As the city of San Francisco bans some fast food campaigns aimed at children Jason Gardner asks does this start a rebellion against treating kids as consumers?

Jason Gardner

Ronald McDonald is on the run. Angry parents are massing in Americas favourite west side seaport, lighting their torches with happy meal cartons and demolishing golden arches by driving their SUV's on a collision course. The Hamburglar has joined the dole queue and the ginger clown is bound on the next slow boat to china.

Yes hell has no fury like a parent suddenly convinced that market forces are out to get their child. And that's exactly what this is about. The good citizens of San Francisco have decreed that no fast food meal can be sold with a toy unless it meets strict nutritional standards. The civic leaders of the city have leant their backing to a campaign to reduce the united weight of America.

So bang goes kiddy friendly meals advertised by giving away some wind up chunk of plastic that breaks 9 seconds after being wrested from its plastic pack. Bang goes brightly coloured posters luring children in to taste and play. And away with movie tie-ins that sell burgers and fries by the bucket load.

Yep away with movie tie ins. And that's when you realise this is serious. Hollywood loves, nay depends, on its merchandising when it comes to kid films. And which kid is going to plum for a Shrek salad or a Bratz reduced calorie shake?

You can almost imagine execs from multinationals meeting in secret to stave the potential health crusade that could sweep the globe. This very moment they could be planning to kidnap Jamie Oliver.

And imagine if mums net get hold of this. No more balloon time in your local favourite fast food franchise, no more quick solutions for party planning. It'll be organic kebabs and broccoli quiche all round.

They had it coming didn't they? Kids love fast food and kids love toys so it was a shoe in for sales boosts to put the two together.

But why now? I mean come on, as if parents hadn't realised before now that fast food has the nutritional value of wet cardboard. And what's stopping parents voting with their feet? Wouldn't parents boycotting the likes of McDonalds and Burger King have achieved the same effect?

It seems if you can't beat pester power then legislate against it. But where will it end? Is this the beginning of the end for treating pre teens as so much market fodder? Will Postman Pat, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam end up with their P45's when their faces can no longer be used to sell smoothies or suncream? Will pinky, twinky, curly and mo (I'm sure that's their names) have to disappoint toddlers and cut short their Christmas stadium tours?

Personally I applaud the parents of San Fran. Perhaps this campaign is a little jonny come lately but the truth is that marketers the world over have been purely profit minded in linking their products to kiddie pop culture.

We teach our children to channel their inner consumer way too young so let's hope what starts as a cry for healthier diets ends up as a rebel yell against turning our kids into shopaholics before they can walk.

Now where's my pitchfork?