NTRN 328: Getting the Nutrition Message Across

The US food system is the ________ largest advertiser in the american economy.

second

food captures _______ % of US consumers spending.

12.5%

• food is a repeat purchase item

• food is one oof the most highly branded items

  • 80% of US grocery store products are branded

What are some food marketing strategies commonly used on youth?

• Broadcast media
– Movies; television shows; commercials; video games

• Social media
– Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter

• Brand licensing
– Uses tie-ins with movies and other media events to co-brand food products

• Event sponsorship
– Commonly sponsor sporting and other types of
entertainment events

• Celebrity endorsements
– Food and beverages comprise 24% of top 100 athlete endorsements
– 79% of athlete endorsed foods found to be energy dense,
nutrient poor

• Promotional characters
– Brand mascots and media characters
– Estimated to occur in 55% of TV food ads aimed at children

• Product placement
– References to specific food brands or products are
incorporated into another work (e.g., film, television)

• In-store marketing
– Floor advertising; sampling; pricing/coupons; POS product
placement

• Within-in school marketing
– Vending machines; sponsors; fundraisers; promotions

Fun foods
– Stackable; glow in the dark; package games; games with
food; unusual product names or flavors

Giveaways and contests

Why are Youth a Common Target Audience for U.S. Food and Beverage Marketing?

• Children thought to be too cognitively immature to
differentiate between facts and marketing communications
• Children have extraordinarily high recognition of popular
characters (60-90%)
– Familiar characters increase children’s preferences for foods, especially increase energy density foods

• Food preference and intake is affected by exposure to
food advertising
• Energy intake increases during TV viewing
– Strong association between TV viewing and obesity when
controlling for SES, familial overweight, physical activity

Why market to kids?

• Direct spending by children
• Influence parental spending (‘pester power’)
• Forming life-long brand loyalty

What are some marketing disparities?

• Black and Hispanic Children
– Live in communities with a higher prevalence of food
marketing (e.g., billboards, in-school)
• Food marketing targeted to minority audiences
disproportionately promote less healthy foods