Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Marketing</strong> <strong>Food</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Adolescents</strong><br />
effectiveness of specific healthy messaging campaigns on consumer behavior. For example,<br />
a packaged food company has examined the impact of its child-directed campaign <strong>to</strong> promote<br />
exercise <strong>and</strong> consumption of fruits, vegetables, <strong>and</strong> whole grains, as well as its health <strong>and</strong><br />
nutrition grant program. A milk marketer has analyzed the impact of its youth-directed<br />
promotion on milk consumption in a sample of secondary schools. A beverage company has<br />
evaluated the effectiveness of its nutrition <strong>and</strong> fitness program for elementary school students,<br />
which was developed in collaboration with another organization.<br />
re c o m m e n d a t I o n s :<br />
•<br />
•<br />
Companies should exp<strong>and</strong> public outreach efforts – through company-sponsored<br />
initiatives, third-party partnerships, <strong>and</strong> innovative <strong>and</strong> varied media techniques – <strong>to</strong><br />
educate children <strong>and</strong> teens about the importance of healthy eating <strong>and</strong> exercise.<br />
•<br />
Companies should devote particular attention <strong>to</strong> outreach aimed at ethnic<br />
minority populations that are disproportionately affected by childhood<br />
overweight <strong>and</strong> obesity.<br />
Companies should continue researching the effectiveness of their campaigns <strong>to</strong><br />
educate <strong>and</strong> motivate youth <strong>to</strong> engage in healthier lifestyles.<br />
7. Media <strong>and</strong> Entertainment Company Initiatives<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> efforts by food <strong>and</strong> beverage marketers, several media <strong>and</strong> entertainment<br />
companies have taken steps <strong>to</strong> encourage healthier eating <strong>and</strong> healthier lifestyles by children. A<br />
number of companies have adopted policies <strong>to</strong> limit the licensing of their popular characters for<br />
use in marketing foods meeting certain nutritional guidelines. Disney announced in Oc<strong>to</strong>ber<br />
2006 that it would use its characters – such as Mickey Mouse <strong>and</strong> others – only on products that<br />
meet specific nutritional requirements. 169 Sesame Workshop has pledged <strong>to</strong> license its characters<br />
only for more nutritious, lower-calorie products, <strong>and</strong> has partnered with a number of produce<br />
companies <strong>to</strong> promote fruits <strong>and</strong> vegetables; consumers now see Elmo promoting strawberries<br />
<strong>and</strong> cherries, Big Bird on applesauce, <strong>and</strong> Cookie Monster on cans of corn. 170 Similarly,<br />
Discovery Kids <strong>and</strong> the Car<strong>to</strong>on Network now license their characters for use on food packaging<br />
<strong>and</strong> promotional tie-ins only for products meeting nutritional st<strong>and</strong>ards for fat, calories, <strong>and</strong><br />
sugar. 171 Nickelodeon – which since 2005 has licensed its SpongeBob SquarePants <strong>and</strong> Dora the<br />
Explorer characters for use on packaging of fresh fruits <strong>and</strong> vegetables 172 – has pledged <strong>to</strong> limit<br />
licensing of its characters exclusively <strong>to</strong> better-for-you foods by 2009. 173 Most recently, in 2008,<br />
Warner Bros. announced it has partnered with Safeway supermarkets <strong>to</strong> license its Looney Tunes<br />
characters for use on Safeway br<strong>and</strong>ed kids’ products meeting certain nutritional st<strong>and</strong>ards;<br />
78