General Mills, one of America’s most prominent advertisers, was praised by a family watchdog group for its advertising tactics. The company, which was criticized for promoting unhealthy snacks towards children, has been following strict guidelines for advertising (and nutritional values) which state:
“No General Mills product containing more than 175 calories per serving may be advertised to children 12 or younger.” Furthermore, every product also must be considered “healthy” or provide an important childhood nutrient, as measured by government guidelines.
So while GM has the Trix Rabbit in its arsenal of advertising cartoons, it’ll be using the bunny to hock more responsible food choices. Good on them.
In 2005, General Mills reformulated all of its cereals to include whole grains. From Cheerios to Frankenberry, each cereal made the switch because GM decided it had a duty to produce healthier foods. The linked article features the CEO of General Mills, in which he talks about his company’s responsibility to improve the health of its consumers. An interesting read.
In an article printed in the New York Times on September 21st, it was revealed that General Mills’ quarterly profits rose 5.9%, partly due to its cereal line (Lucky Charms, Cheerios, etc). The link below requires you to register (for free) to the NYT website, which is why I’ll post the most important piece of the article below):