Superstars Rugby CardsIt’s with some comfort that the Ministry of Health is looking into a possible breach of the Advertising Standards (see Ministry on snack attack). Apparently the campaign 2008 RUGBY SUPERSTARS campaign with Bluebird chips breaches the act on advertising to children, and on food advertising.

It shouldn’t be seen as unusual that the NZRU allow their brand to be associated with chips – after all the All Blacks are strongly linked to Steinlager. But the fact that this promotion encourages children to eat a fattening and unhealthy product, with the byproduct of collecting rugby cards is misguided. Perhaps the Rugby Union is more strapped for cash than we are led to believe.

The link between Weetbix and the All Blacks is a healthier relationship – my six year old boys spent the day inside today (it was raining) playing with their weetbix cards, and working out (with the aid of a calculator) how old each of their collected players were, at the same time marvelling at the number of weetbix they ate at a breakfast sitting.

Criticism should also be directed at the parents. I’m assuming it’s their permission that is given to purchase these chips in the first place. I know how convincing [whining] kids can be when they want something, but parents, let me tell you something: You are the adult – you’re supposed to know best. Stop buying them this crap.

I will look forward to the RFU’s position being defended over the next few days and the outcome of the MOH’s complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority.

6 thoughts on “Bluebird Chips and Super 14”

  1. How is the Bluebird chips promo any different to McDonalds Happy Meals having movie tie-in toys? Kids collect the toys and one of the things McD’s say is “collect them all” Does this not also incourage kids to eat McD’s just to get the toys?
    Can the Ministry of Health look into them as well??

  2. I discourage my children from getting sucked into all of this rubbish. It’s up to us as parents to either endorse it (as so many parents obviously do) or restrict it to sensible levels.

    My kids ate Burger King last week (their first hamburger in months) as a direct result of the advertising of Ironman toys available with kids meals. I’m not condoning it at all – it was treated as a special occasion, and only if they were prepared to exercise afterwards. That may sound draconian, but they loved the burger, and the toy, and the bike ride we did later that afternoon.

  3. I have a staff of 7 ladys. the other day over coffee we got to talk about the rugby cards, It’s not the kids buying nthe chips to get the cards its the mums and I know that we are now buying 3 little packs of chips and not the big bags so we can get 3 cards and not 1, I myself was in Aussie 3 years and was on and over land train trip and brought a bag of chips and there was a rugby card inside, I don’t think Aussie has got fat chip kids now. Lets stop going on what what kids should have to eat at school and whats good today, I’m a over weight mum and my daughter is 10 and is no way in bad shape but i would like to think i’m teacher her to eat when she need food and not just to eat because she see the food, some thing i’m still trying to learn for myself

  4. Tanya, thanks so much for your comment.

    It seems that you personally have some bad eating habits. While you say your child isn’t overweight now it’s statistically likely that she will be in the future.

    The Bluebird Chips campaign is bad because it gives children an incentive to buy food that they might not normally buy, in great numbers. If other food manufacturers see that Bluebird has had a very successful campaign by aligning their food to national sporting heroes then there’s no reason to doubt that they will try and get in on the act as well – soon we’ll be having kids screaming for Coke and the Olympic athletes if we aren’t careful.

    I saw an article on Campbell Live a few nights ago about a woman trying to cut down on her food bill with the help of a budget advisor. The family spent $18 a week on fizzy drink. I was gobsmacked…and the woman was overweight. The kids weren’t but if even 50% of that fizzy is going down the kids throats they will be overweight by the time they are 15, AND their teeth will be rotten. How can parents not realise that?

    So my recommendation to all parents, uncles, aunties, grandparents – lead by example. Eat healthy food. Allow treats (like chippies and fizzy) but in moderation as a ‘treat’. And exercise.

    It’ll do us all a world of good. Start now!

  5. What a way to be a spoilsport “Skinny”, they are only cards woman geez! The calories can be worked off at school or doing exercise. Dont need to be so rude or negative..

  6. Hey whowho…

    Firstly, I’m not a woman (look at my photo).

    Secondly, our kids are now hounding their parents every day for chips so they can have more rugby cards. It’s a pain.

    You might call that effective advertising. I call it irresponsible, on the part of the chip manufacturers, and on the part of the Rugby Union.

    It’d be interesting to see how much chip sales have increased by since this promo.

    And, on your final point – rude or negative? I’m being neither. I’m expressing my opinion, on MY blog. You should be so lucky that I let you contribute to it.

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