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Should cereal companies be forced to stop advertising to children?

Should cereal mascots be banned?

  • Yes

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • No

    Votes: 28 84.8%
  • It depends

    Votes: 4 12.1%

  • Total voters
    33
Why? Unhealthy cereals and alcohol are both bad for you, so there's no fundamental difference between the two. It's just a question of whether the health consequences are as severe (and I don't know if they are).

Red herring AND apples and oranges. Since tobacco and alcohol are already illegal to give, yet alone sell to minors, there is no real comparison.

Still no link from verifying the OP, not surprised.

Not from the original poster, no ( as opposed to the original post) but someone else DID provide a link verifying the premise of the OP, unless you are going to be picky about the Obama detail. Here it is again along with the link to the post.

 
Of course. Everything should be banned. Goldfish should be banned. Conservatives should be banned. Anyone who speaks ill of the current president should be banned. Happy Meals should be banned. Cigarette advertising should be banned. Political advertising should be banned. Hey, I had to throw in one I like. Ban bird feeders, ban chickens, ban private property, ban books, ban music, ban computer games.

Cereal? Give me a break. My kids didn't fix breakfast. I did. Damn it, your kids can eat pizza as mine did.
 
I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo

Cereal mascots should not be banned. As a matter of fact companies should be able to use what ever mascots they want assuming they own the copyright on that mascot.

If little Timmy or little Suzy are lard asses it is not because of the cereal or any other food that they are eating.The reason Little Timmy and Little Suzy are lard asses is because of the sedimentary lifestyle. Playing video games,sitting at home watching tv, playing on the computer and chatting and texting on cell phones burn little to no calories.
 
I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo

obama does not want to ban cereal mascots. where did you get your information ?
 
He said he didn't get it from Rush Limbaugh. Maybe Glenn Beck or Alex Jones?

i read the article from the ap.......it says that the marketing change is a suggested, voluntary guideline.

Cereal Killers? New Gov’t Guidlines May Soon Restrict Cereal Marketing to Kids | TheBlaze.com

Under guidelines obtained by The Associated Press, companies would be urged to only market foods to children ages 2 through 17 if they are low in fats, sugars and sodium and contain specified healthy ingredients. The government is planning to propose the voluntary guidelines Thursday, according to three people familiar with the process who were not authorized to speak publicly.

btw......this was written in April.
 
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I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo
What, exactly do you not believe, sir ?
That our children are fat and our parents are irresponsible, cannot think for themselves ?
Or , do you wish for things to continue as is, without doing anything ?
This, I believe ..
Our children, from new born babes are fed a bunch of crap that does promotes poor health, the parents have quite the chore to combat this.
Our President is correct, he is trying to do the best thing - a lot more than I can say about most previous presidents.
 
I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo
And this you heard from right-wing extremest radio ??
 
I know of two mascots that have done far, far, far more damage than Tony the Tiger.

Political_Mascot_Icons_by_bloodmyst.jpg


They've killed far more of our kids than Tony the Tiger has and at a far earlier age.
 
Cmon, cereal mascots have nothing to do with obesity...tony the tiger was there before I was a kid...and my generation wasnt overly obese....this is very simple...this is whats making kids OBESE..

Worthless Parents...not just poor parents, but rich parents that are clueless what their kids are doing
Playing Wow and Xbox instead of playing hide and go seek and Ringalario
Cell phones and texting instead of walking to each others houses....or "meeting up somewhere" to talk...

SOCIETY is making kids fat ass's....not Mickie Ds or Tony the tiger

And the "mascot" thing is questionably valid. Learned in a marketing class long ago why candy is displayed on low shelves at the checkout counter. Why sweet cereals are often placed on low shelves in super markets. Mascots are about identification. Ban them, and it'll just shift to "eat Redbox cereal, its way better than Blue Box". Limit their tv and they'll identify with fewer mascots.
 
What, exactly do you not believe, sir ?
That our children are fat and our parents are irresponsible, cannot think for themselves ?
Or , do you wish for things to continue as is, without doing anything ?
This, I believe ..
Our children, from new born babes are fed a bunch of crap that does promotes poor health, the parents have quite the chore to combat this.
Our President is correct, he is trying to do the best thing - a lot more than I can say about most previous presidents.

Me? I believe that you and I have not had any children and I know for a fact we don't share any parents. My children weren't fat. If yours were, you should have been doing a better job.

Now, what should "we" do about "your" children? Well, we should try, as futile as it might be, to educate you. To teach you that proper nutrition for your children is your responsibility. Not ours. Not the government's. Yours. We might start by setting a good example. I know, quit giggling. The government? Set a good example? A politician? Set a good example? I know. It's silly.

Again, perhaps you're feeding your children crap. That's "your" problem, isn't it? I'm sorry you think the hive has to stop you.

Our president is a control freak. He hates being president and prays to have at least the power of a Hugo Chavez or a Fidel Castro but preferably more like Stalin, Mao, or Pol Pot. I am not in favor of giving him any more power than he has already usurped.
 
Of course. Everything should be banned. Goldfish should be banned. Conservatives should be banned. Anyone who speaks ill of the current president should be banned. Happy Meals should be banned. Cigarette advertising should be banned. Political advertising should be banned. Hey, I had to throw in one I like. Ban bird feeders, ban chickens, ban private property, ban books, ban music, ban computer games.

Cereal? Give me a break. My kids didn't fix breakfast. I did. Damn it, your kids can eat pizza as mine did.

Banning persuasive tactics of any kind is never going to really fly, because it clearly infringes on free speech. The only real solution I see is to educate away from it. We need a "masked magician" for marketing techniques, because it is much the same. Once you know the tricks they don't fool you anymore. You already know where the rabbit is.

(And pizza has all four food groups. Definitely a balanced breakfast!)
 
I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo

Do you have a link to that or are you just making **** up off the top of your head?

In the end it's absurd to ban these things, they've been around for decades. It makes no one fat, the parents are the one's who buy and spoon out portions so they are at fault. But sometimes I don't know what's real and what's not with people's claims these days. "I heard Obama....."
 
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So anyone who has ever eaten a burger is unqualified to have an opinion on whether or not they should be marketed to kids? Should tobacco/alcohol companies be allowed to market their products to kids? If you answer anything other than "yes," I presume you have never smoked tobacco or drunk alcohol in your entire life, right?

Actually I haven't. I've never smoked (and couldn't even if I wanted to because of severe allergies) and I have never drank alcohol. We had a kid up the road from us who would stay at our house because his grandfather would get drunk and beat him up, so I vowed never to touch it. I also came from a fairly strict family. My father was a preacher and my mother was a preacher's kid, so I got a double dose of strict religious parental upbringing. I think what VanceMack is saying is that Obama is showing hypocrisy when he starts complaining about our kids getting fat and then going to McDonalds and chowing down on a double quarter pounder with cheese. Obama also smokes, so he really doesn't have room to talk on that issue either.
 
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What, exactly do you not believe, sir ?
That our children are fat and our parents are irresponsible, cannot think for themselves ?
Or , do you wish for things to continue as is, without doing anything ?
This, I believe ..
Our children, from new born babes are fed a bunch of crap that does promotes poor health, the parents have quite the chore to combat this.
Our President is correct, he is trying to do the best thing - a lot more than I can say about most previous presidents.

The little smiley at the end of the post should tell you what I think on the issue. I was also the first vote in the poll. I simply opened it up for discussion to see what other people thought.
 
Do you have a link to that or are you just making **** up off the top of your head?

In the end it's absurd to ban these things, they've been around for decades. It makes no one fat, the parents are the one's who buy and spoon out portions so they are at fault. But sometimes I don't know what's real and what's not with people's claims these days. "I heard Obama....."

We have an absurd President.
 
I heard about this one recently. It seems Obama wants to do away with Toucan Sam, Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and the other mascots who attract children to certain cereals because he claims they are making our children fat. :lamo

My husband loves Honey Smacks and junk like that. He also collects cereals that have his favorite characters on them - like limited edition with Bart Simpson.

I, however, don't buy any of this stuff because I adhere to a limit of (at most) $2.00 per box - not a penny more. What's funny, here, then, is that PARENTS go shopping and buy stuff - the kids just ask for it - the parent must give in. If I bought what everyone in this house wanted I'd spend $30.00 on cereal every damn week - absolutely NOT.

Aside that: trust me, many unhealthy foods don't use such characters to advertise. Stuckmeyer's adverises to adults with 'indulge yourself' and sells their fabulously tasting junk in bulk packaging. I buy loads of 'cherry lovers' and pig out for a few weeks arond Valentine's Day.

But when if, then, they do this witch-hunt against foods - don't they realize that a lot of othe stuff is just as unhealthy - they just don't shrowd theirselves behind cartoon imagery to sell their products? Chef Boyardee straight out lies saying 'it's good for you' when it's packed with more sodium per serving than a load of bacon.

:shrug:

And heavens help me when it gets cold - it's homemade toffee 'til the cows come home.

Look - people will make healthy choices if they want to. IF THEY WANT TO - regardless of advertisement regulations and stuff like that.
 
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Even if he's wrong about Obama, there have been research studies that conclude that children pick cereals based on recognizable, popular characters. So on that premise alone, should we ban characters on cereal all together, or use that knowledge to sell "healthier" cereals?

Link Sound Medicine: How Kids Choose Cereal

That may be true the first time but if they don't like the cereal they won't buy it again.

Maybe the govt should make all cereal taste like Shredded Wheat or make a law saying all mothers must make a hot breakfast for the kids.
 
That may be true the first time but if they don't like the cereal they won't buy it again.

Maybe the govt should make all cereal taste like Shredded Wheat or make a law saying all mothers must make a hot breakfast for the kids.

My kids LOVE shredded wheat - the big bricks of it that you have to crumble up. MMM MMM Some strawberries or bananas = child heaven.
 
I think sugary cereals are much better than something like Corn Flakes.

When I was a kid I loaded my Corn Flakes with a ton of sugar but if I would have had the sugary cereal, the level of sugar would have been measured.

The gov't should just stay out of peoples kitchens. Are they going after chocolate next? That will be a war they can't win. Women will be at the front fighting that one.
 
My kids LOVE shredded wheat - the big bricks of it that you have to crumble up. MMM MMM Some strawberries or bananas = child heaven.

You are kidding right? If you are not can you train my kid too?
 
You are kidding right? If you are not can you train my kid too?

Nope - but it's expensive as hell so I don't buy it often.

My kids love that stuff - and crush it up into a cup of yogurt . . . did you know heaven could fit into a cup?
 
Nope - but it's expensive as hell so I don't buy it often.

My kids love that stuff - and crush it up into a cup of yogurt . . . did you know heaven could fit into a cup?

I have eaten it and came to the conclusion that tree bark is cheaper and has about the same taste.
 
Start young, don't give them a choice. ;)

Unfortunately kids have minds of their own. They will choose what they like and don't like.

My son does not choose his cereal by any advertising or cartoon character, it is not all that prevelant in Mexico, he chooses it by the taste.
 
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