role is being the father to four wonderful children and husband to his beautiful wife (and co-worker) Donna.

Parenting and the Media by Rod Gustafson

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org

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