Tv and Obesity

Abbreviations

F&B     Food and Beverages

HFSS    High in fat, salt and sugar

WHO   World Health Organization

TV        Television

The Role of Marketing Message in Children Obesity

With reference to the Hastings report in 2003, it is found that three of the key factors contributing to children obesity are Target Market, Brand Experience, and Marketing Communication.

In this study, we will explore why most food and beverages companies have expanded and diversified their marketing efforts to children, the popular marketing tactics used and what makes these brands attractive to children. This essay discusses how companies target children due to their inability to identify the persuasive intent advertisements project and how their amplified marketing means through digital advertising is imposing brand experiences that influence children's food choices.

One may wonder why children are the preferred customers for a company like McDonalds or Coca Cola as the concept of target markets has shifted dramatically from adults to kids. Children are known to be picky eaters, peer-dependent, and temperamental with respect to their taste buds. But as Ad Relevance Intelligence report (Cited in Marwick 2010) says "What do you call a consumer who wants to buy everything you have, doesn't care what it costs and is less than five feet tall? A marketer's dream? Nope. You call them kids".

As seen from figure 1, children are being exposed to various fast food and junk food that are mostly brightly colored logos. The long exposure to fast food results in the demand for these products and the rate of vocal chords development in children becoming directly proportional. Children are fundamentally the most attractive target market for F&B companies. We will be using figure 2, the Stages of Change Model to explain this dynamic.

It is well known that fast food and sugary drinks are unhealthy and pose significant health risks when frequently consumed. The model can be...