We are constantly reminded of the role our supporters play in opposing exploitive practice of child-targeted marketing. Here is another example.
Tanya Palacio, a CCFC supporter from Silver Spring, Maryland, was upset to see Disney and DreamWorks’ characters on the Stonyfield Organic yogurt she purchases for her kids. She shared with us this email she sent to Stonyfield:
Our family have been long time customers of your yogurt (and milk). I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old. Your company’s philosophy about making organic healthy food really resonates with me. However, I see that you are now having Disney advertisements on your yogurt. It’s disappointing to see a wholesome company succumb to marketing to children. Your product is awesome and you don’t need Disney or DreamWorks to sell it. Now when my kids eat your yogurt they are asking about Frozen and the Transformers. Why can’t yogurt just be yogurt? I am a member of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. It’s an organization that strives to keep marketers from advertising to children. Children and parents are just looked upon as consumers. Every opportunity is used to get us to buy something. This practice of putting advertisements on children’s products is disheartening to me. So our options are to remove the yogurt from the container before giving it to our children or simply find another brand.
We could not have said it better ourselves! It’s sad that Stonyfield puts profits from these corporate partners ahead of the welfare of kids, who are vulnerable to these enticements to buy toys and see movies.
Tanya told me, “I hope they are receptive to my comments and make a change.” We hope so, too. Because, as Tanya reminds us, no child should be forced to consume ads along with their yogurt.