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Food marketers put on �Trial by Jury�

Published: 22-02-2007.

MEDIA RELEASE

Food marketers put on ‘Trial by Jury'

It's time for the food industry to clean up their marketing acts or be prepared to be put on trial by The Parents Jury.

Australian parents will be asked to nominate the best and worst food marketing practices targeting children when the new Trial by Jury campaign is launched today.

Trial by Jury is a new bi-monthly opportunity for parents to speak out about the food marketing tactics and strategies that either get their back up, or that they like their children to see because it encourages healthy eating.

A ‘guilty' verdict will be handed down by the Jury on the food marketing campaign parents think is worst, and an ‘honourable mention' will be given to the one they can't get enough of. The Jury's decision will be final and the winner will be exposed to the Australian media and parents across the country.

Twenty-first century marketers spend millions of dollars each year conjuring up new and creative ways to lure children into buying their unhealthy foods. Media savvy kids are finding food marketing popping up on their mobile phones, gaming sites and email screens. Sadly, most of the foods being promoted to children are high in fat, sugar or salt. Trial by Jury promises to expose all types of food marketing aimed at children. These include:

Television advertising / promotions / product placements
Magazine advertisements / advertorials / competitions / inserts / giveaways
In-store (eg in supermarkets, video or fast food stores) promotions and giveaways
On-pack promotions including the endorsement of celebrities / cartoon characters
Food websites specifically targeting children with games / competitions / giveaways
Computer games with food promotions embedded into them
School and educational resource marketing including sponsorship and giveaways
Viral marketing (shush ... pass it on ...)
Text message marketing

Justine Hodge, The Parents Jury Co-ordinator, says, ‘Trial by Jury is an opportunity for parents to fight back and speak out about the food marketing campaigns they really hate. Food marketing is infiltrating so many aspects of children's lives and parents are fed up with it. It's time for the food companies to be put on trial!'

The Parents Jury member and father of two, Hugh Cowan will be sitting on the Jury. Hugh is increasingly irritated by the sneaky ways marketing companies try to get to his children.

'These days, food companies are using so many more sophisticated methods than just TV to market their products to children; internet advertising is a prime example, and one which is also notoriously difficult to regulate.'

Hugh says his six year old son George, is like a sponge when it comes to mimicking catch phrases from advertisements.

‘He readily repeats them in parrot fashion with a cheeky grin on his face. He'll say to me; "but they're 99% fat free dad". These messages do have lasting effects in children's minds; especially when campaigns run with great repetition across a variety of media.'

All members of The Parents Jury are eligible to nominate a food marketing campaign to be considered by the campaign Jury. All nominations will be considered by the Jury and they will reach the final decision. New members are welcome to register with The Parents Jury and participate in the campaign by visiting http://www.parentsjury.org,au/.

The Parents Jury

The Parents Jury is a web-based forum for parents to voice their views and collectively advocate for the improvement of children's food and physical activity environments. The Parents Jury is supported by the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, Diabetes Australia - Victoria, The Cancer Council Australia and VicHealth. Membership is free and open to all Australian parents, grandparents and guardians of children aged under 18 years of age.

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For further information or to arrange interviews please contact:

Simone Fenech - The Parents Jury Media & Communications, (03) 9667 1744 or 0402 448 438

Justine Hodge - The Parents Jury Co-ordinator. (03) 9667 1742

What do you think if this article? Do you agree, disagree. Let us know.
To add your comments, simply register with The Parents Jury