The Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and the National Advertising Review Council (NARC) are for promoting better advertisements for children. Recently companies like Campbell Soup, Hershey Company, Kraft foods and McDonald's all agreed to be involved. Right now more then 2/3 of children's food and drinks are advertised on t.v. The goal is to teach children healthier eating styles and an all around better diet for their lives. That teaching them good habits at a young age will stick with them when they are adults.
There are two main agreements which are self-regulation program approval of significant revisions to the self-regulatory guidelines and to monitor advertisement for children under the age of 12. The main point amongst the other companies is that they will promote healthier things on t.v. and all around advertisements. One of the rules is that the companies are not allowed to advertise food or drink products in elementary school. I think this is a great idea! The less children see of advertisement of unhealthy things the better it will be for them.
In the next 6 months we should see these companies doing what they agreed to do. I think it will be interesting to see how the companies are going to promote healthier foods. How they have to rethink there ideas. I am hoping that it will be a success. I do have doubts about if all the companies will stick to the rules and guidelines of the CBBB and the NARC. For it is going to be a huge change now that they have to really think about what they are going to advertise especially since they did sign a contract.
I wish the idea of promoting healthier eating habits on t.v. and all around advertisements would have happened sooner. For we have known for quit some time now what is healthy and what is not for our bodies. I feel as if we would have did this earlier children would be a lot better off. Though people have to remember children do as they see. So if it is a success that the companies do show healthier advertisements I hope the adult will show the same examples. I feel as though the child will benefit hugely if this is done.
http://www.bbb.org/Alerts/article.asp?ID=728
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4 comments:
I agree with what you're saying, but what I don't understand about the whole "Advertisement and TV viewing" is, the targeted group of children being "protected" can't even go to the store to buy the stuff. I really believe it's the parent/guardian who has the bulk (99%) of the responsibility to 1)monitor what is viewed, 2)instill morals and good eating/buying habits, and 3) the person responsible to purchase healthy items for their children. I don't feel the advertiser has a great deal of responsibility in implementing good eating habits. They are providing a product, good or bad, and do have the responsiblity of indicating it's nutritional value, but to enforce them to "instill" good eating habits is ridiculous. That's the parents responsibility, and it shouldn't be shrugged off onto food makers.
I agree that parents need to take on the responsibility of teaching good eating habits, not the TV. There is a general understanding of what is "good for you" and "bad for you" when it comes to food but it's easy to forget children with specific food allergies and other personal nurtritional requirements. The TV isn't aware of those special considerations, only parents are.
I really like the idea of removing advertising from elementary schools. It will be interesting to see if the companies actually follow through. I believe food and beverage advertisers are incredibly influential on the eating habits of young people. However, in order for these mandates to have complete effect on children’s eating habits there has to be positive reinforcement in the home and the community. Fast food eateries and convenience stores with sodas are rampant in low income communities. So while the kids are eating healthy at school and not being influenced by advertisers within their communities and home is a different story.
I do agree that the parents are the sole responsible for their children’s good eating habits, but these CBBB guidelines are meant to help parents do their best for their children. Those advertisements were directed to the children under 12, and it will have an effect on them when they become old enough to buy. These guidelines are voluntary self-regulations that those companies have volunteered, and I hope the result will be a positive one.
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