UK Junk Food Ban Bleeds into All Media
The UK just extended a TV ban on junk food ads to magazines, newspapers, billboards, film and the Internet. The restrictions, which apply to virtually all foods but fruits and vegetables, are for ads targeted at those under 16.
Chairman Andrew Brown of the Committee on Advertising Practice states, "These comprehensive new rules are designed to help protect children's health while still allowing advertisers an appropriate degree of freedom to promote their products."
Let's latch onto this "appropriate degree" thing for a minute and ask ourselves to what degree it's appropriate to put milkshakes (which continue to colour our happiest sunshiny days) on a par with cigarettes. Hello? Parents? Hello?
Comments
This is pathetic. Why are people too stupid to decide for themselves what media and products they consume?
Why? Because marketing works. People like us make sure it does. And children's ability to self-select doesn't yet.
I don't know who I despise more... The companies who make money off children's backs (and growing butts) or people like us who enable it with our ideas and creativity.
Frankly, I don't think it's such a bad thing for us to have to show a little restraint when it comes to marketing the crap out of crap in front of society's most impressionable minds.