Kellogg Limits Screen Time, Ceases Viral and Mobile Marketing to Kids

Bye-bye, birdie

Kellogg websites geared toward children under the age of 12 - those dedicated to cereal brands and iconic figures such as Tony the Tiger - will shut down after 15 minutes of viewing.

Kellogg will also limit its use of viral marketing, website games and mobile efforts aimed at that age group, for any product not meeting its new nutritional standards, writes ClickZ.

The move was announced as part of its Kellogg Company Marketing Commitment, made as a settlement with children’s health and nutrition advocates. In the Commitment document, the company promises to remove clips and downloads that are not allowed to be shown to children in other media. Kellogg will also stop mobile and viral marketing to kids and will stop sponsoring children’s communities.
Kellogg has adjusted its nutritional guidelines - now, a single food serving can have no trans fat, no more than 200 calories, no more than 2 grams of saturated fat, no more than 230 milligrams of sodium and no more than 12 grams of sugar - and has agreed to curb advertising on TV, radio, print and third-party websites for products not meeting those guidelines.

Foods such as Froot Loops and Pop-Tarts that fall outside of the new standards will either be reformulated or will be dropped from advertising that reaches an audience under 12 years of age, writes the Orlando Sentinel.

Some $206 million in marketing spending is in limbo now that Kellogg Co. has agreed to severely limit advertising to kids under age 12, writes AdAge, pointing out that the tally could easily reach $1 billion if other major marketers follow suit, as they are expected to do.