by Norman Weibel

Created on: May 15, 2010

The right of free speech trumps whatever feelings one holds with regard to soft drinks. Though we might hope that celebrities; knowing the influence their endorsement will have on their impressionable youthful fans, will endorse more healthful products than the sugar filled standard soft drinks, we cannot compel them to do so.

Reduced calorie drinks would, of course, be more beneficial to our ever more overweight children. A revision of food available for school children would also be beneficial. In most elementary schools French fries are one of the most popular foods, greatly increasing the fat content of their meals. One would think concerned parents would be demanding better meal choices for their children.

Often good intentions go astray. Thinking milk would be a better choice than soft drinks parents pushed for milk instead of soft drinks. Unfortunately, chocolate and strawberry flavored milk was more popular than natural white milk and these offerings contained more sugar than the sodas they replaced.

Celebrities on occasion also endorse fast food offerings with even more tragic results, i.e., when breadless chicken breast sandwiches stuffed with cheese and bacon hit the market. Though such endorsements may be morally wrong, the first amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of the celebrity to speak out in favor of anything he wishes. When they are paid the huge amounts they command for endorsements, it is just good business to get as many sponsors as they can and earn as much as they can while they hold celebrity status. This status is often a short term situation. The fame which creates the status requires the celebrity to be a star in entertainment and or sports or both.

The sure way for the concerned parent to have an effect on celebrity endorsements is to refuse to use the endorsed products. To be even more effective, they can organize boycotts. The forces of the market then determine the value of the endorsements of the celebrity. It does so without infringing on his first amendment rights.

Because celebrities depend upon the support of their fans, letter writing campaigns or the circulation of petitions can influence their choice of endorsements.

Finally, and most importantly, most celebrities have a social conscience, which works to limit what they are willing to endorse. The awareness of our growing childhood obesity is sure to have an effect on their choice of endorsements. It’s quite possible that in exercising their first amendment rights their choice of products will help curg our growing obesity.

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