A Content Analysis of Video Advertisements for Dietary Supplements in Japan

Abstract

Dietary supplements are widely advertised and the market is expanding worldwide. Research suggests that dietary supplement advertising may lead consumers to make inappropriate health-related decisions, to express behaviors such as overdosing, and to neglect healthy lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a content analysis of video advertisements for dietary supplements and described the content of advertisements with high numbers and frequent views. We analyzed 82 video advertisements on YouTube that promoted fat-reduction effects. We extracted 22 themes and classified them into 10 categories. The categories with the highest numbers of advertisements were “Exemption” (i.e., consuming the product frees the audience from refraining from binge eating) (20 ads, 24.4%) and “Health Concerns” (i.e., the product intake solves the health concerns of the audience) (19 ads, 23.2%). These advertisements may stimulate negative audience attitudes toward appropriate health behaviors. The category with the most frequent views was “Lifestyle” (i.e., adding product intake to a healthy lifestyle) (3,035,298 views). “Lifestyle” advertisements portray physical activity in a positive light and may promote appropriate health behaviors in the audience. We discuss the possible effects of the advertisements on audiences and consider issues for future research and practice.

The Effect of Exposure to “Exemption” Video Advertisements for Functional Foods: A Randomized Control Study in Japan

“…In some cases, functional foods and their ads may increase people’s interest in health. In our previous content analysis of functional foods video ads, we also identified “Lifestyle” ads (defined as “adding product intake to a healthy lifestyle”) [ 16 ]. “Lifestyle” ads, which depict physical activity of three metabolic equivalents or more in a positive light, accounted for seven of the 82 ads analyzed (8.5%) and had the highest average number of views per month.…”

“…Participants in the intervention group viewed three videos with a total time of 50 s, and control group participants viewed two videos with a total time of 50 s. Based on our previous study [ 16 ], we extracted the three videos with the highest number of views per month from among the “Exemption” video ads (defined as “Taking the product frees the audience from refraining from binge eating”) for the intervention group. For example, one of the intervention ads showed fat-rich dishes, and the main character expressed her resistance to eating them.…”

“…Despite the increased placement of video ads due to the expansion of the fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G) [ 15 ], few studies have discussed the effects of functional foods video ads, and there has been no inductive analysis of video ads. Therefore, we previously conducted content analysis of Japanese video ads for functional foods that claimed fat-reduction effects [ 16 ]. We found that video ads labeled “Exemption” were the most common, and accounted for about one-quarter of the 82 videos analyzed [ 16 ].…”

“…Therefore, we previously conducted content analysis of Japanese video ads for functional foods that claimed fat-reduction effects [ 16 ]. We found that video ads labeled “Exemption” were the most common, and accounted for about one-quarter of the 82 videos analyzed [ 16 ]. We defined “Exemption” ads as “Taking the product frees the audience from refraining from binge eating” in the process of our content analysis [ 16 ].…”

“…We found that video ads labeled “Exemption” were the most common, and accounted for about one-quarter of the 82 videos analyzed [ 16 ]. We defined “Exemption” ads as “Taking the product frees the audience from refraining from binge eating” in the process of our content analysis [ 16 ]. In one of these “Exemption” ads, fat-rich dishes were shown, and the main character expressed her resistance to eating them, the main character took the functional food and enjoyed the fat-rich dish.…”