Kellogg's scores 'hat trick of shame' in childrens marketing report

Kellogg's has the dubious honour of being responsible for Australia's worst junk food advertising, according to the Parent's Jury Fame & Shame Awards.

In a press release headlined 'Hat trick of shame for Kellogg's Nutri-Grain', Parent's Jury singled out the cereal for being advertised as a "good option for young boys who want to grow into Iron Men."

Nutri-Grain was given the 'smoke and mirrors' award - for making unhealthy products appear healthier than they are - for the third time. The award for pester power went to Kellogg's LCMs 4D choc brand.

Kellogg Australia & New Zealand Corporate Communications and PR Manager, Gareth Lucy countered by stating "we will leave others to judge the credibility of these awards and we will continue the work we have been doing to improve our foods and our marketing."

The Parents' Jury Manager Corrina Langelaan, explained that "the industry may be getting smarter about getting around its self-regulatory code, but parents tell us they are fed up with unhealthy food advertisements being shown during their kids' favourite (TV) programs. It's unfortunate the same names keep producing well-funded advertising campaigns, influencing kids of all ages.

"With one in four Australian children considered to be overweight or obese, it's no longer enough to simply tell parents to say no. We as a society have to take a stand and tell the industry its codes are not good enough."

Last month, Kellogg's launched a pre-emptive PR strike in anticipation of its poor performance in the awards. The PR campaign included the release of a video to highlight how the company's advertising has changed since the 1990's.

McDonald's won the award for 'Bad Sport' for featuring Shane Warne's endorsement of Chicken McBites.

Kellogg's video response to the Parent's Jury Fame & Shame Awards can be seen by clicking on the link below.
With thanks to Mumbrella.