Advertising Standards Bureau - Review of Operations 2013 | Page 50

Advertising messaging
In 2013 a Kellogg advertisement (0144/13) for
Coco Pops was found to breach the RCMI even
though it was a healthier choice product being
marketed directly to children. In that case the
Board determined that the advertisement did
not meet the messaging requirements of the
RCMI Initiative.
Under the RCMI the product advertised must
represent a healthier dietary choice and the
advertising and/or marketing communications
reference, or are in the context of, a healthy
lifestyle, designed to appeal to the intended
audience through messaging that encourages:
•

g
ood dietary habits, consistent with
established scientific or government
criteria, and

•

physical activity.

Encourage good dietary habits
In 0144/13, the Board determined that the
depiction of a child eating his bowl of cereal with
skim milk, with a bowl of fruit on the bench
beside him did not amount to a depiction that
encouraged good dietary habits.
Similarly in 0179/13 and 0180/13 (both
Kellogg’s) the Board:
”noted that the advertisement showed images
of a lunchbox on the lap of the young girl as
well as on the kitchen bench at home that
contains a sandwich, some fruit and fresh
vegetables. The Board noted however, the girl
is not seen consuming any of the food from
the lunchbox, nor does the voiceover refer
to consumption of the other contents of the
lunchbox prior to eating the LCM bar. Some
members of the Board considered that the

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depiction of the product in association with a
sandwich and the other products is sufficient
to establish a context of overall good dietary
habits. However the majority of the Board
concluded that the depiction of a healthier
choice product on a kitchen bench does not
necessarily encourage good dietary habits and
that this advertisement did not depict the
product in the context of a healthy lifestyle
that would encourage good dietary habits.’’

The Board also determined that structured
sport or exercise was not required and the
image of children playing outside can suffice
the requirement to encourage physical activity
(0410/13 - Unilever).

Encourage physical activity
In 0144/13, the Board determined that the
depiction of animated Coco Pops playing
a popular children’s game in a bowl of milk
(referencing a swimming pool) was not a
depiction that encouraged physical activity.
Similarly in 0179/13 and 0180/13 (both
Kellogg’s) the Board:
“The Board then considered whether the
advertisement referenced or was in the
context of encouraging physical activity. The
Board noted that a possible interpretation
in this instance is that the girl is sitting
down to eat her lunch before being allowed
to head off to play. However, in the Board’s
view the fact that the advertisement depicts
a school playground does not amount to an
implication or encouragement of physical
activity by children. The Board noted that
in a previous case considered by the Board
(0228/12) the advertisement depicted a
school playground scene where children were
actively moving about and this was dismissed.
The Board considered that this advertisement
does not feature any characters participating
in physical activity and that there are no
verbal or visual references to children taking
part in physical activity.”

Advertising Standards Bureau