From Campaign for a Commerical Free Childhood:
Today, the Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Center for Digital Democracy released a new report that documents how major food, soft drink and fast food brands are deploying a panoply of new techniques--including cell phones, instant messaging, video games, user-generated video, and three-dimensional virtual worlds--to target children and adolescents, often under the radar of parents. The report - "Interactive Food & Beverage Marketing: Targeting Children and Youth in the Digital Age" - is available at http://www.digitalads.org/
The report is a wake-up call for policymakers and anyone concerned by the escalating epidemic of childhood obesity. Even as junk food marketers claim to be cleaning up their act, the food industry is exploiting the latest technologies to target children in new and insidious ways.
A coalition of advocacy groups - including CCFC -- submitted the report to the Federal Trade Commission today, calling on the agency to expand its investigation of food and beverage marketing to include the full of range of digital marketing to children and adolescents.
Examples cited in the report include:
To "create a compelling way to connect with the younger demographic," 600 McDonald's restaurants in California launched a mobile marketing campaign, urging young cell phone users to text-message to a special phone number to receive an instant electronic coupon for a free McFlurry dessert.
Coca-Cola's "My Coke Rewards" program offers special codes in its products that enable young people to access a website, where they can earn such rewards as downloadable ring tones and "amazing sports and entertainment experiences." This technique is part of a strategy for behavioral profiling, where marketers compile a detailed profile of each customer, including demographic data, purchasing behavior, responses to advertising messages, and even the extent and nature of social networks.
Food marketers are commercializing online communities by aggressively moving into MySpace and other social networking sites. One technique is to create "branded profiles" that invite children and teens to become "friends" with popular spokescharacters. "Welcome to the King's Court," beckons the Burger KingMySpace profile. "The virtual home of the Burger King. He's giving away free episodes of the Fox shows '24,' 'Pinks,' and 'First Friend.'"
Wendy's placed several "commercials masquerading as videos" on YouTube, specifically designed to attract "young consumers." In one viral video, "Molly Grows Up"--which generated more than 300,000 views--a young girl is shown ordering "her first 99-cent Junior Bacon cheeseburger and Frosty."
The Mars candy company enlisted the musical group Black Eyed Peas to make a series of "webisodes" called "Instant Def," in order to promote Snickers bars to teens, an example of brand-saturated environments that weave products seamlessly into interactive entertainment content.
To learn more, please visit http://www.digitalads.org/.
Thanks,
The Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=347609204&url_num=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.commercialfreechildhood.org%2F
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Two Angry Moms Talk about School Lunch
FOOD FIGHT
THE SCHOOL LUNCH REVOLTION WILL BE TELEVISED
www.thefamilygroove.com (May 2007)
Asthma. Allergies. Type II diabetes. Obesity. Behavioral issues. Many of us are aware of these conditions because children we know are afflicted by one or more of them. And while it seems like we as parents have no control over these conditions affecting our children, in reality, we do. We know that by paying attention to what our children are eating and helping them to make healthier choices at home, we can make a difference in our children’s health. But what happens when your kids aren't at home?
In their documentary, Two Angry Moms, about the battle to change school lunch programs across the nation Dr. Susan Rubin, a dentist, holistic nutritionist, founder of Better School Food (www.betterschoolfood.com) and mother of three, and Amy Kalafa, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, health counselor and mother of two, have drawn a line in the cafeteria sand, exposing what your children are being served five days a week, the long-term effects of such poor nutrition and the fight they've encountered while seeking to foster a school lunch revolution.
Additionally, these two angry moms traveled across the country filming examples of school food programs that do work, proving that change is possible. The movie highlights the fact that when communities support local farms, when kids get connected to where their food comes from, when school buying power is used to promote educated, healthy children, there is a positive effect not only on our children, but on the environment and on everyone in the community.
Here our resident nutrition expert, holistic health counselor Kelly Scotti talks to Dr. Susan Rubin, one of two women on the front lines of our children's future.
Why should parents care about the food served in school?
Schools have a responsibility to create a healthy, supportive environment for kids. Schools that model better food on campus report higher test scores, fewer behavioral problems and less absenteeism.
Studies have shown that what kids eat now will impact their lifetime eating habits. Since one to two meals a day, five days a week for nine months of the year are eaten at school, there is a significant connection to the what children are served at school and their overall health and nutrition for the rest of their lives.
If those school-based habits are poor, then our children could suffer from ill health, nutritional deficiencies, depression, disease and more, especially if those habits are not counteracted in the home. Additionally, the sad reality is that even if children have healthy habits at home, many times they have no healthy options in school. The fact is that most schools buy the cheapest food they can, so even the healthiest at-home eaters are forced to eat poorly for a quarter of their childhood (notwithstanding those that bring their lunches).
“We need to flood our schools with fresh whole fruits and vegetables. Partner with the local farms and get fresh, inexpensive produce for schools. Limit the processed foods that are allowed to be served at school. And maybe even outfit school kitchens with cooks and appliances so things can be made from scratch with quality ingredients. At a minimum, mandate full nutritional disclosure for school foods to allow for informed parental decisions,” says Dr. Rubin.
Dr. Rubin also tells us that many children suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder, where there is a disconnect between a child’s understanding of food and where it comes from, causing them to make poor nutritional choices. Many children nowadays don't know that meat comes from animals like the cows they see on the way to school, salad leaves grow in the ground or that apples grow on trees. Only when that disconnect is addressed through education and hands-on experience can we see children taking more of an active role in making good food choices. In schools and at home, we can teach our children about planting their own food and let them take ownership for helping to feed themselves and their families.
What is so bad about school food?
School foods have lots of harmful ingredients, such as hydrogenated or poor quality oils, trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified fillers and tons of sugar. Schools are not required to disclose the ingredients or additives in the food they serve. Nowhere on the weekly lunch menu in an average school in America is an ingredient list provided for each (or any) of the food choices offered daily, so many parents choose their kids' meals blindly, not knowing if the choice they make is a healthy one. For most parents, the only way to ensure their kids’ meals are healthy is to pack lunches for them; however, brown bag lunch is a luxury not afforded to many children in America.
In addition to the obvious lack of nutrients and overabundance of junk food our children are being plied with on a daily basis, one must consider the message all this poor nutrition is sending to our impressionable youth. (What does a 10 to 15-minute lunch period tell them about the importance of proper eating habits?)
Dr. Rubin emphasizes that this movie-come-movement is not about taking cupcakes away from school parties, it's about ensuring that a core basis of nutrition is available to our children in schools. Rubin says “it’s not just about taking out the bad stuff. You’ve got to put good food in, along with food education. The food IQ of parents, children and the schools needs to be raised.”
Why can’t someone else change the system?
As Rubin and Kalafa have found through experience, the system is hard to change for a number of reasons. State and federal legislation is too slow and food industry lobbyists have too much clout. Food service companies make too much money serving poor quality, nutritionally deficient food. And school boards don't feel that the school lunch program is a priority, as they have so many other issues with which to deal.
What can you do?
So then, it comes down to the parents to foster the school lunch evolution. Contact your congressman and tell him to support the Farm Bill (click here to find out about the Farm bill). Contact your school board and let them know you want healthy, fresh food served at your children’s school. Let your demands be known and make your voice be heard.
Texas Agriculture Secretary Susan Combs said it’s going to take two million angry moms to change school food. Rubin and Kalafa were the first two to wage the fight—now it's up to you to join the battle.
Want to be one of the two million Angry Moms? Go to www.angrymoms.org.
Two Angry Moms will be in select theaters this summer and available everywhere via DVD.
THE SCHOOL LUNCH REVOLTION WILL BE TELEVISED
www.thefamilygroove.com (May 2007)
Asthma. Allergies. Type II diabetes. Obesity. Behavioral issues. Many of us are aware of these conditions because children we know are afflicted by one or more of them. And while it seems like we as parents have no control over these conditions affecting our children, in reality, we do. We know that by paying attention to what our children are eating and helping them to make healthier choices at home, we can make a difference in our children’s health. But what happens when your kids aren't at home?
In their documentary, Two Angry Moms, about the battle to change school lunch programs across the nation Dr. Susan Rubin, a dentist, holistic nutritionist, founder of Better School Food (www.betterschoolfood.com) and mother of three, and Amy Kalafa, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, health counselor and mother of two, have drawn a line in the cafeteria sand, exposing what your children are being served five days a week, the long-term effects of such poor nutrition and the fight they've encountered while seeking to foster a school lunch revolution.
Additionally, these two angry moms traveled across the country filming examples of school food programs that do work, proving that change is possible. The movie highlights the fact that when communities support local farms, when kids get connected to where their food comes from, when school buying power is used to promote educated, healthy children, there is a positive effect not only on our children, but on the environment and on everyone in the community.
Here our resident nutrition expert, holistic health counselor Kelly Scotti talks to Dr. Susan Rubin, one of two women on the front lines of our children's future.
Why should parents care about the food served in school?
Schools have a responsibility to create a healthy, supportive environment for kids. Schools that model better food on campus report higher test scores, fewer behavioral problems and less absenteeism.
Studies have shown that what kids eat now will impact their lifetime eating habits. Since one to two meals a day, five days a week for nine months of the year are eaten at school, there is a significant connection to the what children are served at school and their overall health and nutrition for the rest of their lives.
If those school-based habits are poor, then our children could suffer from ill health, nutritional deficiencies, depression, disease and more, especially if those habits are not counteracted in the home. Additionally, the sad reality is that even if children have healthy habits at home, many times they have no healthy options in school. The fact is that most schools buy the cheapest food they can, so even the healthiest at-home eaters are forced to eat poorly for a quarter of their childhood (notwithstanding those that bring their lunches).
“We need to flood our schools with fresh whole fruits and vegetables. Partner with the local farms and get fresh, inexpensive produce for schools. Limit the processed foods that are allowed to be served at school. And maybe even outfit school kitchens with cooks and appliances so things can be made from scratch with quality ingredients. At a minimum, mandate full nutritional disclosure for school foods to allow for informed parental decisions,” says Dr. Rubin.
Dr. Rubin also tells us that many children suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder, where there is a disconnect between a child’s understanding of food and where it comes from, causing them to make poor nutritional choices. Many children nowadays don't know that meat comes from animals like the cows they see on the way to school, salad leaves grow in the ground or that apples grow on trees. Only when that disconnect is addressed through education and hands-on experience can we see children taking more of an active role in making good food choices. In schools and at home, we can teach our children about planting their own food and let them take ownership for helping to feed themselves and their families.
What is so bad about school food?
School foods have lots of harmful ingredients, such as hydrogenated or poor quality oils, trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified fillers and tons of sugar. Schools are not required to disclose the ingredients or additives in the food they serve. Nowhere on the weekly lunch menu in an average school in America is an ingredient list provided for each (or any) of the food choices offered daily, so many parents choose their kids' meals blindly, not knowing if the choice they make is a healthy one. For most parents, the only way to ensure their kids’ meals are healthy is to pack lunches for them; however, brown bag lunch is a luxury not afforded to many children in America.
In addition to the obvious lack of nutrients and overabundance of junk food our children are being plied with on a daily basis, one must consider the message all this poor nutrition is sending to our impressionable youth. (What does a 10 to 15-minute lunch period tell them about the importance of proper eating habits?)
Dr. Rubin emphasizes that this movie-come-movement is not about taking cupcakes away from school parties, it's about ensuring that a core basis of nutrition is available to our children in schools. Rubin says “it’s not just about taking out the bad stuff. You’ve got to put good food in, along with food education. The food IQ of parents, children and the schools needs to be raised.”
Why can’t someone else change the system?
As Rubin and Kalafa have found through experience, the system is hard to change for a number of reasons. State and federal legislation is too slow and food industry lobbyists have too much clout. Food service companies make too much money serving poor quality, nutritionally deficient food. And school boards don't feel that the school lunch program is a priority, as they have so many other issues with which to deal.
What can you do?
So then, it comes down to the parents to foster the school lunch evolution. Contact your congressman and tell him to support the Farm Bill (click here to find out about the Farm bill). Contact your school board and let them know you want healthy, fresh food served at your children’s school. Let your demands be known and make your voice be heard.
Texas Agriculture Secretary Susan Combs said it’s going to take two million angry moms to change school food. Rubin and Kalafa were the first two to wage the fight—now it's up to you to join the battle.
Want to be one of the two million Angry Moms? Go to www.angrymoms.org.
Two Angry Moms will be in select theaters this summer and available everywhere via DVD.
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