Vanity in Peril kicks off the summer with a new Wednesday feature we like to call My Commercial Mascot is Better Than Yours (we're still working on that title) pitting well-known commercial icons and some that are relatively new to the game against each other in an effort to secure advertising world domination. This week we take a look at the war being waged in kitchens across the world. A war between generations. The war between parents and dependants being played out on television is not breaking new ground, usually with the know it all kids that don't exist in the real world outsmarting their bumbling parents. So we were pleasantly surprised when we came across a recent ad that features a mother and father hoodwinking their children into good behavior. It was refreshing to see parents who weren't portrayed as idiots. The spots are from Kraft for their new Jello Temptation product which is marketed towards adults who don't like fruit (I guess) and they are pretty funny. See below:
What we love about the ads, which have been running since March in this market, is the fact that they don't pander to a public that somewhere along the way got the ridiculous idea that kids are smarter than adults. Yes, we get it: lots can be learned from children about life, kids are innocent and teach us how to be yada yada bla bla bla. Kids are dumb. Yeah, we said it. If they weren't dumb, how else could we get away with lying to them on a daily basis about where babies come from, who put all those gifts under the Christmas tree last night and why daddy isn't coming home (because they didn't eat their vegetables)? Finally somebody had the guts to say it. Kids are gullible. My own parents actually told me when I was a child that my mother was a cast member on ABC's General Hospital and you know what? I believed them! Do you know why? Because I was a stupid freakin' kid!
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| Though in my defense, I did used to eat a considerably large amount of Play-Dough |
Kraft has recently caught some flack from parent-advocacy groups for these ads with parents claiming that the ads are offensive, promote deceit and are even dangerous to our youth. They have even gone as far as to boycott the new product. (wonder how much they protested when this ad came out) We'd like to counter their "point" by referencing another ad: Have a Coke and a smile and... well, you know the rest. Going up against these ads we have another Kraft product which turns the tables on parents and gives the kids the upper hand. For the new Kraft macaroni and cheese spots, parents are reprimanded for taking too many bites of their kids blue box and comedy ensues. Check it out:
Ok so, we can admit that these commercials are pretty funny too. The look on the kid's face is pretty hard to not snicker to. But what's funny is that we don't hear nor see any parent advocacy groups protesting the actions of the children in these commercials. Who will stand up for the hard working middle class parent who spends long hours looking over the TPS reports so that little Johnny can live up to his elbows in macaroni with watery cheese-like sauce? I am not a parent but I know for sure when and if I ever spawn an off spring I will make it my life's work to eat off of their plate whenever the crap I want. After all, I would be the one who actually PURCHASED their food, clothed, sheltered and supported them. It's in that vain that these Kraft ads are kind of a cop out. Another commercial telling us what we all know to be false. Children are precious. They are our future. (crack is wack) They posses an innocence and imagination that many adults would give anything to regain. Kids are great for so many varied reasons. They are not, however, smarter than adults. Until you can find me an average kid that can balance a busy day on their own, balance their work-life versus personal fulfillment all while balancing their checkbook, miss us with that kids teach me us more than we teach them nonsense. Just saying.
Winner: Kraft Jello Temptations
So what do you think? Has all this kid-pandering gotten out of hand or are we making much ado about nada?
--- Vanity in Peril
You should be ashamed of yourself. As a grandparent, I will no longer be purchasing these Jello products for my daughter's children.
ReplyDeleteThank you, many of our actions are indeed shameful. You are aware that these jello products are not being marketed towards children, correct?
ReplyDeleteWe appreciate your honest feedback.