Marketing Cardiovascular Mortality? Healthy vs. Unhealthy Food in Television Advertising

Author(s):  
Mashaal Ikram ◽  
Kim A Williams ◽  
Khari Hill

Background:Cardiovascular disease has been the leading killer of Americans since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.  During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, social distancing and stay-at-home requests, there has been increased television (TV) engagement, and marketing has become more impactful in modifying consumer behaviors. Objective:  We evaluated the healthfulness of food marketing, based on commercials most frequently aired on American primetime networks during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods:We reviewed a total of 104 TV commercials, 89 chosen randomly during TV watching and 14 targeted to enrich the sample with the leading quick service restaurants (“fast-food chains”).  The commercials fell into 4 categories: 1) fast-food chains, 2) brand-recognized individual items, 3) grocery chains, and 4) home-delivery meals. The food items displayed in each commercial were recorded and scored based on the previously validated healthful versus unhealthful nutrition scoring system, assigning either positive or negative values for each food item in the commercial. Results:We found that 58% of the commercials advertised fast-food chains (mean score = -3.1, i.e., 3.1 more unhealthy than healthy items per commercial), while 27% were brand-recognized individual items (-0.82), 9% were grocery chains (-0.4), and 6% were for home-delivery meals (0.83); each was less unhealthy than fast-food (p< 0.0001). Conclusions:Commercial TV in the US routinely promotes the consumption of foods that are known to be unhealthy, particularly those underpinning cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. Regulation and/or legislation to curtail the frequency and/or content of these commercials, and consider a ban on such advertising to children, similar to that previously employed in Canada and the European Union.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Reshma Nasreen ◽  
Sadaf Siraj ◽  
Sana Beg

Subject area Services marketing and marketing strategy. Study level/applicability The case is basically aimed at post-graduate management students; it can be used in strategic management courses. Students can understand McKinsey's 7S model with the help of this case as well as the seven Ps of service industry. Students can also gain an insight into the hub and spoke model. The case can also be used in courses of entrepreneurship. Case overview The case is primarily the entrepreneurial journey of Mr Samar Qureshi in a quick service restaurant business. The entrepreneur Mr Samar Qureshi at a very young age dreamt of opening up an Indian fast food chain. He worked hard to make his dream a reality. In a brief period of five years Qureshi's Fast Trax has reached the level of world-renowned fast food chains like McDonald's and KFC in terms of quality and ambience. Overcoming the hurdles and the challenges Fast Trax has 22 outlets in Delhi NCR. Samar has also introduced the fast food culture in a small town, Aligarh, and wishes to expand it further to other B class towns of India where people desire to go to fast food chains and to enjoy the high standards of food and service as are enjoyed by people living in metros. He has also been instrumental in changing the concept of canteen to restaurant in schools and colleges. The case discusses the challenges facing Fast Trax in the cut-throat environment of the fast food industry. Expected learning outcomes These include: highlighting the 7Ps of services in the context of a retail chain and establishing interlinkages between the seven Ss identified by McKinsey. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available. Please consult your librarian for access.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-431
Author(s):  
Richard I. Feinbloom

The public debate over television and its impact on children is heating up. Two highly visible skirmishes of 1978 are the investigation into television advertising to children by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the trial in California of a bizarre rape claimed to have been perpetrated in imitation of a crime which appeared on a television drama. The FTC has scheduled nile-making hearings in the fall of 1978 to consider whether television advertising to young children is inherently "unfair and deceptive" and whether restrictions should be placed specifically on the advertising to children of sugared products. Entering into these deliberations will be research and anecdotal evidence and authoritative opinions about the developmental capacity of children to make discerning judgments regarding advertising; the relation between sugar intake and dental caries and obesity; and the potentially disruptive effects of TV commercials on family life.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeonsoo Kim ◽  
Mari Luz Zapata Ramos

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how stakeholders perceive the motives behind fast food companies’ public health-related corporate social responsibility (CSR) and general social issue-related CSR initiatives, and their responses toward CSR in terms of supportive communication intent, investment intent, and purchase intent. The authors further examine the impact of perceived CSR motives on intent and whether a healthier chain image has an effect on stakeholder responses. Design/methodology/approach An online experiment was conducted. This study employed a randomized 2 (CSR type: health-related CSR vs generic social issue-related CSR)×2 (chain image: healthier chain vs general fast-food chain) full factorial design using general stakeholder samples. Findings For an ordinary fast food restaurant, generic social issue-related CSR programs elicited significantly more positive perceptions of CSR motives, supportive communication intent and investment intent, than public-health related CSR. When a company has a healthier image, stakeholders do not distinguish between CSR types. Stakeholders perceive both CSR types as stemming from mutually beneficial motives and show neutral to slightly positive reactions to both CSR. A positively perceived CSR motive plays a determinant role in anticipating communication, investment, and purchase intents. Originality/value This is the first study that examines stakeholder perception of motives behind and responses toward fast food chains’ health-related vs generic social issue-related CSR initiatives, in light of corporate image. The study findings help public relations practitioners, public health professionals, parent groups, and legislators understand stakeholders’ reactions toward CSR initiatives in the fast food industry and help them monitor practices for improvements.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Thales Teixeira ◽  
Michel Wedel ◽  
Rik Pieters

Abstract Vast sums of money are still spent on TV advertising. In an environment of rising perviewer rates for advertisers and increased skipping past ads by consumers it is necessary for advertising managers to understand the determinants of commercial avoidance. In order to optimize brand exposure they need information on how to best retain consumers’ attention from moment-to-moment during television advertising. This large-scale eye tracking study shows that the decision to zap or not to zap depends on how the brand is presented within the commercial. First, the ability of a commercial to concentrate consumers’ visual attention reduced avoidance significantly. Second, the likelihood that viewers will zap can be decreased with a “pulsing strategy” in which brand images are shown more frequently for a shorter period of time within the commercial instead of longer at the beginning or end.


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