A new study from Cornell has discovered it’s more than just the allure of sugar for breakfast that draws kids towards unhealthy cereals: The eyes on cereal box characters are designed to look at children in the eye.
Cornell Food and Brand Lab Researchers Aner Tal and Brian Wansink looked at 85 different cereal boxes and saw that, while faces on adult-aimed cereal look straight ahead, the eyes in cartoon characters on children’s cereal looks down at a 9.67 degree angle. That angle, in conjunction with placement on lower shelves, lets the cartoon characters make eye contact with children, which increases trustworthiness by 16 percent, reports the Daily Mail.
Wansink said, “If you are a cereal company looking to market healthy cereals to kids, use spokes-characters that make eye contact with children to create brand loyalty.” While it’s impossible to shield kids from all ads, not bringing them into the cereal aisle will at least stop the eyes of the Smacks frog from staring into your child’s soul.