How Marketers Reach Young Consumers: Implications for Nutrition Education and Health Promotion Campaigns

Family Economics and Nutrition Review, Fall, 1998 by Vivica Kraak, David L. Pelletier

Nationally, McDonald's produces and delivers more than 200 different advertisements annually. This fast-food chain spends about $740 million in advertising, has earned an internationally recognized name that is synonymous with fast-food, and has built a reputation as "the children's marketer" (17). The company uses a multifaceted sales promotion approach to reach ethnic youth by using radio and cable television to deliver messages to African Americans and Hispanics, and it uses network television to air commercials to the general population. McDonald's strives to make parents feel good about taking the family to the restaurant chain: both mothers and children surveyed put McDonald's at the top of their list for likability. McMoms, a program that targets bilingual mothers of children ages 2 to 7, inserts bilingual response cards into its "Happy Meal" boxes. In return, mothers receive Spanish language newsletters and promotions. Sports, youth, and community angles are used in McMoms' promotional advertising, which also includes scratch card contests, games on the place mats, and toy car give-a-ways (17).

Multimedia Exposure

Using television commercials to reach children and youth is rapidly becoming more expensive and less efficient. Children are increasingly being exposed to different types of mass media, including radio, magazines and newspaper sections written especially for them, and interactive computer technology (21). Although in-school multimedia can be viewed as a useful way to educate children and teenage youth, it has been increasingly criticized as a form of "commercialization of the classroom" when provided by corporations in exchange for advertising promotions and test marketing within educational environments. Because of chronic funding shortages, school districts have welcomed advertisers to underwrite the cost of educational materials, equipment, and services. Thus, school districts have been viewed as silent partners in advertising to children (7,26).

Celebrity Endorsement

Heroes, heroines, and role models can motivate children and teenage youth to buy products and services. The celebrities most admired by children are entertainers or athletes. McDonald's and Pepsi, for example, have used Michael Jordon and Michael Jackson, respectively, to endorse food and beverage products targeted to children and teenage youth (27). Celebrity endorsements encourage children to buy products for their status appeal. The status products being marketed are costly, and celebrity commercials are becoming increasingly slick. Today's children are contending not only with the celebrity appeal in television and magazine advertisements (7,26) but also with peer pressure from friends who see the same commercials. Children must also face the financial realities of wanting products that they do not need and/or their parents cannot afford (7).

Kid's Clubs

Some corporations (Nickelodeon, Fox, Burger King, and Disney) have created kid's clubs. A kid's club establishes an ongoing relationship with its members by providing membership cards and participatory activities that are dependent on spending money. Research has suggested that kid's clubs promote consumerism, reinforce commercial interests by building brand loyalty, and provide a convenient vehicle to deliver commercial messages and perpetuate ongoing advertising to children. Many of these clubs use their enrollment databases to distribute coupons for club merchandise (7,26).