SpongeBob SquarePants (often referred to simply as SpongeBob) is an American animated television series, created by animator Stephen Hillenburg. SpongeBob has gained popularity in Japan, specifically with Japanese women. Nickelodeon’s parent company Viacom purposefully targeted marketing at women in the country as a method of the SpongeBob SquarePants brand. Skeptics initially doubted that SpongeBob could be popular in Japan as the character’s design is very different to already popular designs for Hello Kitty and Pikachu.
A “Happy Meal” is a form of kids’ meal specifically marketed at children sold at the fast-food chain McDonald’s since June 1979. A toy is typically included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a box or paper bag with the McDonald’s logo. The packaging and toy are frequently part of a marketing tie-in to a popular film, TV show, or toy-line. In Japan, it was called Okosama Lunch from 1987 to 1988, then Okosama Set from 1988 to 1995 (Okosama is a polite word for “child”), before being renamed to Happy Set.
Hyperactivity is a physical state in which a person is abnormally active. The majority of studies show no connection between sugar and hyperactivity. This belief is especially prevalent among parents and teachers who claim that children’s behavior often gets more rowdy, excited and energetic after they eat too many sugary foods and drink too many sugary drinks (such as chocolates/sweets or soft drinks).
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