Nick to Limit Use of Characters on Junk Food

NEW YORK, August 16: Nickelodeon has said that it will limit
the use of its characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the
Explorer, on junk-food products, beginning in 2009.

The news of Nick’s strategy shift was revealed in a letter
from Cyma Zarghami, the president of Nickelodeon/MTV Kids and Family Group, to
Representative Edward J. Markey, the chairman of the U.S. subcommittee on
telecommunications and the Internet.

Zarghami said in the letter that the use of Nick licensed
characters on food packaging would be limited to products that meet “better for
you” criteria as established by Nick’s marketing partners in accordance with
government dietary guidelines. The new rules take effect in January 2009, when
current licensing deals expire. Zarghami noted, however, that characters would
be licensed for use on “occasional treats” for holidays and other special
occasions.

Zarghami’s letter continued: “Over the past three years, we
have consistently communicated to our food marketing partners the importance of
evolving their messages and products to kids, and they have been incredibly
responsive, whether it’s changing their formulations of their products,
depicting more active and healthy lifestyles in their advertising, or offering
healthier alternatives using our characters. We are confident that with the
continued focus of all stakeholders in this issue, we will continue to make
progress going forward and help reduce the number of obese children and
children at risk in this country.”

Markey has called on media companies to be more responsible
in their marketing to youngsters. The Nickelodeon announcement follows news
from Discovery Kids earlier this week that it too would cease licensing its brands
for unhealthy food and beverage packaging.

Earlier this summer, the Kellogg Company agreed to adopt
nutrition standards for the foods it markets to children and to place limits on
its use of licensed characters and product placements in marketing directed at
children. And last month, 11 food marketers including McDonald's, Campbell Soup
and PepsiCo, made pledges to restrict junk food television advertisements
directed at children.