Addictive Breakfast Cereal-Related Games Packed With Ads Target Kids

Food companies have discovered a new form of advertising to catch -- and hold -- the attention of children. “Advergames” combine ads with video games that can be addictive and are easy to access on keyboards and smartphones. From the breakfast food aisle kids can find “Ice Block” from Froot Loops (Kellogg), “Crunchling Adventure” from Cap’n Crunch (Quaker Oats),  and Cookie Crip’s (General Mills) “Cookie Crisp City”. Slate writer Jason Bittel cites recent research (Michigan State Univ.) that analyzed advergames Web sites, identifying 439 products from 19 brands. Most of the products failed to meet government recommendations regarding salt, fat and added sugar content. “Clearly,” Bittel says, “advergames aren't going to disappear anytime soon, though a little bit of regulation could go a long way.”