Marketing as a Cause of High Popularity of the Food with Minimal Nutritional Value

Marketing foods of minimal nutritional value to children and adolescents is known to be an important contributor to increasing obesity rates and its associated high cost to society and individuals, both in terms of economic impact and a reduction in quality of life. Furthermore the food and nutrition choices of consumers has a vast effect on our environment. Food ideologies and brand loyalty can be developed early in life and this has long lasting impacts. Food and beverage companies are spending huge sums of money to promote nutrient poor, calorie dense foods to young audiences.

These food choices are directly targeted at children and adolescents through a broad range of mediums including but not limited to product placement, sponsorships, television advertisements and brand ambassadors. Commercial food promotion is largely focused on foods that are nutrient poor and energy dense, this contributes to obesity and it’s associated chronic disease states, to the detriment of the populations wellbeing. Higher regulation by policy makers will lead to improved outcomes for society, legislation change is necessary as it is the responsibility of the state to protect our youth and through our youth, the future of our nation.

Background

Marketing is a diverse tool used to influence society with the goal of generating sales. Companies promote their products and services in a multifaceted approach to effectively drive increased brand and product awareness this enhances a product’s desirability and therefore influences choices within the marketplace. Of particular concern is the way businesses are targeting children and adolescents with campaigns encouraging the consumption of foods with low nutritional value1. The majority of foods advertised to young audiences are calorie-dense, nutrient poor and include confectionary, soft drinks, high-sugar cereal, and fast food. These discretionary food choices are marketed in high volume through conventional advertising. For example; statistics show that the average child in the United States, views 15 television food advertisements every day.

Examples of conventional advertising used by food and beverage companies include; product placement, sponsorships and brand ambassadors, these are dispersed through a broad range of media types including signage in places frequented by young people, television promotions and social media campaigns. With each of these marketing strategies advertisements are specifically directed towards children and adolescents.

Product placement involves a brand or product featuring in a media production seen by a large audience, these are most commonly found in movies and television shows, when these are done well the product being advertised blends in seamlessly with the content of the media production. Sponsorships are a way for companies to place brand or product advertisements on public figures or events. Both product placements and sponsorships can make use of brand ambassadors, these are public figures that are paid to endorse products and services.

Reducing food marketing to children though legislation, public campaigns and private intervention has been proposed as a means for addressing the global crisis of childhood obesity and its associated social, environmental and economic costs, however, significant social, legal, financial, and public perception barriers must first be broken down.

Current Situation

The current situation of food marketing to children and adolescents is diverse as the industry, environment and outcomes are dynamic and broad. Therefore for the purposes of developing understanding the situation is best analysed through the distinct components of: social influences, economic influences, political influences and environmental influences.

Social Influences

Many food brands attempt to market themselves as trendy and desirable and advertise the concept that their products will deliver social benefits. This often leads to peer-to-peer marketing which in the 21st century is accelerated by the phenomenon of social media, this is most prevalent in image sharing platforms like Instagram. Children and adolescents spend time eating together both in school and outside of school in social situations, this creates a culture saturated with youth with little to no parental guidance or influence and leads to peers having high levels of influence on each others food choices.

Marketing departments make use of social dynamics through the use of sponsors and brand ambassadors, these make use of teams or individuals that are already known and trusted by the audience being marketed too. This high level of trust allows an audience to be influenced into new mindsets around food. Social events are spent consuming food, this leads to the association between foods and positive experiences, by marketing themselves to appeal to social situations brands are able to develop habits within the population. Adolescents are lead to associate brands and products with social status.

Economic Influences

Marketing and advertising are driven by economics, as food companies stand to make huge profits by aggressively marketing their brands and products. Counter marketing is less effective than policy changes as food companies marketing expenditure is multitudes greater than any publicly funded counter-marketing campaign can reasonably be.

Many health issues become economic issues and this is clearly the case for obesity, as the rate of obesity rises the rate of obesity related diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer (endometrial, postmenopausal breast, kidney, and colon cancers), musculoskeletal disorders, sleep apnea, and gallbladder disease. As a direct result of this obesity leads to lower economic output and greater economic costs both due to death and the disease burden. Food companies seek to create life-long consumers by establishing brand loyalty early on in life.

Political Influences

A majority of healthcare costs are financed by taxpayers, this provides clear motivations for governments to implement policies to cut down costs. Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in developed nations including Australia, this results in a decreased gross domestic product and therefore it should be the priority of governments to decrease obesity.

In 2004, the World Health Organization called on governments, industry, and society to act to reduce unhealthy marketing messages. The industry may self-regulate, primarily driven by lawsuits, this is currently common within the industry but this type of policy is not as strong as government policy and the results are weaker. The outcomes from government mandated change are greater and lead to faster, more significant improvements. The ineffectiveness of this strategy is also driven by lack of consumer awareness.

Environmental Influences

Exposure to Food Marketing in Schools, Through School Cafeterias

Exposure to food advertisements in places frequented by adolescents, shopping centers, movie theatres, recreational centres. Low-nutrient, high-calorie foods are easily accessible, they are frequently pre-packaged and easy to take on the go and fast food restaurants are everywhere. This high availability allows children and adolescents to make choices as encouraged by advertisements.

The food supply is high and discretionary foods are stocked in high quantities at low prices making them an easy choice when compared to healthier whole foods, this reinforces advertisements as the price point and supply come into the equation.

Significance and Inter-Relatability of Social, Economic, Political and Environmental on Food Choices and Habits

Economic cost and political influence is strongly linked as the economy is a large driver for political change. An individual's environment ties in with a societies relationships to individuals and the structure of social interactions. Legislation has the ability to change the social environment and therefore alter food consumption behaviours.

Price reinforces the advertised message and the environmental impact of high supply allows discretionary foods to compete against whole foods.

Recommendations

Swift and aggressive action is required by governing bodies to reduce the social fallout caused by the current standards of food and beverage marketing to children and adolescents.

Policy makers need to increase their own awareness in order to anticipate industry manoeuvres that could undermine public health mandates for the promotion of healthier food options such as those listed in the australian dietary guidelines.

Public health advocates and policy makers who wish to increase support for restrictions on food marketing to youth should attempt to increase public understanding of the harmful effects of food marketing.

Food advertising to children and adolescents should be more strongly controlled to reduce their exposure and therefore decrease the risk of developing poor nutritional habits.