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Jul 21, 2008 12:58pm
In 2007, the Big Fat companies (after the Big Tobacco) decided, after intense marketing sessions, to publicly limit their advertising to children. The move was so bold that New York Times reported on it. That same year, Ad Council, the Government and the Big Fat teamed up for an awareness campaign on obesity - their solution - Shrek. Now Which? comes out with their latest report on how the Big Fat is only playing with numbers, taking from one place and adding to another. Their marketing budgets are not decreasing, far from it. They are just being re-allocated to new mediums, more modern and as deadly as TV.  The seriousness of all this makes me laugh. I keep picturing their meetings when they talk about how to keep selling and at the same time appeal to the public’s concern. If you want to have an idea of how it must be, check DirecTV’s new line up of commercial.  On Ad Council’s obesity awareness campaign website, there is a page listing all the partners. Among them are Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogs, Kraft, McDonald, Del Monte, General Mills, Hershey, and Cartoon Network - who survives only because of those companies. Children for them are Billions and Billions in revenue. They will not only do everything to look like they are listening and care for children, but they will also do everything to make sure they maintain and expand that market. They will not lower their marketing budget, only re-allocate it. And increase it.

In 2007, the Big Fat companies (after the Big Tobacco) decided, after intense marketing sessions, to publicly limit their advertising to children. The move was so bold that New York Times reported on it. That same year, Ad Council, the Government and the Big Fat teamed up for an awareness campaign on obesity - their solution - Shrek. Now Which? comes out with their latest report on how the Big Fat is only playing with numbers, taking from one place and adding to another. Their marketing budgets are not decreasing, far from it. They are just being re-allocated to new mediums, more modern and as deadly as TV. 

The seriousness of all this makes me laugh. I keep picturing their meetings when they talk about how to keep selling and at the same time appeal to the public’s concern. If you want to have an idea of how it must be, check DirecTV’s new line up of commercial. 

On Ad Council’s obesity awareness campaign website, there is a page listing all the partners. Among them are Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogs, Kraft, McDonald, Del Monte, General Mills, Hershey, and Cartoon Network - who survives only because of those companies. Children for them are Billions and Billions in revenue. They will not only do everything to look like they are listening and care for children, but they will also do everything to make sure they maintain and expand that market. They will not lower their marketing budget, only re-allocate it. And increase it.
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