Kellogg’s ads targeted by campaign group Parents Jury
Cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s has been named the main villain at the Fame & Shame Awards, organised by campaigning group Parents Jury.
It’s the fourth year running that Parents Jury has singled out Kellogg’s for what it claims is “one of Australia‟s worst junk food marketing campaigns to target children”.
However, Kellogg’s points out that it is a signatory to the industry’s codes of practice on marketing of food to children and abides by those standards.
The two Kellogg’s products singled out Parents Jury were LCM snack bars which won the “Pester Power” award and Nutrigrain, which won the “Smoke and Mirrors” award.
JWT is Kellogg’s ad agency.
According to Parents Jury, the LCM campaign is “distasteful”, while Nutrigrain is “promoting the sugary cereal as being good for young boys who want to become iron men”.
However, a spokeswoman for Kellogg’s told Mumbrella that the LCM ad targets parents, with the media schedule focused on family shows such as Seven’s Packed To The Rafters and Nine’s Two And A Half Men, rather than kids’ shows. Nutrigain ads target teenagers. She added: “We take our responsibilities seriously. Nutrirional information appears clearly on the product labelling.”
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Presumably, Kellogg’s is unaware of Ironwomen – it’s campaigns for Nutri-Grain are monumentally sexist.
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I’m more troubled by two and a half men being considered a family show than I am by either of these ads.
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Who elected this Parent’s Jury? Can we have a re-vote?
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um, they have a LONG way to go judging by that first ad. That was intern material
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“It’s the fourth year running that Parents Jury has singled out Kellogg’s for what it claims is “one of Australia‟s worst junk food marketing campaigns to target children”.”
Yes, they basically just change the dates on the same old press release year in, year out.
Who are the Parent’s Jury? I mean, specifically. What is their motivation? How many members do they have? What is their ultimate aim? What are their qualifications to make these judgements?
And why doesn’t anyone who prints their press releases year in year out, ever ask these questions?
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Won’t somebody think of the advertisers?!?
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A quick Google search reveals the following: http://www.parentsjury.org.au/
I think Kellogg’s should be ashamed of themselves, but not more so than any other marketer of junk food to the ignorant (Maccas etc). Nutrigrain is actually around 1/3 sugar – how on earth can they claim it to be suitable for ‘iron men’?!
Just because they put the ads on during shows that are more what parents are expected to watch doesn’t mean they don’t target kids. I love how they consider ‘serious’ responsibility for advertising involves simply abiding by legislation for labelling… it’s still junk Kellogg’s, hello!
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@Anon and @Rascal
My sentiments exactly! Who are these so called doers of public good?!
I demand we sack them and start again with actual ‘real’ people (or those without lofty standards that the rest of the world can never hope to live up to!)
Parent’s Jury my butt! Where’s my invite?!
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i just looked at the website. It’s an online forum and anyone can join … you know … just saying … it might be interesting if …
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A Current Affair ran an editorial piece last week showing families the best fast food bargains from the big fast food chains. That trumps Kellogs!
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Thanks Mooky. I’m aware of the website. Doesn’t prove anything except that they know about web design and using the web as a means of disseminating information. How many people does it take to manage that? 2? 3?
And as for the ‘support’ they get from various health bodies, what exactly does that mean? Money? Research assistance? A nice letter on letterhead?
If the Parent’s Jury are so enormous in influence, then someone reading Mumbrella or any other newspaper they’ve been quoted in, must know someone, or of someone who’s involved? Someone apart from Mooky?
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Gotta love the advertising lobby. Defending the indefensible.
Tobbaco industry anyone?
Selling Hardy Bros products.
Bring on the new series of The Gruen Factor to expose these frauds.
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It’s elementary my dear Watson.
What is indefensible about advertising products that are perfectly legal for sale?
When a majority of the population decide that a bowl of Special K is simply too risky to eat and therefore the product shouldn’t be on the shelves then we’ll stop advertising it.
Just maybe the frauds are groups such as The Parent’s Jury who seem to think they represent the majority of the population. How many members are there? How do they vote on these awards? I didn’t seem then on my votine paper last polling day.
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@ Holmes, According to your logic, it’s ok to promote the legal propaganda of Nazism and Pol Pot. Have you no morals? Ah right, it’s legal.
Your patronising, condescending reply says alot about you and the advertising industry.
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No, that was not my logic. I was merely pointing out that the products you rail against are legal and for sale all around the country. They are also consumed by millions upon millions of consumers exercising their choice. I am neither condoning nor condemning the products. Should you passionately believe that these products should not be for sale take it up with government, politicians and food regulators. I am sure that once they find a scintilla of evidence of their medical malfeasance then they will act. Until then, let’s get on with our lives.
Your equating of LCMs in the lunch box with the genocide of Nazism and Pol Pot beggars disbelief and offends my high moral standards.
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Watson…
er..bring on the new series of Gruen transfer to expose the frauds.
because Todd Sampson’s gonna speak from a position of strength – you do realise Leo Burnett get’s 30% of it’s global revenue from Philip Morris (including some in Australia), that Diageo is their second biggest client and that the only reason they don’t work on Maccas any more is because they weren’t as good as DDB.
not saying there’s anything wrong with this…just that the Gruen Transfer is a group of heads who are part of the industry, not some higher standard
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It doesn’t seem to matter either way, Kellogs advertising is so awful that it can’t possibly be effective.
If it’s not effective then it can’t be harmful can it?
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Holmes: You’re right. How dare these people assert an opinion on product quality or the real value of food. Legal or not, Kellog’s is a disgrace, and its advertising promotes rubbish as healthy food. Don’t care? So what? At least someone’s offering an alternative to Kellog’s line of bull.
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As much as my instinct says don’t comment on a post after Nazism is brought up…
Think we’ve lost the point a bit here. The question isn’t whether these products are rubbish, it’s whether they’re positioned as something they’re not (Nutri-Grain), or using dubious methods of promotion (LCMs).
…hope i don’t hurt myself getting off this high horse.
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Kellogs deserved the award, it’s like getting a Razzie, suck it up, take your award and try to laugh it off as if it didn’t hurt.
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Well said dark nightie… Since when was the Gruen transfer anything other than a means for Denton to make money from advertising
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by the way before anyone gets too excited about a Gruen mauling from the Todd Leo Burnett… is Kellogg’s major agency worldwide
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