Philip Morris Companies, the tobacco giant behind Marlboro, owned Lunchables for 23 years and used cigarette research strategies to shape the brand.
- Internal documents show Philip Morris shared scientists, technology, and product development methods across its tobacco, food, and alcohol divisions, with Lunchables serving as a model example of that strategy.
- Lunchables was engineered to appeal to kids’ desire for autonomy and to ease mothers’ guilt, using the same consumer psychology approach Philip Morris developed for cigarettes.
- Researchers say tobacco-style regulations, including warning labels, taxes, and restrictions on child-focused marketing, may be worth applying to ultraprocessed foods like Lunchables.
Guess it was a good thing we were always too poor to afford lunchables?
They could have used all that research and knowledge to make something of good quality that would ease a mothers busy work day,and be healthy and nice for kids
But of course we just went with the “fuck the kids, we found a way to earn a few more cents by feeding those critters some toxic shit”
Anybody else nocticing an increase in ‘cigarette content/advertising’ these days?
Yes! Or wait, do you mean like in consumable media, TV shows, movies, etc? Then yes, I have noticed more smoking, and definitely vaping if the setting is contemporary. I always thought smoking was a no-no on network TV but maybe primetime gets a pass.
Do you also mean advertising influenced by “classic” cigarette ads? Then also yes, in a way. I see a lot of similarities in attitude and tonal delivery with other ads, quite often overtly sexual.
Tid bit dystopian tbh
Seriously? No. I don’t think I have seen a cigarette ad in 20+yrs. Haven’t seen a vape one in a probably decade either.
Lunchables was engineered to appeal to kids’ desire for autonomy and to ease mothers’ guilt, using the same consumer psychology approach Philip Morris developed for cigarettes.
I loved lunchables. FUCK!
They were quick easy meals to pack for your kid but the nutritional value was suspect.
Capitalism was a mistake.
These fuckers really are the gift that keeps on giving…
After the rage… Well duh? Obviously.
Advertising is all about human psychology whether they be adults or kids. Does anyone expect an advertising agency to dismiss all research on adults and start from the ground up targeting kids? That’s not how innovation (that hurt to type in this context) works; we build on previous work.
I bet the same principals work for Facebook/Instagram/Tiktok and thousands of independent ad agencies derived the same conclusions through different means. Because it’s Philip Morris, should they be the one prohibited from marketing other brands they own?
I am no analysis/therapist, but if I were I’d combine those titles somehow. Theralysis? No…
Anyway, I do highly recommend (for those that haven’t) investing the time and watching The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis. It is very illuminating as to how we’ve arrived where we are now with regards to propaganda and advertising which are rooted in the same psychological underpinnings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3RzGoQC4s
It appears to be on Netflix, as well.
Therapist/analysts are typically referred to as analrapists.
I don’t have time to watch this now, but I got as far as, “propaganda is kind of a dirty word now because of Germany, so I had to come up with a new way to call it something.” That’s where Public Relations comes from. It seems like a great watch.
I consider this required viewing for everyone. Hope you find the time to finish it. It is four hours and very much worth the time.
I definitely will. Thanks for posting.
I’m here to just say it is worth your time. This and Hypernormalization are Adam Curtis’ best works. IMO.
You can squeeze shit into a food shape and some sumbitch will eat it that’s for ding dang sure!
I ran across “tender shaped chicken” from Walmart’s “Better Goods” brand recently. 😩
So glad I sold my kid on the idea of “homemade Lunchables” years and years ago.
It’s crucially important to raise kids with an understanding of whole food and its importance. You can’t keep them from processed food, but you can make it clear it’s a sometimes choice. Once they’re an adult and start to care about their health, they can build on the whole food foundation you gave them.
But God, so many of us were just raised on whatever came out of a box or packet or tube.
Costco didn’t have beans for the past few months locally so I went to Walmart and they did have beans but they sale them by the pound. So I grabbed 50 lb worth for the next year.
Like WTF! Isle after Isle of ultra processed non food food items and about 80lb of beans. Not even enough for a couple of families.
Yup. If you’re extra paraoid, get some air-txght buckets, fill them with beans and don’t tell anyone you have them until you have a gun.
