Candy sells kids and Dunkin’ wants them hooked early

Is it really in the best interest of society to attract teens into the Dunkin’ tribe? Using a fruity energy slush to get teen customers into Dunkin’ Donuts seems akin to Camel cigarettes using cartoons to hook kids on smoking.

With the latest attention on obesity and its link to numerous health-related issues, we are already hearing rumblings about tobacco-like legislation and litigation targeting fast food enablers like McDonald’s and Dunkin’.

Kids are already consuming too much sugar and exercising too little. Teens are already drinking all the carmelly, chocolatey, frozen, whipped creamy caffeinated goodness from Starbuck’s. Why are we pushing energy drinks on kids to begin with? Don’t kids already have too much energy? I fear we are setting up a buzz generation that can’t get out of bed without their morning java.

Maybe it is an example of good marketing to create brand loyalists when they are young, but linking loyalty with substances that have addictive properties just scares me.