Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
You might not notice it when you walk down the cereal aisle, but your child does: You're being watched.
A Cornell University study shows that cereal mascots are designed to make eye contact with you.
For example, children's cereal — placed on shelves that are already lower to the ground — have characters whose eyes are trained to look at a downward angle. That means they're looking directly at kids.
Meanwhile, cereals aimed at adults are placed at a higher height and have characters that look straight ahead, meaning they make eye contact as well. Researcher Aviva Musicus says that it's a clever marketing strategy that can help sales.
"If you show someone a spokes-character making eye contact with you, it increases trust and your desire to purchase that brand of cereal," said Musicus on Take Two.
Knowing that could actually be helpful for parents as well as people trying to get kids to eat better.
"There's a new push to have more marketing for fruits and vegetables," said Musicus, "So, 'Sesame Street' characters are being used to market fruits and vegetables to kids to really encourage them to eat healthier."
Have you noticed this yourself in the grocery store? And what's your strategy for getting your own kids to keep away from unhealthier foods?