Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...
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<strong>Marketing</strong> <strong>Food</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Adolescents</strong><br />
<strong>Food</strong> <strong>and</strong> beverage companies <strong>and</strong> QSRs distributed educational materials <strong>to</strong> schools about<br />
nutrition, fitness, wellness, <strong>and</strong> other aspects of child or teen development; often, these materials<br />
were br<strong>and</strong>ed or promoted particular products or nutritional icon programs. Educational<br />
materials were sometimes accompanied by premiums, such as br<strong>and</strong>ed pencils, posters, activity<br />
sheets, or soccer balls.<br />
QSRs also sponsored or participated in student writing competitions. QSRs sponsored or<br />
participated in reading encouragement programs, providing schools with restaurant certificates or<br />
coupons <strong>to</strong> award <strong>to</strong> students who read a certain number of books. 80 One QSR offered br<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
merch<strong>and</strong>ise, such as pencil sharpeners, cups, pens, <strong>and</strong> magnets, for sale <strong>to</strong> schools <strong>to</strong> use as<br />
student reading awards. For children in pre-schools or daycare centers, award certificates were<br />
given for books read aloud <strong>to</strong> children. Another QSR awarded <strong>to</strong>kens – <strong>to</strong> be used for playing<br />
games at the restaurant – for good report-card grades. The same QSR hosted school fund-raising<br />
nights, with a portion of its proceeds donated <strong>to</strong> the school. These events were promoted with<br />
posters <strong>and</strong> flyers in the schools <strong>and</strong> stickers given <strong>to</strong> students <strong>to</strong> be redeemed for game <strong>to</strong>kens.<br />
C. Target Companies’ Market Research on Child <strong>and</strong> Teen<br />
Audiences 81<br />
The food <strong>and</strong> beverage companies reported performing marketing research on child <strong>and</strong><br />
adolescent audiences. They conducted focus groups, online surveys, <strong>and</strong> in-depth interviews <strong>to</strong><br />
ascertain what is important <strong>to</strong> various age groups <strong>and</strong> what engages them. They also obtained<br />
market research from advertising or media firms through commissioned projects or unsolicited<br />
presentations. On occasion, research was conducted in schools during class time. Companies<br />
tested proposed television ads on young consumers <strong>to</strong> determine what techniques will make<br />
them want <strong>to</strong> try the product. 82 Marketers recognized that children’s requests <strong>to</strong> parents <strong>to</strong> buy a<br />
product, sometimes called the “nag” fac<strong>to</strong>r, are important in driving purchases.<br />
Research submitted by carbonated beverage companies tended <strong>to</strong> focus on an adolescent<br />
audience, <strong>to</strong> ascertain, for example, what creative elements appeal <strong>to</strong> them <strong>and</strong> which athletes or<br />
athletic teams they most admire. 83 The research also showed that product placement within the<br />
s<strong>to</strong>ry line of a television show, combined with traditional ads that appear during or adjacent <strong>to</strong><br />
the program, can be highly successful in achieving product recognition, ad recall, <strong>and</strong> purchase<br />
intent by teens.<br />
Company research showed that children like ads with dramatic, action-filled, <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>-be-<br />
continued s<strong>to</strong>ry lines. They also like ads that link <strong>to</strong> websites <strong>and</strong> afford an opportunity <strong>to</strong> play<br />
games, solve a mystery or problem, or win prizes. Animated characters – whether third-party<br />
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