January 25, 2023
Disney Bans Junk Food Ads From TV
- by Wayne Friedman , June 5, 2012
Walt Disney will announce a radical plan to ban junk food and other high-calorie kids' food commercials from its networks and stations -- all of
which will initially hurt TV advertising sales.
Although Disney says there will be some lost advertising revenue, the company says health food marketing will grow. The new plan will include kids' morning programming on ABC stations.
The New York Times, which broke the story, says under the plan, products like Capri Sun drinks and Kraft Lunchables meals -- both current Disney advertisers -- will no longer accept TV advertising on their media platforms.
Disney says it will introduce something called "Mickey Check" in grocery stores, which are Disney-licensed products that meet certain limits on calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar. It will display a logo consisting of Mickey Mouse ears and a checkmark on their packaging.
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The ban on junk food ads will expand to Disney theme parks, where the company promises to reduce sodium levels for products that it serves. There will be a TV marketing campaign to support the effort.
Disney’s ad restrictions apply to any programming targeted to children under 12. This will include animated programming and live-action programming.
Wonder if they will stop selling giant Turkey Legs (which you see 8 yr olds strolling down Disney Parks with..usually with a Parent eating one too)
I'm not sure how effective this move will be in stopping childhood obesity and diabetes but we have to start somewhere. Kudos to Disney for trying, interesting if others will follow in their footsteps.
I find it interesting that the two examples of products that won't be allowed on Disney both have "attempts" at trying to be healthier. Capri Sun has 25% less sugar than leading juice brands and Lunchables new fare of an offering of "with fruit" instead of sugary snack or PB & Jelly on Whole Grain. What about cereals???
I'm afraid I see this as more marketing hype than any attempt at curbing obesity. Disney has a hot topic where they can be seen as being socially responsible, so they're jumping on the bandwagon along with everyone else. These bans will have no effect on childhood obesity at all.