Photo:Wall Street Journal
Who would have thought that an ogre could boost onion sales?
Well, that is exactly what has happened ever since the Vidalia Onion Committee decided to use the magical powers of “Shrek” to get kids interested in onions. According to a recent Wall Street Journal story, a 3-year old threw a fit when he saw his beloved Shrek standing tall among boxes of onions in a supermarket. His forceful tantrums left his mother with little choice but to buy the onions. She diced the onions in a casserole which her son ate without any fuss.
Selling onions using an ogre may sound weird, but there is a connection between the two. Turns out, they both have layers!
I think this is yet another example of how marketing can be effectively aimed at kids. Except in this case, onions do have a good nutritional value. But more importantly, using them in a home cooked meal is a great way of cutting down on processed foods. Onions are rich in B and C vitamins. They also provide calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and fiber.
Do you think using popular characters like Shrek is a good way to get kids interested in fruits and veggies? Should this type of marketing be allowed? Food marketing to kids is a hot topic these days and I would love to hear your opinion about it.
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