2007 Children’s Television Food Advertising Awards

The Parents Jury held the third annual Children's Television Food Advertising Awards in October 2007.

The Children's TV Food Advertising Awards aims to raise awareness of the persuasive and misleading techniques used by advertisers to sell unhealthy food and beverages to children, and to recognise the advertisements that promote healthy food to children in a fun and appealing way.

The Parents Jury members were asked to nominate, and then vote on a short list of advertisements that are pitched to children, and screened during children's television viewing hours.

Held in Melbourne and hosted by Professor Boyd Swinburn, the 2007 awards featured family psychologist and author Steve Biddulph as a guest speaker, talking on the issue of food marketing behaviours.

We achieved successful media coverage of the event, including 12 print stories, 28 radio interviews and one prime time television news item.

The Award categories and winners were:

PESTER POWER AWARD
Many parents know too well what it's like to go shopping with their children who are nagging for them to buy a particular sweet treat or fast food meal. This nagging is also know as "Pester Power" and food companies are using increasingly sophisticated techniques such as toy giveaways, celebrity endorsements and cartoon character promotions to attract children.

THE PESTER POWER AWARE WINNER IS:
MCDONALD'S HAPPY MEAL - SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS TOY PROMOTION

THE RUNNERS-UP FOR THE PESTER POWER AWARD:
- M&Ms - Shrek competition
- Nestle Nesquik cereal - Spiderman 3 Web Squirters toy promotion



SMOKE & MIRRORS AWARD
Food and drink companies often use clever wording and phrases such as "99% fat free" or "no artificial colourings or preservatives" in their ads to make their product sound healthier than it actually is. This in turn appeals to parents who are trying to do the right thing and are looking for healthier alternatives. Food and drink companies may also promote themselves as good corporate citizens by associating themselves with children's sport or charities, when in actual fact they are promoting their brand and food products. In many cases these smart "Smoke and Mirrors" marketing techniques do not give you all the facts and can be misleading.

THE PESTER POWER AWARD WINNER IS:
KELLOGG'S COCO POPS COCO ROCKS

THE RUNNERS-UP FOR THE SMOKE & MIRRORS AWARD:
- Mainland Munchables Milk Protein Bars
- McDonald's - Get Active Campaign



PARENT'S CHOICE AWARD
While there are many unhealthy products being advertised on TV, we need to acknowledge and give credit to those food companies that promote their healthy food and drink products to children in a fun and appealing way.

THE WINNER OF THE PARENT'S CHOICE AWARD IS:
WOOLWORTHS FRESH FOOD KIDS

THE RUNNERS-UP FOR THE PARENT'S CHOICE AWARD:
- Farm Pride eggs range - Aussie Pride Collect-A-Thon
- Australian Avocados


Further information

Click here to download the Awards announcement media release "McDonalds scores a hat trick in the Parents Jury's Ad Awards".