Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...

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Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents effectiveness of specific healthy messaging campaigns on consumer behavior. For example, a packaged food company has examined the impact of its child-directed campaign to promote exercise and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as its health and nutrition grant program. A milk marketer has analyzed the impact of its youth-directed promotion on milk consumption in a sample of secondary schools. A beverage company has evaluated the effectiveness of its nutrition and fitness program for elementary school students, which was developed in collaboration with another organization. re c o m m e n d a t I o n s : • • Companies should expand public outreach efforts – through company-sponsored initiatives, third-party partnerships, and innovative and varied media techniques – to educate children and teens about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. • Companies should devote particular attention to outreach aimed at ethnic minority populations that are disproportionately affected by childhood overweight and obesity. Companies should continue researching the effectiveness of their campaigns to educate and motivate youth to engage in healthier lifestyles. 7. Media and Entertainment Company Initiatives In addition to efforts by food and beverage marketers, several media and entertainment companies have taken steps to encourage healthier eating and healthier lifestyles by children. A number of companies have adopted policies to limit the licensing of their popular characters for use in marketing foods meeting certain nutritional guidelines. Disney announced in October 2006 that it would use its characters – such as Mickey Mouse and others – only on products that meet specific nutritional requirements. 169 Sesame Workshop has pledged to license its characters only for more nutritious, lower-calorie products, and has partnered with a number of produce companies to promote fruits and vegetables; consumers now see Elmo promoting strawberries and cherries, Big Bird on applesauce, and Cookie Monster on cans of corn. 170 Similarly, Discovery Kids and the Cartoon Network now license their characters for use on food packaging and promotional tie-ins only for products meeting nutritional standards for fat, calories, and sugar. 171 Nickelodeon – which since 2005 has licensed its SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer characters for use on packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables 172 – has pledged to limit licensing of its characters exclusively to better-for-you foods by 2009. 173 Most recently, in 2008, Warner Bros. announced it has partnered with Safeway supermarkets to license its Looney Tunes characters for use on Safeway branded kids’ products meeting certain nutritional standards; 78
Assessment of Food Company Health Initiatives and Recommendations as part of the deal, Warner Bros. pledged to stop featuring the characters on “unhealthy” food packaging. 174 These initiatives can have an impact. One clementine seller has reported that “[m]ajor grocers sold nearly 30% more clementines based on the appeal of the Nickelodeon packaging.” 175 In a similar vein, at the FTC’s 2007 Forum, a Sesame Workshop representative discussed research showing that the appearance of a Sesame character on a particular food noticeably increased its appeal to children. 176 In 2007, McDonald’s integrated DreamWorks’ Shrek character into packaging for healthy choices, such as apple slices, milk, water, and carrots, and, according to a trade press report, sales of apple slices and milk increased by 37% and 21%, respectively. 177 Media companies are taking other steps as well. The Disney Channel announced at the 2007 Forum that it now requires food companies to meet nutritional guidelines in order to sponsor Disney Channel programming. 178 In addition, the Disney Channel is incorporating healthy messages into the programs themselves. 179 Similarly, Ion Media Networks – which through a partner produces children’s weekend programming aired on NBC and Telemundo – has committed not to air national ads for unhealthy foods or beverages on its children’s shows, and to create new story lines promoting good eating habits and physical activity. 180 Nickelodeon has devoted nearly $30 million and 10% of air time to health and wellness messaging to children. 181 The “Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge,” launched by Nickelodeon and the American Heart Association in 2006, includes television spots that highlight healthy lifestyles and grants to community organizations that encourage play. 182 One media company has also aired television ads and other messaging highlighting the fact that its licensed character now appears on packages of fresh produce. re c o m m e n d a t I o n s : • • • More media and entertainment companies should limit the licensing of their characters to healthier foods and beverages that are marketed to children, so that cross-promotions with popular children’s movies and television characters will favor the more, rather than the less, nutritious foods and drinks. Media companies should consider adopting uniform, objective standards that limit advertising placements on programs “directed to children” to healthier food and beverage products. Media and entertainment companies should continue to incorporate health and nutrition messages into programming and editorial content, and to create public education campaigns aimed at the problem of childhood obesity. 79
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Marketing
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Report Contributors Bureau of Consu
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Appendices 2. Athletic and Other Ev
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List of Figures Figure II.1: Report
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