How to keep America dumb? Train them young.

FOXNews.com posted an article today called Kids Eat 100 Percent More After Food Commercials. In the UK at the University of Liverpool they conducted a survey with 60 children ranging in ages 9 to 11. They had them watch food and toy commercials before viewing a cartoon. Food intake increased dramatically when the children watched the food commercial before the cartoon. Obese children had an increase of food take at 134%, overweight at 101% and normals at 84%.

"Our research confirms food TV advertising has a profound effect on all children's eating habits - doubling their consumption rate," said Dr. Jason Halford, director of the university's Kissileff Human Ingestive Behaviour Laboratory, in a press statement released by the University of Liverpool. "The study was also particularly interesting in suggesting a strong connection between weight and susceptibility to over-eating."

Well, duh. I am no child and I can watch a commercial for an Applebee's dish and crave it within minutes and I think Applebee's is gnarly. I don't mean gnarly in the sense a surfer would use it. What I mean is that advertising is brainwashing. Every person seems to know this yet still are persuaded by it. Poor children, they are too innocent to know the ways of the advertising world so when they see that ad for the McDonald's Happy Meal, they want it and they want it now. I wouldn't be quite as sickened by this if say Yoplait yogurt, Subway, Tropicana, veggies and fruit commercials were aimed at kids but of course it's all fatty mcfat and sugary goods. All I have to say is, parents - where the hell are you and why are you letting your kids get so damned fat?

Music and Commercials

It usually bothers me when commercials use really famous songs in their ads just because they know so many people will like the song and perhaps like the ad better because of it. I see it as a bit of a cop out, almost like they are relying on the current fan base for the music. BUT I can think of one company who constantly uses popular songs but does it in the best way possible. I know you are thinking it so I'll so go on and say it: Dr. Pepper.

They have used Meatloaf, Queen and now Tom Jones. Hello. The reason they are so good is because they make a story out of the song that relates to Dr. Pepper rather than just play it. The Meatloaf one where the guy will do anything for love including buying his woman tampons, doing laundry, going to yoga, etc. but he "won't do that" as in give his Dr. Pepper up. Or the one where he wants it all so he performs outrageous stunts like drive a convertible across an icy road. Only the best for this man, including his Dr. Pepper (by the way that actor is hilarious - his smile is so genuine and jazzed). And the newest one which I love showing numerous people eating all sorts of sugary treats like an ice cream cone but the reflection of it in the window is a Diet Dr. Pepper. Or a man will be pouring jelly beans in his mouth from a Diet Dr. Pepper glass. Frozen yogurt coming out of a fountain machine, a cupcake coming out of a vending machine, a woman sipping a milkshake with a Diet Dr. Pepper reflection, etc. etc. all to the tune of Help Yourself by Tom Jones. GENIUS. It is so well done and all the of the people involved are very believable and it gets the job down well. It is memorable and you get the idea that Diet Dr. Pepper is just as satisfying as a sugary treat without all of the calories.

My only complaint is the woman at the end who is drinking from a straw that is attached to a piece of "cake" on the bus and they cut to a guy looking at her and then they cut back to her holding the DDP and she makes the WEIRDEST smirk! I get that they want her to look like she knows a secret the rest of the world doesn't, but she is making a "I know a secret" face for something much bigger than DDP tasting delicious. It's just weird and I often find myself scoffing. BUT it is not even close enough to make me dislike this ad. Woo Dr. Pepper! Fuel my addiction!