Following the Links: Food Advertising and Promotion on Children's Magazine Websites

Mannino

Green

2010

Public Health Nutr.

Objective: Television, Internet and print media are saturated with advertisements for unhealthy food that use marketing tactics aimed to build long-term brand loyalty and 'relationships' with children. While research in this area has largely focused on television, the current study examines children's responses to relationship-building marketing communications found in popular children's magazines. Design: A qualitative study consisting of friendship-pair interviews in which children were interviewed and asked to comment on a range of recent food advertisements. Setting: A university-based after-school care programme in New South Wales, Australia.

Section: Food Marketing To Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Promotionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Promotionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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‘Like me, want me, buy me, eat me’: relationship-building marketing communications in children’s magazines

Mannino

Green

2010

Public Health Nutr.

“…In a study of UK children's magazines, Cowburn and Boxer (2007) found that almost half of the food advertisements directed children to the brand's web site. A study of marketing promotions on Australian children's magazine web sites found that food promotions are commonplace, indirect and subtle, with the majority of products being associated with a game or competitions, and attached to opportunities for the child to win prizes (Jones et al, 2008). An Australian analysis of 119 food product web sites and 196 children's web sites found that food product web sites utilised branded education, competitions, downloadable items, and branded games; and food promotions of non-food company web sites predominantly featured unhealthy foods (Kelly et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marketing to children and teens on Australian food company web sites

Reid

2010

Young Consumers

Self Cite

Purpose -Given the role that food marketing plays in influencing dietary patterns in children, the aim of this article is to explore the internet-based marketing tactics employed by eight leading Australian food companies that produce and distribute foods that are predominantly consumed by children.Design/methodology/approach -The marketing policies and child-targeted internet marketing practices of eight major Australian food companies were examined.Findings -Seven of the eight food companies have web sites or sections of sites that are devoted to children and/or teenagers; with downloadable materials and extensive direct marketing. Of most concern was the collection of detailed personal information from children and/or teenagers, which was evident on the web sites of five of the seven food companies that have such sites.Research limitations/implications -This study examined only eight Australia food companies, so the findings cannot be generalized to other companies, or companies in other countries. The study was conducted at a specific point in time and, given rapid changes in internet marketing, it is likely that new strategies and messages will have emerged since data collection.Originality/value -The article provides a unique snapshot of internet marketing practices of a sample of Australian food companies targeting children and adolescents, and raises important issues for discussion regarding the appropriateness and ethics of some of these practices.

“…A recent Australian study of food marketing via child-targeted (non-food-company) websites and/or advertising in children's print media that refers readers to Internet sites found that two-thirds of food references were to unhealthy foods (Kelly & Chapman, 2007). Further studies have found that that food promotions are commonplace, indirect and subtle, with the majority of products being associated with downloadable items, games or competitions, and often attached to opportunities for the child to win prizes (Jones et al, 2008;Kelly et al, 2008). This reflects other mediums and even architectures (such as the layout of grocery stores).…”

Section: Advertising In Online Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online Advertising: Examining the Content and Messages within Websites Targeted at Children

Kervin

E-Learning and Digital Media

Mantei

2012

Self Cite

It is recognised that from a young age children spend considerable portions of their leisure time on the Internet. In Australia a number of child-targeted magazines have associated websites, which have high and ever-increasing readership. We do not yet know the impact of this medium upon children. Overt advertising is evident on webpages, but so too are hidden advertisements in the written text, images and games. This material usually does not comply with existing broadcasting codes of practice for mainstream advertising. This article examines the instances of overt and covert advertisements for food within three websites monitored over a 12-month period. Across this time the authors found 13 examples of overt and 39 examples of covert food advertising. In this article they focus on three example advertisements as they analyse them in response to the following research questions: What examples of overt and covert advertising are evident within websites attached to children's magazines? What messages are presented? The authors discuss the implications this advertising presents for media literacy and the critical reading strategies required by young people as they navigate their way through and make meaning from these digital texts.