Popular Music Celebrity Endorsements in Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing Marie A. Bragg, PhD,a, b Alysa N. Miller, MPH, a, b Juleen Elizee, MPH, a Shatabdi Dighe, MPH,a Brian D. Elbel, PhD, MPHa, b, c BACKGROUND: Food and beverage marketing has been associated with childhood obesity. We abstract quantified the number and type of food or beverage brands promoted by music celebrities, assessed the nutritional quality of the products, and examined Teen Choice Award data to assess the celebrities’ popularity among adolescents. METHODS: This was a descriptive study. A list of music celebrities associated with the 2013 and 2014 Billboard Hot 100 Chart, which ranks songs according to sales and radio impressions, was compiled. Data on celebrity endorsements were gathered from official company Web sites, YouTube commercials, an advertising database, and media reports. Nutritional quality of foods was assessed according to the Nutrient Profile Index, whereas nonalcoholic beverages were evaluated based on calories from added sugar. Teen Choice Award nominations were used to measure the celebrities’ popularity among adolescents. RESULTS: Of the 590 endorsements made by the 163 celebrities in the sample, consumer goods (eg, fragrances, makeup) represented the largest endorsement category (26%), followed by food and beverage (18%) and retail (11%). Sixty-five celebrities were collectively associated with 57 different food and beverage brands owned by 38 parent companies. Of these 65 celebrities, 53 (81.5%) had ≥1 Teen Choice Award nomination. Forty-nine (71%) of the 69 nonalcoholic beverage references promoted sugar-sweetened beverages. Twenty-one (80.8%) of the 26 endorsed foods were energy dense and nutrient poor. Baauer, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, and Britney Spears had the most food and beverage endorsements. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that music celebrities who are popular among adolescents endorse energy-dense, nutrient-poor products. NIH a Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; bNew York WHAT’S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Exposure University College of Global Public Health, New York, New York; and cNew York University Wagner School of to unhealthy food advertisements is associated Public Service, New York, New York with excessive consumption. Studies have shown Dr Bragg originated the study idea and design, helped with data acquisition and analyses, led the that celebrities’ food endorsements promote writing of the manuscript, and had full access to all the study data; Ms Miller, Ms Elizee, and Ms higher product preferences. Research has also Dighe helped with the data acquisition and analysis and provided feedback on the manuscript; Dr demonstrated an association between familiarity Elbel helped interpret the results and provided critical feedback on drafts of the manuscript; and with songs mentioning alcohol and drinking behaviors all authors approved the fi nal manuscript as submitted. in adolescents and young adults. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2015-3977 WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: The study examines the use Accepted for publication Apr 15, 2016 of music celebrity endorsements of food and beverage Address correspondence to Marie A. Bragg, PhD, 227 East 30th St, Room 622, New York, NY 10016. products. Furthermore, it assesses nutritional E-mail: [email protected] value of endorsed products and the popularity of the celebrity endorser among adolescents. PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098-4275). Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics To cite: Bragg MA, Miller AN, Elizee J, et al. Popular Music Celebrity Endorsements in Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing. Pediatrics. 2016;138(1):e20153977 Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on September 28, 2021 PEDIATRICS Volume 138 , number 1 , July 2016 :e 20153977 ARTICLE The Institute of Medicine and surgeon and young adults.19 These findings adolescents and food marketing is general have stated that individual- are consistent with industry data needed, especially in recognition level health-promoting behavior showing that celebrity endorsement of adolescents’ unique standing changes are very difficult to achieve campaigns are more likely than as impressionable consumers because of the current unhealthy noncelebrity campaigns to lead to with more purchasing power and environment.1 Food and beverage substantial increases in immediate independence than their younger marketing has been identified profits and long-term increases in counterparts.26, 27 In fact, research as a significant environmental profitability.20 Given the high level demonstrates that adolescents can be contributor to childhood obesity.1–6 of brand exposure created by these highly impulsive with purchases, in Exposure to food marketing multi–million-dollar endorsement part because of peer pressure, 28 promotes excess consumption, deals, public health experts have fear of negative evaluation, 28 increased purchase requests, and expressed concern over the and underdeveloped self-control higher preference for the product potential effects of these marketing systems.29 This descriptive study among children and adults.2–5 A techniques on adolescents, who was designed to examine the use cued-recall assessment demonstrated represent a vulnerable population of music celebrity endorsements that fast food advertising receptivity well attuned to popular music of food and nonalcoholic beverage (ie, exposure and response to ads) trends. Indeed, grassroots action and products. We aimed to determine is associated with youth obesity.7 media attention regarding celebrity the number and type of music Food and beverage companies athletes’ endorsement of tobacco celebrity endorsements, evaluate spend $2 billion annually on youth- have coincided with declining the nutritional quality of endorsed targeted advertisements.1 Public tobacco endorsements21, 22 and could products, and assess how popular health experts have called for a shift provide useful lessons for addressing these music celebrities are among toward marketing messages that music celebrities’ endorsements adolescents and the general public. encourage consumption of healthy of unhealthy food and beverage foods and beverages and policies to products. establish protective thresholds for The food industry capitalizes on food marketing exposure targeting METHODS music celebrities’ popularity with youth.8–12 youth by engaging in multi–million- We listed the top 100 songs that dollar endorsement deals. In Research has shown that the use of appeared on the 2013 and 2014 2012, Beyoncé Knowles signed an celebrity endorsements in marketing Billboard Hot 100 Chart, which endorsement deal with Pepsi worth can enhance brand equity and the ranks the year’s “most popular an estimated $50 million, and Justin desirability of a product, leading songs across all genres, ranked by Timberlake received an estimated consumers to more positively radio airplay audience impressions $6 million for his involvement associate with, and easily recognize, as measured by Nielsen Music, in the McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” brands.13–15 This effect is particularly sales data as compiled by Nielsen tune.23, 24 In addition, beverage relevant in the context of music Music and streaming activity data industry publications credit Latino celebrity endorsements because provided by online music sources.”30 rapper Pitbull’s endorsement of Dr adolescents ages 12 to 18 years These songs were used to identify Pepper with 4.6 million advertising report spending almost 2 hours celebrities associated with various impressions (ie, any views or listening to music each day, 16 endorsements. Some celebrities exposure to ads) and boosting and black and Latino youth spend appeared multiple times on the Dr Pepper sales among Latinos 3 hours listening to music daily.17 lists, and some songs had multiple by 1.7%, despite overall declines This frequent exposure is notable celebrities listed as performers. in carbonated soft drink sales.25 in the context of previous research Thus, we identified 163 unique Although this instance is anecdotal, that showed that 20% of popular music celebrities for the study. We it is important to note the industry US songs mentioned alcohol brands then cataloged every endorsement perceives it as an example of effective and associated alcohol with positive associated with each music celebrity celebrity endorsements. consequences (eg, wealth, sex, between 2000 to 2014 by searching luxury).18 This exposure is linked to Recent food marketing research for celebrity names on AdScope, an self-reported alcohol consumption, has focused predominantly on advertisement database that contains with 1 study demonstrating that children <12 years old, whereas all forms of ads (eg, television, radio) familiarity with songs that mention adolescents’ exposure and response dating back to 1997. Researchers alcohol brands was associated with to advertising have been relatively also searched for official commercials drinking behaviors in adolescents understudied. More research on on YouTube or endorsement Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on September 28, 2021 2 BRAGG et al announcements in news media enabled us to create a comprehensive children in the United Kingdom. One sources. profile that portrays a fuller picture limitation of the NPM is that it codes After we listed endorsements of their prominence as an endorser. some sugar-sweetened beverages associated with each celebrity who YouTube