If YOUR kids simply must watch the Cartoon Network, they will be overwhelmed with ads for all kinds of tooth-rotting junk, including Pop Tarts, Lucky Charms, Reese's Puffs and some concoction called Froot Loops Cereal Straws. But critics say there's a different pediatric health risk on the cable channel -- promotions tied to violent, PG-13-rated movies.
The ultimate financial success for almost all summer films, especially those rated PG-13, is determined by young ticket buyers. If school-age kids show up in droves, you've got a blockbuster like "Iron Man" or the new "Indiana Jones" sequel. If they stay away, you're stuck with a misfire such as "Speed Racer." The massive theatrical grosses for every one of last summer's top five hits -- including "Transformers" and "Spider-Man 3" -- were driven by kids.
In courting young fans, though, some studios -- and their licensing partners in particular -- are becoming so aggressive in their marketing of PG-13 titles to children of all ages that the Federal Trade Commission, as well as an advertising watchdog concern and one children's advocacy organization, have all taken notice.
While studios can't sell R-rated movies directly to young kids, they have more flexibility -- but not total freedom -- in how they market PG-13 releases to children, with some limitations on when certain ads can and can't run. So instead of directly pitching the violent movies straight to little children, the studios are using a more subtle tactic: They let their promotional partners do their bidding through licensed toys and snacks.
So if your 4-year-old suddenly says he has to see "The Incredible Hulk" -- rated PG-13 in part for "sequences of intense action violence" and "some frightening sci-fi images" -- it could be that he's seen a Hulk Airheads candy spot running in the middle of the morning on Cartoon Network's "Robotboy."
Unlike restrictions by the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon prohibiting Universal Pictures from directly advertising the PG-13-rated "Hulk" before 5 p.m., there are no apparent rules keeping Perfetti Van Melle from flogging its Airheads confection ("Turns your tongue green!") or Hasbro from selling its Hulk Smash Hands (whose ad, like the Airheads spot, includes a quick clip from the movie) in the middle of the day.
While those "Hulk" toy ads, and similar promotions for "Indiana Jones" Legos and a toy whip, don't directly promote the film's release date, other movie spots do.
