Internet Food Marketing Strategies Aimed at Children and Adolescents: A Content Analysis of Food and Beverage Brand Web Sites

2006 ◽  
Vol 106 (9) ◽  
pp. 1463-1466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi Weber ◽  
Mary Story ◽  
Lisa Harnack
2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 738-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie A Bragg ◽  
Peggy J Liu ◽  
Christina A Roberto ◽  
Vishnu Sarda ◽  
Jennifer L Harris ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveFood marketing has been identified as a significant driver of the childhood obesity epidemic. The purpose of the present study was to (i) conduct a content analysis of the types of sports references that appear on supermarket food and beverage products and (ii) assess each product's nutritional and marketing profile.DesignThis was a descriptive study. Every product featuring sports references on the packaging was purchased in two major supermarkets during 2010. A content analysis was conducted and nutritional evaluations were made based on the Nutrient Profile Model, a validated nutrition model. Marketing data were obtained from The Nielsen Company.SettingTwo major supermarkets in Connecticut, USA.SubjectsFood and beverage products (n 102) were selected from two supermarkets.ResultsThe 102 products (fifty-three foods and forty-nine beverages) had sports references as part of their packaging: 72·5 % featured a character exercising, 42·2 % were endorsed by a professional sports entity and 34·0 % were child-targeted. The median nutrition score for food products was 36 (1 = unhealthiest and 100 = healthiest; scores of ≥63 are considered healthy according to this model). More than two-thirds of beverages (69·4 %) were 100 % sugar-sweetened. Children saw significantly more commercials for these products than adults.ConclusionsCompanies place sports figures on food and beverage products that are child-targeted and unhealthy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Castronuovo ◽  
Leila Guarnieri ◽  
Victoria Tiscornia ◽  
Lorena Allemandi

Abstract Background Pervasive marketing of unhealthy foods is one of the main drivers behind the global epidemic of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity. Sex and gender differences come into play in the design of and responses to these marketing strategies, contributing to the perpetuation of stereotyped behavior and generating disparities in food choices and health among boys and girls. The purpose of this paper is to review the current the literature regarding gender differences in food marketing design and perception among children and adolescents to facilitate evidence-based policy dialogues to address gender-based health disparities in NCD prevention.Methods Scoping review of articles published in scientific journals in English and Spanish from 2003 on that addressed the influence of food marketing on eating behaviors among children and adolescents including a gender perspective. The methodological quality of each article was assessed following criteria specific to each study design.Results A total of 40 articles (42 studies) were included in the review. 19 were experimental and 23 had descriptive, cross-sectional designs. 22 studies were found to have low methodological quality, while 11 and 9 were of medium and high quality, respectively. 24 studies found gender-based differences with regards to the effect of food marketing on food intake, food choice and preferences, responses to specific marketing strategies and techniques, perceptions and attitudes towards food marketing and the need for its regulation, and advertising content and exposure. Conclusions The evidence suggests that food marketing has a similar impact on the consumption of unhealthy foods on both boys and girls, but boys were found to be exposed to food advertising more intensively and their preferences to be more affected by this exposure, in line with a mostly male-dominant advertising content. Limitations of these studies include taking gender as an unproblematic construct equivalent to biological sex and the lack of studies focused on developing countries. As gender is a cross-sectional dimension that interacts with other factors driving health disparities, an integrated gender perspective is needed in order to develop effective, evidence-based policies to control food marketing and tackle the childhood overweight pandemic.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (06) ◽  
pp. 1113-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Correa ◽  
Marcela Reyes ◽  
Lindsey P Smith Taillie ◽  
Francesca R Dillman Carpentier

AbstractObjectiveIn the light of Chile’s comprehensive new restriction on unhealthy food marketing, we analyse food advertising on Chilean television prior to the first and final phases of implementation of the restriction.DesignContent analysis of marketing strategies of 6976 advertisements, based on products’ nutritional quality. Statistical analysis of total and child audience reached using television ratings data.SettingAdvertising from television aired between 06.00 and 00.00 hours during two random composite weeks across April–May 2016 from the four broadcast and four cable channels with the largest youth audiences.ResultsFood ads represented 16 % of all advertising; 34 % of food ads featured a product high in energy, saturated fats, sugars and/or salt (HEFSS), as defined by the initial regulation. HEFSS ads were seen by more children and contained more child-directed marketing strategies than ads without HEFSS foods. If HEFSS advertising was restricted only in programmes where 20 % are children aged 4–12 years, 31 % of children’s and 8 % of the general audience’s HEFSS advertising exposure would be reduced. The newest 06.00–22.00 hours restriction captures 80 % of all audience exposure.ConclusionsHEFSS advertising was seen by a large proportion of children before Chile’s regulation. Chile’s first implementation based on audience composition should reduce a third of this exposure and its second restriction across the television day should eliminate most of the exposure. The current study is a crucial first step in evaluating how Chile’s regulation efforts will impact children’s diets and obesity prevalence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (65) ◽  
pp. 589-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Kassahara ◽  
Flavia Mori Sarti

The effects of marketing strategies for promotion of foods and beverages have been investigated due to its potential impacts on populations’ food choices, particularly among children and adolescents. The paper presents an academic literature review on regulation and self-regulation of food and beverage advertisements in Brazil, based on search performed in electronic databases. Majority of studies were based on law analysis or qualitative study of advertisements. There are sufficient evidences on the need for government regulation of advertisements addressed to children and adolescents complementarily to institutional self-regulation in order to tackle ethical transgressions on food and beverage advertisements identified in Brazil. Additionally, there should be imposition of rigorous penalties for noncompliance to ethical rules and proposition of incentives towards actions encouraging healthy food consumption patterns, in order to comprise an actual system for promotion of public health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine C. Pollack ◽  
Diane Gilbert-Diamond ◽  
Jennifer A. Emond ◽  
Alec Eschholz ◽  
Rebecca K. Evans ◽  
...  

Abstract Influencer marketing may be amplified on livestreaming platforms (e.g., Twitch) compared with asynchronous social media (e.g., YouTube). However, food and beverage marketing on Twitch has not been evaluated at a user level. The present study aimed to compare users’ self-reported exposure to food marketing and associated attitudes, consumption and purchasing behaviours on Twitch compared with YouTube. A survey administered via social media was completed by 621 Twitch users (90 % male, 64 % white, 69 % under 25 years old). Of respondents, 72 % recalled observing at least one food or beverage advertisement on Twitch. There were significant differences in the recall of specific brands advertised on Twitch (P < 0⋅01). After observing advertised products, 14 % reported craving the product and 8 % reported purchasing one. In chat rooms, 56 % observed conversations related to food and 25 % participated in such conversations. There were significant differences in the number of users who consumed various products while watching Twitch (P < 0⋅01). Of users who frequented YouTube (n 273), 65 % reported negative emotions when encountering advertising on YouTube compared with 40 % on Twitch (P < 0⋅01). A higher proportion felt Twitch's advertising primarily supported content creators (79 v. 54 %, P < 0⋅01), while a higher proportion felt that YouTube's advertising primarily supported the platform (49 v. 66 %, P < 0⋅01). The findings support that food marketing exposures on Twitch are noticeable, less bothersome to users and influence consumption and purchasing behaviours. Future studies are needed to examine how the livestreaming environment may enhance advertising effectiveness relative to asynchronous platforms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucila Rozas ◽  
Peter Busse ◽  
Joaquin Barnoya ◽  
Alejandra Garrón

Abstract Objectives Data on gender representation in food and beverage advertisements may allow for a better understanding of how the food industry is targeting different audiences based on gender. Nonetheless, scant research on food and beverage print advertising with a gender approach has been conducted. Therefore, we sought to assess the prevalence of gender focus in print advertisements found inside corner stores in two cities: Guatemala City, Guatemala, and Lima, Peru. Data description We developed two complementary datasets as part of the study: (1) a dataset of digital photographs of 200 food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores located near schools (100 ads per country selected according to criteria such as product type, image quality, and uniqueness); (2) a quantitative dataset with data of the content analysis of these photographs. We employed 19 variables to record the general information and gender assessment of the ads. These datasets should allow scholars and public officials to identify gender-specific marketing strategies of the food industry that might impact children’s and adolescents’ nutrition differently.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 377
Author(s):  
Elida Sina ◽  
Christoph Buck ◽  
Wolfgang Ahrens ◽  
Stefaan De Henauw ◽  
Hannah Jilani ◽  
...  

Digital media (DM) influences children’s food choice. We aim to investigate associations between DM use and taste preferences (TP) for sweet, fatty, bitter, and salty in European children and adolescents. Individuals aged 6–17 years (N = 7094) providing cross-sectional data for DM use: television (TV), computer/game console (PC), smartphone and internet, were included. Children (6 to <12 years) and adolescents (≥12 years) completed a Food and Beverage Preference Questionnaire; scores were calculated for sweet, fatty, salty and bitter preference and categorized (high vs. low). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios as association measures between DM exposure and TP. On average, individuals used media for 2.4 h/day (SD = 1.7). Increasing exposures to DM were associated positively with sweet, fatty and salty TP, while inversely with bitter preference. In female adolescents, DM exposure for >2 h/day was associated with sweet (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.02–1.57) and fatty preference (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.10–1.70). Internet exposure was inversely associated with bitter preference, notably in male adolescents (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50–0.84), but positively associated with salty preference (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.02–1.64). DM exposure was associated with sweet, fatty, salty and bitter TP in children and adolescents, serving as the basis for future longitudinal studies to shed light on the underlying mechanism by which DM exposure may determine eating habits.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 373-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michail Nerantzidis

Purpose – This paper provides evidence regarding the efficacy of the “comply or explain” approach in Greece and has three objectives: to improve our knowledge of the concept of this accountability mechanism, to elevate auditors’ potential role in the control of corporate governance (CG) statements and to contribute to the discussion about the reform of this principle; a prolonged dialogue that has been started by European Commission in the light of the recent financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken is a content analysis of CG statements and Web sites of a non-probability sample of 144 Greek listed companies on the Athens Stock Exchange for the year 2011. Particularly, 52 variables were evaluated from an audit compliance perspective using a coding scheme. From this procedure, the level of compliance with Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) code, as well as the content of the explanations provided for non-compliance, were rated. Findings – The results show that although the degree of compliance is low (the average governance rating is 35.27 per cent), the evaluation of explanations of non-compliance is even lower (from the 64.73 per cent of the non-compliance, the 40.95 per cent provides no explanation at all). Research limitations/implications – The research limitations are associated with the content analysis methodology, as well as the reliability of CG statements. Practical implications – This study indicates that companies on the one hand tend to avoid the compliance with these recommendation practices, raising questions regarding the effectiveness of the SEV code; while on the other, they are not in line with the spirit of the CG code, as they do not provide adequate explanations. These results assist practitioners and/or policy-makers in perceiving the efficacy of the “comply or explain” approach. Originality/value – While there is a great body of research that has looked into the compliance with best practices, this study is different because it is the first one that rates not only the degree of the compliance with the code’s practices but also the content of the explanations provided for non-compliance. This is particularly interesting because it adds to the body of research by providing a new approach in measuring the quality of the “comply or explain” principle in-depth.


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