The obesity issue is suffering growing pains. Some ideas in front of the food industry to fight obesity are sticking, others are hitting the fan. And I’m watching, fascinated. Here’s my big fat idea. Those in suspect segments (fast food, candy, salty snacks, etc.), join the anti-obesity team. Yes sir. Admit that your products aren’t always so “good for you.” Next, limit some of the things you’re doing and channel some of your funds into cause marketing that supports a healthy diet and exercise. Then promote that for all it’s worth, showing that you’re a team player.
Actually, I didn’t just think that up. It’s a summary of what the candy industry is doing. The National Confectioners Association (NCA) – with its member candy manufacturers – has adopted a set of guidelines for advertising candy to children under the age of 12. The association has posted the stunning summary of guidelines on its website. You can read it at www.candyusa.com. Basically, it discourages companies from advertising to kids, and if they do, they agree to balance their sales pitches with a message of a healthy diet and exercise.
The question is, how have candy companies responded to the limitations? Are they maligning their association? Are they squawking about their First-Amendment rights? Amazingly, no. Mars Inc., the huge candy manufacturer, has posted its support of those guidelines and has taken them even further. It has agreed to not advertise snack products, including candy, to kids under age 12. Instead it will direct its ads to adults and those over age 12. It won’t use kids in its ads unless they are in an active family setting. It won’t place vending machines with snack foods/candy in primary schools. It won’t use a celebrity or third-party licensed character (like Big Bird) to appeal to kids. And on and on.
On the flip side, the company has invested more than $1 million in Kids Café, a program of Feeding America, the country’s largest network of more than 200 food banks. Other candy companies are also contributing to great healthy-kid causes.
Now, let’s change gears and talk about fast food. There’s a proposal in San Francisco to ban toy giveaways in fast-food meals with fatty foods. (Think Happy Meals.) The concern behind it is that toys bribe kids into buying unhealthy meals.
How is a fast-food company to respond? Malign the person making the proposal? Squawk about First-Amendment rights? I read an interview in QSRmagazine.com (from the September 2010 issue) with the CEO of a kid marketing agency for the restaurant industry. He’s in the squawk and malign camp. (His company supplies restaurants with toys.) He’s organizing a campaign for restaurants in San Francisco to put up table tents explaining the proposed toy ban and asking consumers to be equally outraged. The article quotes him as saying “We’re getting ready to release a television commercial … on this issue and explaining that it’s an elimination of choice and parental rights. Our next step is to probably arrange some sort of protest with signs…”
So his company supplies the toys. Let’s give him some space. But if I was a restaurant owner sitting across from him, I’d smile, nod and tell him to have a nice day. Then I’d find out what I could do (or what my chain is already doing) to help the anti-obesity/pro-healthy kid cause and get behind it. The issue is not your First Amendment rights. The issue is kid nutrition and health. Channel your efforts there. You’ll make more friends. What do you think?
Jody Shee
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