The last few years have been a whirlwind for the Cookie Monster. From having to dispel tabloid rumors about his name being changed to the "Vegetable Monster," to his recent run in the limelight, which centered on an aggressive campaign to host Saturday Night Live.
Although the cookie monster will not be changing the name on his birth certificate, the Sesame Street executives are trying to do their part when it comes to promoting healthy eating, with a specific aim to nourish those who don't meet basic nutritional needs.
Jeanette Betancourt, vice president of content design for the education, research and outreach department of Sesame Workshop, said:
We found there were really very few resources engaging young children and helping them engage not only in healthy habits but also in knowing that as a family they're not alone in this.
The program provides families with an educational kit, including;
A video featuring four new Muppets, the "Super foods" - Banana, cheese, whole-grain roll and broccoli. Elmo and friends, including real families, as they try new foods, learn about healthy snacks and discover the importance of sharing a meal together.The superfoods (although not official Sesame Street cast members) sing and dance, encouraging children to try new healthy foods. The 400,000 kits will be distributed to lower income families and segments will air on the show this month (December 2010). You can watch the video segments here.
While this latest campaign is more focal and extensive, Sesame Street and specifically the oft-criticized cookie glutton have actually been promoting healthier eating for a while. To wit, in 1987, the Cookie Monster rapped about healthy food.
More recently, "Hoots" the owl waxed poetic to the Cookie Monster about cookies being a "sometimes food".
The burning question remains, however, will campaigns like this have a noticeable impact on the foods children eat?
No comments:
Post a Comment