The Center For Science In The Public Interest Targets Nickelodeon In New Advert Starring SpongeBob SquarePants

The US television industry news blog on the official website of the British national daily newspaper The Guardian is reporting in the following article that the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group focusing on nutritional education and awareness, has started to target Nickelodeon in their latest campaign, which uses Nickelodeon Superstar SpongeBob SquarePants as face of the new advertisement:

Spongebob scapegoat: nonprofit group targets Nickelodeon in new campaign

Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit that advocates healthy eating, uses Spongebob as face of new ad

Gone is the toothy grin and sunny demeanour. Instead, bloodshot eyes stare out in a mugshot that will have SpongeBob fans fearing that he has succumbed to the vices that all too often go with international stardom.

But the usual temptations of drink, drugs and hard living appear not to be to blame, even if such things exist in Bikini Bottom. Rather, according to nutritionists who want to put SpongeBob, pictured, in the dock as a bad example for children, fizzy drinks and unhealthy snack foods are the real cause of the submariner's apparent decline.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has launched a campaign against the kids' TV channel Nickelodeon, which it accuses of "impersonating a responsible media company while aggressively marketing obesity to kids". And SpongeBob is the main target. In a full-page ad which ran in the Hollywood Reporter on Friday, the cartoon character is depicted under a "Wanted" notice.

The ad is the latest salvo by CSPI, a nonprofit organisation that advocates healthy eating and public policies consistent with scientific evidence.

It accuses Nickelodeon of failing to set nutritional standards governing which foods it will advertise.

Noting that rival Disney already bans ads from certain unhealthy foods, CSPI nutrition policy director Margo Wootan said: "Nickelodeon prides itself on responsible programming for children, but what about its advertising Nickelodeon is lagging behind companies like Disney when it comes to supporting parents and protecting kids from junk-food marketing."

Continuing the comparison between the two children's programme makers, the CSPI notes that Goofy, the Disney character, appears on packaging for a snack pack that includes cherry tomatoes, carrots and celery sticks. Spongebob, by way of contrast, endorses a Popsicle that is made up of water, several forms of sugar and a long list of artificial dyes and preservatives, CSPI said.

Other charges laid against Nickelodeon include allowing the makers of Cocoa Puffs and Air Head candies to advertise in ad breaks, along with Chuck E Cheese restaurants.

In a statement, Nickelodeon defend its record on children's health, saying that "virtually all" its advertisers had signed up to the children's food and beverage advertising initiatives which promotes healthier diet choices.

"Nickelodeon has long demonstrated its full commitment to moving the needle against childhood obesity, including devoting airtime to health and wellness messaging; partnerships with Let's Move and many others; the Worldwide Day of Play initiative which is now in its landmark 10th year; and integrated licensing and marketing partnerships for healthy categories like Birdseye Vegetables, as just one example among many others," the statement said.