Try a taste test between a national and a generic brand of cereal. Kids can play P.I. by finding out whether the brand name and generic cereals are manufactured and packaged in the same place. All kids have probably seen anti-smoking ads from tobacco company Philip Morris. Chevron, an oil company, runs ads on how it helps protect wildlife. Kids could don their investigative hats to find out.
Kids can play sleuth to find out where the shirts are manufactured.
Deadline for entries is March 20, 2001. More ideas for kid-friendly projects from the Media Awareness Network. The Center for Commercial Free Education has a Take Action idea for you, whether you have five minutes or an hour and a half to spare. The site includes a sample press release and a sample letter to the editor. Publishers have begun to use children's books as advertisements for junk food.