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The Alliance for American Advertising is a nonpartisan coalition of media, advertising and food manufacturing organizations and companies. Alliance members are committed to supporting strategies to reduce the rate of childhood obesity in America. The food manufacturing companies in the Alliance have pledged to support the Council for Better Business Bureaus’ Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. The self-regulatory Initiative was created to achieve significant changes in the content and marketing of foods advertised to children under age 12.

An important objective of the Alliance has been to communicate to Congress, the Executive Branch, and to the media, the effective strategies that are being applied toward the reduction of childhood obesity in America. This includes self-regulatory initiatives as well as industry-sponsored school demonstration projects, workplace initiatives and public information campaigns that offer significant progress toward reducing obesity in school children.

Alliance members anticipated that the results of the 2008 election could accelerate public attention on this important public health issue. In the first year of this new Administration, Alliance members have seen a number of new strategies pursued by advertising critics and new forms of restrictions proposed on advertising. A broad range of challenges are on the immediate horizon.

Jim Davidson and Polsinelli Shughart five years ago were asked by Alliance members to organize the coalition and to help frame the issues facing the various industries as advocacy groups raised the public profile of the rising level of obesity among children and focused on restricting advertising as a primary response to this public health issue. We bring two decades of experience in representing industries that rely upon advertising for marketing or for revenue. We understand the issues and we know how to translate the concerns for Members of Congress.

We have worked with advertisers, media and other industry groups to oppose efforts in Congress and the Executive Branch to impose taxes on or otherwise restrict the content of advertising. As part of our efforts, we have organized meetings with Senators and Representatives in their states and districts to which we invite local advertising executives, newspaper and magazine publishers and radio and television executives. These meetings allow us to explain first-hand to members the importance of advertising to the local economy.

A goal of the Alliance has been to work cooperatively with the Administration and with the Congress to promote effective solutions that recognize the value of self-regulation and do not rely upon bans or government restrictions on advertising. Among these solutions are industry-led programs to prove the effectiveness of innovative nutrition and physical education curriculums in elementary and middle schools.

Alliance members have held two briefings for Obama Administration officials on the self-regulatory efforts of the industry that included representatives of the Office of the First Lady, the Secretary of Agriculture and the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Alliance has raised the awareness of Members of Congress about the value of public service announcements that encourage exercise and eating nutritious foods. The PSAs were developed by The Ad Council in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services with time and space volunteered by media companies and advertising agencies.

The strength of the Alliance is grounded in the cooperative effort of food manufacturing companies, advertising agencies and ad clubs around the nation, and the media companies that all share a commitment to preserving a role for responsible and truthful advertising.  read more

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