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June 28, 2007
Contact: Josh Golin (857-241-2028; josh<at>commercialfreechildhood.org)
For Immediate Release
Transformers Marketing: More than Meets the Eye
Hasbro, DreamWorks Target Preschoolers with
Violent PG-13 Movie; CCFC calls for FTC Probe
Citing the widespread and irresponsible marketing of the PG-13
Transformers movie to preschoolers, the Campaign for a
Commercial-Free Childhood called on the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) to expand their investigation of the
marketing of violent entertainment to children to include
PG-13 movies. The film, which opens on July 4, 2007, was rated
PG-13 for “intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief
sexual humor, and language” by the Motion Picture Association
of America (MPAA). A review by CCFC found more than one
hundred Transformers’ toys for children under six; Transformer
promotions by Kraft and Burger King clearly aimed at young
children; and advertisements on children’s television
programming rated appropriate for kids as young as two.
“It is extremely disappointing that Hasbro and DreamWorks
would choose to promote a film to preschool children that the
industry deems inappropriate for anyone under the age of
thirteen,” said CCFC’s Dr. Susan Linn, author of Consuming
Kids. “In their cynical attempt to wring every last dollar
from one of this summer’s blockbusters, these companies have
shown little regard for children’s well-being or parents’
desires to limit their children’s exposure to violent
entertainment.”
Every single one of the one hundred and twenty-nine Hasbro
Transformers toys reviewed by CCFC came with a recommended age
younger than thirteen. Seventy-two of these products (56%) are
recommended for children as young as five; an additional
thirty-two toys (25%) are recommended for children as young as
four; thirteen toys (10%) are recommended for children as
young as three. A toy promotion at Burger King is also for
children three and up.
“The sheer volume of toys aimed at preschoolers is likely to
deceive parents into believing that the film is appropriate
for young children,” said Dr. Linn. “Since every Transformers
toy is an ad for a PG-13 movie, the toys should carry a
similar rating.”
CCFC also found advertising for the Transformer movie, toys,
and Burger King promotion during children’s programming on the
Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Over the past thirteen
months, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) – the
advertising industry’s self-appointed watchdog – has found
advertising for five different PG-13 films during children’s
television programming, but no disciplinary action was
announced. Because CARU is unwilling or unable to stop the
marketing of violent PG-13 movies to young children, CCFC is
calling on the FTC to intervene.
“As long as there are millions of dollars to be made by
advertising PG-13 movies to young children, the film industry
will continue to ignore CARU’s recommendations,” said CCFC’s
Dr. Allen Kanner. “This is just the latest indication that
decades of self-regulation has failed. If we really want media
companies to stop marketing violent entertainment to children,
we need a regulatory body that has the authority to actually
enforce its own regulations.”
Since 2000, the FTC has issued regular reports on the
marketing of violent entertainment to children. Those reports,
however, only examine the marketing plans of R-rated movies.
In a letter sent today to FTC Chairperson Deborah Platt
Majoras, CCFC urged the Commission to:
• Expand its investigation of marketing violent entertainment
to include the targeting of PG-13 movies to younger children.
• Launch an investigation of the blatant and irresponsible
marketing of Transformers to preschool children through toys,
food promotions and television advertising.
• Work with the media and toy industries to establish a
consistent set of ratings for toys and the media they are
based on and to establish clear, enforceable guidelines for
the marketing of PG-13 movies.
The complete text of CCFC’s letter can be found at:
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/pressreleases/transformersftcletter.pdf.
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