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

Food Marketing Activities Directed to Children and Adolescents
Eyed Peas to promote their products at in-store events, in television and website advertising,
and, in the case of the Black Eyed Peas, through a series of original webisodes available at a
dedicated website and promoted via print ads, point-of-purchase materials, online banner ads,
and movie theater video ads.
Celebrity athletes were occasionally used as endorsers for products that sought to align
themselves with particular sports or sports in general. For example, a snack seed brand that
marketed itself to children and teens involved in youth baseball used celebrity endorser Derek
Jeter in website ads and an advergame. A snack meat brand that sponsored extreme sporting
events paid BMX biker Dave Mirra to endorse the brand; Mr. Mirra appeared at events and on
the company website, and his name was used on a contest to win $5,000 to revamp a park. A
beverage company used basketball player LeBron James for various promotions. He appeared
online, on containers, and in point-of-sale materials, as well as in television ads and an MTV
promotion. Fans could help to “choose his theme song,” enter a contest to meet him in person or
win other LeBron-related prizes, and collect bottle caps to redeem for “LeBron gear” through a
website “athletic club.”
Some companies used celebrity athlete endorsers to promote healthy messages and physical
activity. A canned soup company featured soccer player Freddy Adu in educational materials
distributed to schools in order to spread information on the importance of fitness and nutrition. A
vegetable juice brand offered a chance to win a new basketball court for a school, along with a
chance to play basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Other celebrity endorsements in 2006 included a cereal brand’s contest for a chance to
appear in an ad in Sports Illustrated for Kids alongside baseball player Derek Lee; a sweepstakes
advertised on a cookie brand’s website and packaging to win $10,000 and an opportunity to meet
American Idol judge Randy Jackson; and a QSR’s television ads featuring professional tween
surfers, bikers, and snowboarders.
f. ev e n T ma R k e T i n g a n d aT h l e T i c sP o n s o R s h i P s
Companies reported engaging in child- and teen-focused promotional activities at a wide
variety of venues. Sponsored events undertaken by beverage and candy companies and QSRs
included children’s activities, such as face painting, bounce houses and pedal car races, at local
fairs, festivals, and athletic events; Boys & Girls Clubs “kid days”; Girl Scouts “Local Lore”
Badge Days; and acrobatic performances at mall and retail sites. An energy drink company
regularly sponsored teen music events, art exhibits (particularly those incorporating its cans
into the art project), and graffiti competitions. A carbonated beverage company sponsored high
school graduation nights at Disney World and Universal Theme Park.
47