Food Advertising Directed at Children
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Review of Effects, Strategies, and Tactics Food Advertising Directed at Children Report produced by Marie-Ève Nadeau, University of Ottawa Prepared for the Quebec Coalition on Weight-Related Problems January 2011 1 2 Foreword Production of this report has been made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada, through the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The views expressed herein represent the views of the Collaborative Action on Childhood Obesity and do not necessarily represent the views of the project funders. About the Collaborative Action on Childhood Obesity This Coalition is part of CLASP (Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention) of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The program of activities titled 'Collaborative Action on Childhood Obesity' (CACO) will be carried out from October 2009 through March 2012. The CACO project is made up of six national, provincial, and territorial partners who bring to the project expertise in regards to policy, research, prevention/promotion, and clinical practice: • Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada • Childhood Obesity Foundation • University of Ottawa • Heart and Stroke Foundation of Quebec • Quebec Coalition on Weight-Related Problems • Government of the Northwest Territories The objective of this Coalition is to reverse the growing trend of obesity in children by reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and time spent by youths in front of TV and computer screens. The CACO project aims at making low nutritional value food less seductive and less accessible, while increasing the presence of healthy alternatives in children’s environments. In partnership with three northern First Nations communities, land based health strategies are also being developed to reduce the prevalence of obesity and obesity related diseases. Within the CACO project, the Quebec Coalition on Weight-Related Problems (Weight Coalition) plays a knowledge transfer role with the five other partner organizations, especially on advertising directed to children. Quebec has had a law prohibiting advertising directed at children since the beginning of the 1980’s and the Weight Coalition has filed several complaints under this law. It has a great deal of experience on this subject and is an important ally for other Canadian provinces wishing to implement similar regulatory measures. As part of the project on preventing child obesity, the Weight Coalition commissioned this review of impacts, strategies, and tactics of marketing to children. About the Quebec Coalition on Weight-Related Problems Created in 2006 and sponsored by the Association pour la santé publique du Québec since 2008, the Quebec Coalition on Weight-Related Problems is working toward the adoption of specific public policies in regard to weight related issues. It acts within three strategic areas (agri-food industry, sociocultural and built environment) to foster the development of environments that enable healthy choices and prevent weight related issues. 3 Table of Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................... 4 List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6 2. The Economic Market of Children ................................................................................................... 8 2.1. Companies and Children .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Brand Recognition and Fashion ........................................................................................................ 11 2.3. Advertising Expenses Related to Children ........................................................................................ 11 3. Children’s Eating Habits ................................................................................................................ 12 3.1. Obesity Rates and Eating Habits....................................................................................................... 13 4. Advertising and Obesity around the World .................................................................................... 14 5. The Persuasive Aspect of Advertising to Children........................................................................... 14 6. Children’s Influencing Power in the Family Environment ................................................................ 15 6.1. The Nature of the Products .............................................................................................................. 17 6.2. The Act of Buying and Related Behavioral Roles .............................................................................. 18 7. Communication Strategies ............................................................................................................ 19 7.1. Product Placement ........................................................................................................................... 19 7.2. Sponsorship ...................................................................................................................................... 20 7.3. Promotion ......................................................................................................................................... 20 7.4. Fictitious Characters ......................................................................................................................... 21 8. Strategies Related to the Various Media ........................................................................................ 22 8.1. Television .......................................................................................................................................... 23 8.2. Internet ............................................................................................................................................. 28 8.3. School ............................................................................................................................................... 29 8.4. Grocery Stores .................................................................................................................................. 30 9. Marketing Techniques .................................................................................................................. 32 9.1. Children Aged 3 to 7 ......................................................................................................................... 32 9.2. Fun Food ........................................................................................................................................... 32 9.3. Effects of Commercial Advertising on Children ................................................................................ 33 9.4. Marketing Techniques around the World ........................................................................................ 34 9.5. From Push to Pull ............................................................................................................................. 34 10. Regulations and Jurisdictions ...................................................................................................... 34 10.1. Canada ............................................................................................................................................ 35 10.2. Quebec ........................................................................................................................................... 36 10.3. International ................................................................................................................................... 36 11. Healthy Food Products ................................................................................................................ 37 12. Educating Children about Advertising .......................................................................................... 37 12.1. Educational Games ......................................................................................................................... 38 13. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 38 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................... 39 Appendix A ...................................................................................................................................... 45 4 List of Tables Table 1 Purchases made by children (aged 4 to 12) Category spent in percentage ($billion) .................. 8 Table 2 Children and the recommendations from Canada’s Food Guide ............................................. 12 Table 3 The child’s influence according to the product category ......................................................... 17 Table 4 Expenses of children aged 4to 12 , globally ...........................................................................