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Marketers Ditch Fast Food for Produce Aisle

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 30, 2009 12:10 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Wary of being associated with fast food, Disney and others are leaving Happy Meals behind and targeting young buyers—well, their parents—by branding everything from eggs to apples, the Big Money reports. Disney properties like Mickey Mouse, Miley Cyrus, and Zac Efron appear on packaging as well as the tiny stickers that dot the stock in the produce aisle. Hannah Montana banana, anyone?

Disney started the trend in 2006, when it terminated its contract with McDonald’s and started advertising on apples. Purchases of branded food “benefit from the nag factor,” a Disney exec said, netting the company exposure and producers more profits. But not everyone is happy about the trend. “If we think about children's well-being,” an anti-ad advocate said, “the best thing we could do is to stop marketing any food to them.”

Miley Cyrus appears in Disney's Hannah Montana.
Miley Cyrus appears in Disney's "Hannah Montana."   (AP Photo)
A Los Angeles market.
A Los Angeles market.   (AP Photo)
Nutritious fruit.
Nutritious fruit.   (AP Photo)
A wax model of Zac Efron, from Disney's High School Musical.
A wax model of Zac Efron, from Disney's "High School Musical."   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
Fondue
Apr 30, 2009 6:39 AM CDT
LOL @ Hannah Montana banana, anyone?

 
food • entertainment • nutrition • eggs • Mickey Mouse • Disney • banana • supermarket • Zac Efron • branding • Hannah Montana • Miley Cyrus • apple • fruit and vegetables

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