Unilever has discontinued the use of direct marketing aimed at kids under six years old. Given this change, Dora the Explorer will no longer appear on boxes of Popsicles. Also, while the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) does not cover on-package marketing, Unilever is now covering on-package marketing and in-store promotions in its marketing policy. And by the end of 2014, all Unilever products with on-package licensed characters will meet the CFBAI uniform nutrition standards. When companies do the right thing, we try to recognize their efforts and encourage other companies to follow their lead.

In addition, this Saturday (9/21) is Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, where it suspends programming on its TV channels and websites from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST as a way to urge kids to go outside and be active. While it’s great that Nickelodeon is encouraging physical activity, it’s only 3 hours out of the 365 days that they promote junk food to kids. Please join us in using the Worldwide Day of Play as an opportunity to ask Nickelodeon to stop advertising unhealthy food to kids. Below we’ve provided some model social media posts that we hope you’ll share with your networks.

Unilever Facebook Post
Good news! Kids won’t be seeing Dora the Explorer on Popsicle boxes anymore! That’s because Unilever, the maker of Popsicles, has discontinued direct marketing aimed at kids under 6. And Unilever, unlike a lot of food companies, acknowledges that cartoon characters on food packages is marketing to kids. Other companies should do the same and continue to improve their food marketing to kids!

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Unilever Tweets
• Kids won’t see Dora the Explorer on @Popsicle boxes anymore. Thanks @Unilever for not marketing to kids under 6 anymore!

• Good for @Unilever for acknowledging that cartoon characters on @Popsicle boxes is marketing to kids. Other companies should follow their lead!

Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play Facebook Post
While it’s great Nickelodeon is turning off their programming and encouraging kids to be active for 3 hours for its Worldwide Day of Play, it doesn’t make up for all the junk food they market to kids the rest of the year. Please share if you think Nickelodeon should stop advertising junk food—not just today, but every day!

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Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play Tweets
• A few hours of play isn’t enough to burn off all the junk @NickelodeonTV markets to kids! Nick, stop advertising junk food to kids everyday

• Parents: please ask @NickelodeonTV to stop advertising junk food—not just for #WWDoP, but every day!



Margo G. Wootan, D.Sc.
Director, Nutrition Policy
Center for Science in the Public Interest
1220 L Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-777-8354
202-265-4954 (fax)
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