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Challenges “easy” solutions regarding obesity amongst kids and youth, such as banning of advertising. Pleads for “new thinking”, including use of Social Marketing in children’s preventative health practice, as well as for cooperation between politics, science and industry.

Studies by iconkids & youth as well as a variety of other relevant literature are referred to supporting the author’s arguments that companies can and should actively participate in reacting to the problem obesity poses.

The paper argues that there is no reliable proof that kids’ marketing is a major cause for obesity. In fact, preventative health practices seem as yet too much focused on a cognitive level – rather than on an emotional, engaging, and thus effective one.

The article focuses on Germany where the obesity debate is not lead in a climate as highly emotionalised as in other countries. Cooperation between the most important social groups may be less difficult and more effective in Germany than elsewhere.

Nevertheless, the German model of a cooperation of politics, science and industry trying to counteract overweight and obesity may be “food‐for‐thought”. Furthermore, the paper aims at helping manufacturers to gain insights to cover the obesity issue in their products and Marketing.

Background information on the central issues as such as well as practical suggestions for marketers relating to the obesity discussion are offered.

Examines why children choose certain brands over others. Relates this to the fact that desirable brands appeal to our needs, so that successful brands address children’s needs. Shows how children seek a balance between learning new things (exploration) and relying on a socially and emotionally stable home life (home), and also a balance between independence (intrinsic) and integration into family and peer group (extrinsic). Constructs a fourfold classification of children’s need states, based on these two oppositions, which will help in effective marketing of children’s products. Discusses these four states: Emotional Home, Social Home, Self‐improvement, and Re‐definition. Applies the four states to popular characters in children’s television, respectively Winnie the Pooh, Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter, while Tom & Jerry changes its appeal over time. Illustrates how a product like the mobile phone can be marketed to appeal to each of the four states, and gives general rules for developing brand strategies based on the four need state segments.