Are these advertisers as committed to protecting kids as they claim?

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Coca-Cola Co., for example, is publicly committing, it says, "to continue its long-standing practice in the United States of refraining from advertising its beverages on programming primarily directed to children under 12." Yet according to Nielsen data, "American Idol," a program sponsored by Coca-Cola, and one where Coca-Cola features prominently, attracted 2.4 million viewers aged 2 to 11 years old in March.

McDonald's USA has committed that all advertising primarily directed at children under 12 be for meals that meet specified calorie, fat, saturated fat and sugar limitations consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 and other government standards. Advertising will feature the 375-calorie Happy Meal, consisting of four chicken McNuggets made with white meat, apple slices, low-fat caramel dip and one-percent white milk.

That's great, but when I take my son to Laker's games, McDonald's logos are plastered all over Staple's Center. True, they don't promote any particular products, but take a walk around the stadium near the McDonald's concession stand and it's the smell of burgers and fries that tempts the taste buds, not the apple slices.

And online, aren't the chances high that kids under 12 will come across M&M or Snickers ads while surfing for a piece of music to download or for pictures or videos of their favorite celebs?

Take a look at what's happening overseas. According to press reports from the U.K., similar efforts to ban or limit "junk" food advertising to children on TV have pushed some marketers online into what those publications deem "backdoor" advertising.

Both The Guardian and Daily Mail report that Skittles, for example, has set up a profile on the social networking site Bebo, which, although it requires users to declare they are at least 13, attracts younger school children as well. The Skittles' profile reportedly has been viewed more than 50,000 times and has attracted more than 3,500 "friends" as "brand ambassadors."

(Here in the States, a new energy drink powder called Blow, which resembles cocaine, has deployed a similar effort on MySpace.com, although the owner declared on network news that the company "absolutely doesn't market to teenagers.")

Of course, the ultimate proof of success will be when my son reaches for the carrot rather than the cookie for a snack. As a parent, I have my work cut out for me, but luckily I don't have to go it alone. According to Jaffe, in addition to the advertising commitment from the food companies, they're also putting efforts into reformulating or introducing 10,000 "better for you" options, and the ad industry has donated $350 million in time and money to the Ad Council for healthy lifestyle public service advertising.

Other initiatives under way include in-store promotion of the federal government's Pyramid dietary advice program, and two school programs.

As marketers and consumers, we know that advertising works. Let's hope for our kids' sakes that this anti-advertising effort pays off.

Dawn Anfuso is senior editor, iMedia Connection. Read full bio.