Via Mom Salon: Seventh Generation just unveiled a cell phone application that lets people know the definitions of common chemicals in cleaning supplies, according to the trade publication Brand Week.

The application is available for download to Web-enabled cell phones (as well as a widget application) at Showwhatsinside.com. It is part of a larger campaign themed "Show the World What's Inside" that includes print breaking in such publications as Cookie, Domino and Self. This is the first campaign for Seventh Generation from 180LA, Los Angeles. Spend for the effort, which targets young moms, was not disclosed.

"One of the reasons we chose digital to be the center point of the campaign is because digital is great at doing a lot of things that some of the more traditional mediums aren't," said William Gelner, executive creative director at 180LA. "Young moms watch TV and read magazines, but the one place where they're really involved and deeply engaged is the Web. Especially through mommy blogs."

It's great that an environmentally friendly company like Seventh Generation is reaching out to moms -- I, myself, am a fan of its products -- but as the article noted, what harried mom has the time to whip out her cell phone and do research at the supermarket?

However, Robert Passikoff, founder of Brand Keys, New York, said that while the initiative is noble in theory, the real question is how often and whether or not consumers will actually use the mobile device. "The problem is, if you're a mom with a five-year-old or a newborn, you want to get in the store and out. You're not looking to go in and scan the ingredients.

"The acid test for all this is, if you were to ask 1,000 people whether they thought this would be a good idea or not, virtually everyone would tell you, 'yes,'" he said. But time limitations and real-world pressures dictate otherwise. If moms are really doing their homework, they're not doing it when they're shopping."

Seriously. Unless Papi is around to watch the kids, they tag along at the supermarket. Ugh.