• Mediaweek, Tuesday, December 12, 2006 11:46 AM

The epidemic of childhood obesity and growing public and political reaction to it have yet to have much impact on the kids ad sales market, according to some top execs at ad-supported kids cable networks. They say the food category has actually been more active in 2006 than in the past, an uptick that follows a trend of more cooperation between marketers and the networks.

"Because our [food] clients are rethinking the nature of how they formulate their products and our desire to work with them on how they bring their message to kids, we have been able to grow that category in the last two years, despite outside pressures," says John O'Hara, senior vice president at Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

Food fluctuates between being the channel's No. 1 and No. 2 category. At Nickelodeon, says Jim Perry, executive vice president, "we continue to believe very firmly in what we're doing as a company in terms of educating our viewers about obesity, and reminding them they have to go out and play." He adds that the net is also working with the food companies to see that ads have activity-based elements and highlight healthy eating alternatives.

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