Will California’s New Menu Labeling Help Kids’ Health?

Congrats, wellness crusaders, the L.A. Times reports California is officially the first state in the nation to enact menu labeling policy for calorie count info on menu boards and food displays of chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets, phased in by 2011. (SB1420 fact sheet here and CSPI press release here) Wait a sec, didn’t we already approve this? I gave it 200% … [Read more...]

Youth Riffs On HFCS Ads: Web 2.0 Satire Is Snowballing

What do ants and rubber tree plants have to do with syrupy HFCS ads and high hopes for the future of youth media mobilization? Stay with me after the jump to find out... Last week I wrote about my teen's incredulous response to the patronizing propaganda sugar-coating the airwaves about HFCS, high fructose corn syup… Then I followed up with the dietary … [Read more...]

P.A.C.K. Week (Pack Assorted Colors for Kids) is ReBranded

Hands up if you’ve heard that TODAY is “pack purple day” to load lunchboxes with fresh blueberries, grapes, raisins, etc.? Um, yah, I thought not. Last year the "5-a-day" folks (now More Matters) launched a fun lil' marketing gimmick called P.A.C.K. week to color-code fruits and veggies, in an effort to raise awareness and consumption at school. So why … [Read more...]

What Sells: Infants As Fashion Statements and Joke Props?

Nope, not a Halloween costume...Just "Heelarious" consumption for the Carrie Bradshaw wannabes. Gosh, THIS is what merits a booking on The Today Show? Twice? (video of other 'outrageous offerings' after the jump) Yeah, yeah, I know, ‘get a sense of humor’...Relax. I realize babies in stiletto crib booties are intended to make folks smile (Pet Rocks had … [Read more...]

CCFC Successfully Knocks Sense Into Scholastic Re: Bratz Books

As an anti-censorship media maven, I’m always reticent about ‘book bans’ of any sort, except when they’ve devolved into sexualized slop like Bratz diva doll toxic commercialism with mind-numbingly vapid, unhealthy behavioral "bratitude" and streetwalker style objectification. I far prefer the commercial free book fairs sans media tie-ins (here's how … [Read more...]