Ads being band

An article in the Free Fance-Star discusses the results of advertising junk food to kids. It found that today twice as many kids in america have become overweight since the 1980's. Two groups, The International Obesity Taskforce and Consumers International, this month have proposed different limitations that should be put in place to restrict ads. 

They suggest banning ads for junk food on TV and Radio between 6 am and 9pm. They want to have no ads for junk food on websites, social networks, and cell phone text messaging. There should be no promotion of unhealthy foods in schools. They also want to restrict companies from being allowed to give out free gifts and toys to children with unhealthy foods, such as a happy meal toy from McDonalds.  

The article explains that today advertising towards kids has gone passed a jingle for a product, like the oscar mayer wiener song. Instead products use kid movies and TV characters, like dora the explorer, on their packages to attract young kids. Yet, marketers also attract kids more subtlety such as placing an ad in a movie through product placement and having the camera zoom in on the brand. 

Results found in the published studies from the university of Minnesota researchers has shown that children start requesting certain brands by the age of 2. Kids between 2-7 see around 12 ads a day for food. The scary part is that kids under the age of 8 can not tell the difference between a gimmick and the truth. This means they believe everything they are told.

I agree with these advocacy groups. Young kids are highly influenced by the ads they see. It is the marketers in these industries jobs to protect children today from the obesity that is on a rise.