Rise of Childhood Obesity Causes Major Shift in Food and Beverage Category

According to a recent report by the American Obesity Association (AOA), 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese. This rise in obesity levels has created a new awareness and sense of corporate responsibility resulting in a full range of new healthy initiatives. The licensing industry is leading the charge in this movement as some of the world’s largest brand owners – including Nickelodeon Consumer Products, Disney Consumer Products, NASCAR and others – seek healthy food partners in the food and beverage category. Licensing 2007 International, the world’s premiere licensing event, will unveil many of the plans that will be making headlines for years to come.

DreamWorks Animation SKG made the most visible move in this area with its recent Shrek 3 “Go For Green” campaign with McDonald’s. The promotion showcases a variety of food choices including Premium Salads, Premium Chicken Sandwiches, fun desserts and a Happy Meal featuring Chicken McNuggets® Made with White Meat, Apple Dippers (fresh, peeled apple slices with optional low-fat caramel dipping sauce), and low-fat white or chocolate Milk Jugs served in child-friendly containers with Shrek packaging to encourage consumption.

“Many companies are now making the conscious decision to seek healthy living extensions for their intellectual properties. There has been a sea of change in recent years in this regard and we expect this year’s show to set the framework for even more advancements in this area,” said Georgiann Decenzo, Vice President of Advanstar’s Licensing Group.

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has taken its popular SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer brands to fresh fruit and vegetables via agreements with Pandol Bros. and Green Giant. Scholastic Media offered the first official license in the organic cereal market with Clifford Crunch Cereal, based on the company’s classic Clifford The Big Red Dog character. Another children’s character making great strides in this area is Peter Rabbit™. Licensing agent, The Wildflower Group, will introduce Peter Rabbit Naturally Better, a premiere initiative that will debut with a line of organic and healthy food choices from PR Organics, to be available in select stores beginning fall 2007. Disney Consumer Products Group went a step further in October 2006 when it issued a mandate that it will begin limiting calories, fat and sugar to all food marketed to children. The Company also has an extensive line of food products (over 300 skus) from fruits and vegetables to Mickey-shaped hamburger patties, cheese and pastas that are considered "better-for-you".

As attendees enter Licensing 2007 International in New York, they will find these familiar programs as well as the debut of new healthy alternatives from NASCAR, Sesame Workshop, Cadbury Schweppes, LEGO and more.

More information on this year’s Licensing 2007 International can be found at www.licensingshow.com.