Dora the Explorer Sells Clementines

by Marlene Schwartz

Several years ago, when my oldest daughter was only 4 years old, we were walking in the grocery store and she spotted a box featuring the Disney Princesses.  She grabbed it off the shelf and told me she wanted to buy it, so I turned around and asked her what kind of food was in the box.  She looked up at me and said "I don't know."

That moment was the beginning of my interest in how children's entertainment characters are licensed to sell food.  Since then, I've been watching to see which characters are used to sell which type of products.  I have also watched my own children to see how these characters influenced their desire for specific brands of foods.  I have been struck by two things.  First, the use of licensed characters is remarkably effective - my children immediately gravitate toward the brand that has the familiar character over brands in regular packages.  Second, the characters are typically licensed for products that are extremely high in sugar, artificial colors and flavors - much more than comparable "adult" versions of the same food.

As a result, I've rarely purchased any product with a character on the package, and I've been known to complain that when I go to the store with my kids it feels like it's me against Sponge Bob.  But yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised.  My children and I were in the produce section and there was Dora the Explorer on a bag of clementines.  I was so excited I immediately pointed it out to my children and said, "Look, Dora's on the bag of clementines!"  We bought the bag, which we probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise, because I was just so excited to have Nickelodeon backing me up as a parent, rather than making my job harder.  I'd like to see every character in the store leave the snack and cereal aisles and work their magic in the produce aisle.  I know I could sure use the help.

Comments

[Dane M.]

Have you seen this article?

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=69355

[tyler]

I think this marketing idea is way overdue. Not only will this get children more excited about eating fresh produce, but it may even get picky eaters to try more adventurous foods.

[judi]

Dinnertime at my house would be a lot less stressful if Barney had pitched spinach and squash a decade ago.