Hey, We Only Said It Was Part of This Nutritious Breakfast

Jacob Sullum | January 18, 2006

The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Coalition for a Commercial-Free Childhood plan to sue Kellogg and Viacom for violating a Massachusetts consumer protection law by marketing food products of low nutritional value to children. "Nickelodeon and Kellogg engage in business practices that literally sicken our children," says CSPI Executive Director Michael Jacobson. "It's a multimedia brainwashing and re-education campaign—and a disease-promoting one at that."

Under a Massachusetts law barring unfair or deceptive advetrising, each exposure to an actionable ad counts as a violation. At $25 a pop, the damages could run into the billions. But CSPI says it would be happy if Kellogg would simply agree to overhaul its products and its marketing strategy.

These days, it seems, reality is about a week behind satire.