When I was a kid, there was a great commercial for Hawaiian Punch. The cartoon character would rear back with his fist and yell "How about a nice Hawaiian Punch!" and then smack someone.
If you listen to the food police hand-wringers, that commercial’s influence should have turned me into an obese, diabetic serial killer. I am glad to report that I am none of those things.
A recent study by the national Institute of Medicine determined companies were spending $10 billion a year on enticing kids to eat junk food, primarily through TV ads on kids’ shows. Just another obvious study designed to grab headlines? I thought so, until I spent an afternoon watching Spongebob Squarepants with my 7-year-old daughter.

She was home from school sick with a stomach bug (let’s just say chunks were blown. Oh my God, were chunks ever blown). Every commercial that wasn’t about some stupid toy was about the most ridiculous cereals ever devised. Apparently there’s a cereal that’s made up of mini Eggo waffles with maple syrup flavoring. As if Cap’t Crunch wasn’t sugary enough, they made a chocolate version. A stalwart like Rice Krispies is now "choco-vanilla".
All the while, my daughter, who could barely muster the energy to blink, is jumping up as each commercial comes on and telling "I want that!" That’s when I realized the medium is truly the message. She’s never cared for sugary cereals, but the way the commercial presents the product gets kids hooked.
After a while, I just turned off the TV and we played board games and did some drawing. So, parents, don’t give in to the advertisers and control what you allow into the house.
That way, you don’t have to share the Froot Loops.