Georgina CairnsInstitute for Social Marketing

University of Stirling & The Open University

for StanMark 3rd Research and Policy Review Group Meeting,Brussels, March 9th 2010

Systematic Review of the Evidence on Food Promotion to Children:

StanMark

2008 Systematic Evidence Review on Food Promotion to Children

Cairns, Angus & Hastings (2008) at:

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/marketing-food-to-children/en/index.html

StanMark

ISM Systematic Evidence Review Food Promotion to Children

StanMark

Searching and screening Bibliographic information

Data extraction and quality/relevance assessmentSubstantive codes and textual detail

Characterising studies Organises and applies substantive codes

Numerical synthesis

Meta-analysis function

Narrative ‘empirical’synthesis

Interrogation of codes and detail

Thematic/conceptual synthesis

Inductive coding function

Systematic Review Principles: pre-defined Qs, replicable/transparent, objective.

StanMark

"Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business has two - and only two - functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation create value, all the rest are costs”.

Peter Drucker (1973) Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices. StanMark

The nature of marketing

Marketing aims to understand and influence human behaviours.Marketing aims links production to consumer via an exchange relationship in a competitive environment.Marketing understands that humans are cultural, as well as dietary omnivores.

StanMark

Marketing is not always obvious; it is integrated, ubiquitous, innovative

Advertising

Direct promotionEg product branding, pricing,

packaging, point-of-sale, premiums

PositioningPublic relations, corporate

branding, lobbying, sponsorshipStanMark

Nature of food marketing to children

115 studies included.Common themes: hedonistic e.g. fun, fantasy, novelty, humour, taste, excitementExtensive use of non-food themesFood themes also.Evidence that ‘pester power’ is invoked.High levels liking, recall and engagement.Technology-driven trends: mass marketing replaced by ‘connect, collect and co-create’ (Tremor social network site described by Proctor & Gamble as sales force and focus group resource of 280,000 teens) StanMark

The Extent of Food Promotion to Children

26 studies included.Food: other product categories: children 3 x > adults. 70-90% for high fat, salt sugar foods, ‘The Big 5’.TV dominant channel, but Internet catching up fast: FTC (2008) estimate 2 billion impressions on child-oriented food and beverage websites; 9 billion impressions on teen-oriented websites.Worldwide reach, local and ‘glocal’ strategies. StanMark

Marketing and advertising trends: e.g. UK advertising spend Jan-June 2010

26%

24%18%

10%

9%13%

TelevisionInternetPress DisplayDirect MailPress ClassifiedOthers

Total Expenditure:£8,100 million

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers / Internet Advertising Bureau , The Advertising Association / WARC StanMark

Effects of food marketing

46 studies met inclusion criteria for causality testing. TV advertising/TV as proxy for exposure to food advertising most common (>90%) independent variable investigated.Eight studies examining marketing influence relative to other influences suggest magnitude of marketing effects similar or greater than familial and peer influences.

StanMark

Evidence of effects

Outcome measured (number of studies reviewed)

Quality of studies

Strength of evidence

Knowledge (9) ++ ++

Preference (18) ++ ++

Purchase (8) +++ +++

Consumption (18) ++ ++

Health and nutrition (7) ++ +StanMark

Evidence of effects: summary

Modest evidence of marketing direct influence on preference, knowledge, consumption , health outcomes.Effects at food category as well as brand switching level confirmed.Evidence that ‘pester power’ is invoked.Evidence on purchase behaviours, the most proximal outcome was strongest. Almost no quantifiable evidence for indirect effects, e.g. influences on social, corporate and policy norms; heuristics; food values/symbolism.StanMark

Evidence of effects: limitations of reviewed studies

Limitations on ecological validity of 30 experimental and quasi-experimental studies.Limitations on internal validity of 16 cross-sectional and observational studies. Multi-faceted impact of marketing not captured (gaps include retail, point of sale, sponsorship, celebrity endorsement) Many studies were US-based.Focus on TV advertising as independent variable.Indirect effects not captured.StanMark

“They had their cynical code worked out. The public are swine; advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill-bucket”.

George Orwell (1936) Keep the Aspidistra Flying

StanMark

Foresight Obesogenic Systems and Marketing

Desire to maximise volume

Desire to differentiate food products

TV watching

Pressure to cater for acquired taste

Pressure to improve food offerings

Food

Advertising

Food literacy

Conscious control of

accumulation

Psychological ambivalence

StanMark

Georgina Cairnsg.a.cairns@stir.ac.uk; ism@stir.ac.uk

Website www.ism.stir.ac.uk

Thanks for your attention.

Questions ?

StanMark