Blogs : Food Media
Food Media CHOW's roundup of food-related news from blogs, newspapers, magazines, cookbooks, and film.
Won't Somebody Think of the Children?
When I was a kid, no one thought it was weird to buy packs of candy cigarettes for the young’uns. Tuck some in a six-year-old’s goodie bag these days, and you can kiss your membership in the PTA goodbye.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly not advocating bringing back training-wheel cigarettes for kids. But it sure is a different world. Now you can’t even name your gum after a popular cocktail without an alcohol watchdog group getting down on you, surmises “Wrigley Taken to Task for Mojito-Flavored Gum,” an article in Advertising Age.
At odds is Mint Mojito Orbit gum. According to Ad Age, the Marin Institute says that Wrigley is “using the rum-based cocktail’s flavor to appeal to children.” Really? It’s using the taste of Mojitos to attract children to its gum? Because kids really go for the flavors of mint and lime. Together.
A Wrigley spokesman counters that, hey, other candy makers have piña colada this and piña colada that.
The spokesman didn’t mention Chronic Candy, the marijuana-flavored lollipops that caused a stir after being imported from Europe in 2005.
And besides, Wrigley is running out of mint names for its Orbit line, having already used bubblemint, winter mint, peppermint, spearmint, cinnamint, sweet mint, citrus mint, and raspberry mint.
Posted by | Friday, April 13, 2007 at 8:44am | 6 comments
« Previous Post: All Coked Up and No Place to Go Next Post: Let Them Eat Meatcake » |
people really need to relax. the connection between having a cocktail and chewing gum is so removed. does the gum actually taste like rum? sounds as harmless as seeing a drink on a menu
Agreed - absolutely stupid to get upset about this. While we're on the subject, I'd like to add a rant about parents who get upset when there is real alcohol present at private 'family' parties where both parents and little kids are present. My kids have seen me drink actual mojitos - horrors - at neighborhood happy hours in our cul-de-sac, and are no worse off because of it. In fact, I hope they will learn moderation from knowing their parents responsibly enjoy a few cocktails now and then (just like I learned from my parents growing up in the 70s).
I love mojitos and I love mint mojito gum. gasp. they have successfully lured this 22 year old into trying their gum.
i agree with elleshellmo... the gum is def targeting to the 20's crowd, not children. when i saw the commercial (im 22) i thought it was a great idea. im not even sure if kids know what a mojito is
St. Ronald Reagan himself was fond of Jelly Belly jellybeans, which come in margarita and daquiri flavors. And what of butter rum Lifesavers?
Rum Raisin ice cream totally turned me into a lush. It's been pina coladas and mojitos for me ever since I was 9.