Movie Theaters and Advertising

We rarely go to the movies as a family. Usually twice a year we will all go to the movies, so I'm not very familiar with what a movie theater has chosen to do about commercials before the movie. When I was a kid, the only commercials were for future movies and the snack bar and I didn't think twice about it.

That's not true anymore.

We went to a local theater yesterday to see Horton Hears a Who (which, by the way, my entire family highly recommends and was well worth the $42.44 we spent at the theater). Though we were right on time into the theater, we still watched another 5 minutes of traditional TV commercials and another 5-10 minutes of movie commercials.

One of the TV commercials before the movie was for a weight loss drug. Forget the fact that all weight loss commercials have half-naked women in them, but add to the fact that they are promoting that women who are barely overweight can take a weight loss drug and become unhealthfully underweight with their weight loss drug.

We don't watch TV commercials in our own home, but we paid to see them in the theater. Add to that such a commercial was before a RATED G movie. I have to wonder how many parents have dropped their kids off at a Rated PG movie not realizing their children are being subjected to such advertising. Do I really even need to state the harm it does to our kids, especially the girls, when eating disorders are increasing rapidly among pre-pubertal girls.

So we're recommending you don't frequent the following movie theater until they promise not to show such commercials before Rated G or Rated PG movies:

Owned by Kerasotes theaters:
Southlands Stadium 16
23955 East Plaza Ave
Aurora, CO 80016

General Manager: Patti Padilla
E-Mail Address: slco@kerasotes.com

On our way out of the theater, I stopped to talk to a male manager of the theater. Here was our conversation: I said to him, "Do you realize you are showing weight loss drug commercials before a rated G movie?" He said, "Which drug?" I was thrown off guard. "What drug? Um, I didn't pay attention, but it was before Horton Hears a Who at 11:30 a.m." He replied, "Oh...well...I'll tell someone about it."

I supposed I should have been reassured that he said he'd tell someone, but it seemed rather insincere. His lack of shock was a shock to me and made me wonder if he thought I was just a crazy overprotective mom.

I'm going to email the address listed above for the General Manager and I'll post an update when I get a response.