Several consumer groups, including the Center for Digital Democracy and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, have produced a new Report on how businesses are using new technologies to market foods and beverages to children. Among the technologies are cell phones, instant messaging, social networking sites, blogs, games, and videos available at video web site such as YouTube. Because parents are less likely to use some of these technologies, they are probably less aware of the marketing techniques and consequently might not discuss them with their children. Indeed, some of the techniques seem designed to evade parental scrutiny. A quote:
KFC used a high-pitched tone as a promotional "buzz" device for a recent "interactive advertising campaign." The MosquitoTone™ was embedded in TV commercials to launch KFC's new "Boneless Variety Bucket™." In its press release, the company explained that the popular cell phone ring tone "is too highpitched for most adults to hear because most people begin to lose the ability to hear high frequency tones starting at age 20. This is a fact not lost on young Americans who seek the sound for clandestine ring tones that don't turn the heads of nearby adults." In the TV commercial, the secret sounds were designed to attract the attention of young viewers and "drive" them to a Web site, where they could enter a contest to identify exactly where the tones could be heard in the ad, in order to win $10 "KFC gift checks" redeemable for the new chicken meal at any KFC. The company's chief marketing officer called the innovative buzz campaign "the 21st Century dinner bell."
I wonder what KFC did with the resulting list of people who could hear the cell phone ring. The Report lists many other examples of the use of the new technologies and describes marketing techniques that I, at least, had never heard of (my favorite name was "viral video"). You have to admire the ingenuity of marketers and their ability to find new opportunities, but as the father of teenagers who use many of the technologies (I often find it hard even to use the blog-posting technology, as this posting may demonstrate), I find it anxiety-provoking. The Report calls upon the FTC and Congress to look into the matter and to develop new rules for marketing food and beverages to children.
Thank goodness the consumer groups are watching this stuff though it's too bad the agencies that regulate them don't do as well. It's stuff like this that proves that self regulation will never work.
Posted by: Jeremy | Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 08:09 AM