Media Bites – Reeses Puffs Cereal
July 27, 2009
In this week’s Media Bites we look at a recent Reeses Puffs commercial that promotes material wealthy while selling the cereal. This commercial is a sequel to a commercial they produced last year which also promotes a materialistic theme. We also look at the Reeses Puffs website to see how they target children online.
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What’s even more insidious about this commercial is that it targets African American kids–and the African American population is at increased risk for diabetes and high blood pressure. Eating this kind of junk will put these kids at an even higher risk for a diseased, debilitated adulthood.
You are absolutely right Stelle. We didn’t include comments about race and gender – the boy is the one who is the beneficiary of the material wealthy, while the sister is merely a bystander – but we felt that the class aspect of this message was the dominant one. Thanks for your comment.
It makes me ill to think of anyone, adult or child, eating this cereal–just three-quarters of a cup has 12 grams of sugar! The top ingredients are cornmeal, sugar, a peanut butter mix made with molasses and corn starch, then MORE corn starch and dextrose. It has only one gram of fiber per serving, so obviously the cornmeal is highly processed.
But even odder is that leap into fantasy; so overt you wouldn’t think that even a child would believe it was anything but ridiculous. Maybe the playfulness is the hook–saying, in effect, “You know this is silly, but wouldn’t it be great if…” And then of course the “great” part is the idea that objects and celebrity bring happiness.
In that way, this advertisment plays its part in the oppressive system that directs people to focus all their energy on the acquisition of material goods, locking them into the consumer cycle and stealing their power and attention through an endless thirst for more…stuff.
It makes my head spin to think how many offensive messages are packed into this one commercial spot. Once again, you’ve done a wonderful job distilling that down into an accessible analysis. Thank you.
Nauseating–the cereal AND the commercial. What a sad little world these children occupy–esp. the little girl. Someone needs to film a parody of this commercial touting steel-cut oats and yogurt 🙂 I’m TV-free five years now; thanks for the chilling report from the Badlands.
Has anyone noticed that the Reese’s rap song spells Reese’s incorrectly!! R, double e, e, s, e, s!!! If it were spelled as the song goes it would be Reeese’s. Didn’t the marketing firm, producers or GM themselves know thy’re spelling the name wrong?
i lak it
He said r e e s e s, yes … But I do understand where you guys are coming from, I never noticed until now that they do target the black community, and it s very sickening, it kills me.
Seriously, this us the best you can do? Tear apart pop culture with over diagnoses? It’s people like you who assume that YOU know better than anyone else, that personal choice is wrong because its not yours…you are more intelligence and read bad things into anything.
If your so smart make a REAL difference. Make a positive effort instead of ripping apart little bits of popular culture because its easy and makes you FEEL smart. Elementary mentality at best.
Marty, you assume I don’t make a difference because you read on media literacy piece I posted over three years ago. You have no idea what I do besides edit this blog, so get off your high horse and stop trolling.
The web responses to these adds amaze me. The white supremecy groups have went in on us. No one cares about the ignorance that spews from they’re imbecile brains but it does make you wonder why the aa community was targeted in this manner. Are we really seen as materialistic, dancing jigs that will buy anything with a rap tune and “bling” in the forefront? Android you go Jeff! Lol
Sh, you are referring to the 2012 commercial. KG is talking about the 2010 commercial– from when this article was written– and (s)he is correct.