Why Market to Children?

• Marketers see children as a current and future market

• Easy targets

• Children are seen to influence parents spending behaviours

• Especially influence food and beverage purchases

Poulton (2008)

How much of an influence?• Breakfast choices (97%

of the time)

• Lunch choices (95% of the time)

• Where to go for casual family meals (98% of the time)

• Clothing purchases (95% of the time)

• Software purchases (76% of the time) and computer purchases (60% of the time)

• Family entertainment choices (98% of the time) and family trips and excursions (94% of the time)

Marketing Food to Children• In the past advertising to

children was a 30sec TV ad.

• More people watching on demand TV/online=skipping ads

• Nowadays there are many alternatives

What's the problem?

Is it effective?• Children aged between 7-11 consumed 45% more food

when exposed to television content with food advertisements

Harris et al, 2009)

Children vs Adults QSR Ads• Child script emphasised giveaways and movie

tie in

• Adult script emphasised food taste, price and portion size

• Top 25 QSR-70% of ads were McDonalds & 29% were Burger King

• 79% of ads targeting children aired were on just 4 channels (Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney XD and Nicktoons)

Marketing techniques• Television ads

• Product placement

• Celebrity endorsements

• Advergames

• Cross-promotions

• Branded websites

Television ads• Most common form

• Exposed to 25’000-40’000 ads/year

• Spend more time watching television than any other form of media

• See around 13 food and beverage ads/day

• <50% of food and beverage ads are fast food restaurants, candy, and cereal ads

Product Placement• When a company pays for their product to be in a movie

or TV show to gain exposure

Celebrity/Character Endorsements•The appearance of a character with a product

can significantly alter a child's perception of the product

Cross-Promotions•When two or more companies work

together to reach multiple audiences with one ad

•Eg: free movie-character toys offered with children’s meals

•Burger King has sold chicken nuggets shaped like Teletubbies- a show aimed at children as young as 1

Advergames•Video games which contains an advert for

a product

•Do not really push the sale of the product

Branded Websites•Companies create branded websites that

include content designed to attract children

•Promoted in television ads and on product packaging

•Typically include games, contests, videos, and downloadable branded products, links to social media

Other techniquesFalse Advertising:• Food is marketed as being

healthy

Contests:• Collect points and tokens

and get rewarded

Kids Only:• Exclusivity Trix “silly rabbit

they’re only for kids”

Food as Entertainment• Kinder egg toy

Giveaways:• Associate the brand with

happiness

Sponsor:• Many sponsor big events

like the Olympics/World Cup• Scholarships and charitable

donations

Techniques in practice•https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk_hkdGf1tc

Companies are ruthless•Founder of McDonalds said when

speaking about Burger King “if they were drowning, I would put a hose in their mouth”

•Seem like the have the peoples interests at heart by creating a good brand image e.g. donations to charities, entertaining our children

Pester Power

•https://youtu.be/E6Yc3hzVsBc

•Attention grab, impulse, ultimatum, threat + body language, give in and extra rewards

•Funny Sketch – Powerful Message

Pester Power•Tendency of children to

unrelentingly request advertised items

•Negative connotations of children's influence on parents buying habits

•Shopping Trip 15 requests on average with 40-80% success

Pester Power Value

•0-14 years industry valued at $600bn a year

•$17bn spent researching needs and wants

•Estimated cost to parents €652 per child per year

•Plays on parents fear

What the Companies Say• “If you own the child at an early age, you can own this child for

years to come” Mike Searles, former President of Kids ‘R’ Us

• “Advertising at its best is making people feel that without their product, you’re a loser. Children are very sensitive to this. You open up emotional vulnerabilities, and its very easy to do with kids because they’re the most emotionally vulnerable” Nancy Shalek, former President of Shalek Advertising

• “Driving the kid nag factor with parents is crucial to the categories success” Betty Crocker Website

• “All our advertising is targeted to kids. You want that nag factor so that 7 year old Sarah is nagging Mom in the grocery store to buy Funky Purple (ketchup). We’re not sure Mom would reach out for it on her own” Kelly Stitt, Senior Brand Manager at Heinz

Mc Donalds – A Case Study• Synonymous with Pester Power

• Happy Meal Toys change 14-16 times a year

• Pester Power makes up 20% of Mc Donalds business in the US

• 50% increase on transactions involving a Happy Meal

• Introduced Mighty Kids Meal

• Toy display unit is at eye level

Parent – Child Relationship•Industry say its parents job to say “No”

•Parents authority undermined

•Can lead to confrontation

•Reverse Socialisation

•https://youtu.be/pqNO5ve5uaY

Effects on Kids•Prone to impulse buying

•Less educated purchase decisions

•Materialism

•Obesity and Malnutrition

•Little/No respect for value of money

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Children's Commercial Code

•Protection of children from harmful communications

•Acknowledge susceptibility of children

•Ensure advertisements are fair

•Unambiguous guidelines

Advertising a Product to Children

•https://youtu.be/aCUbvOwwfWM?list=PLPySrpk-4TiL2pcMWuoebs3HxF2Twa3l4

•Price in €•Price must not be dependent on another

purchase•Number of Products•Free Gifts – Qualifying Terms and

Conditions•Price in audio for U15s•Toys over €30 must state cost

Undue Pressure•Should not encourage children to ask

adults to buy them products

•Should not imply the product makes them superior▫Nor that they’ll be ridiculed if they don’t

have a given product

•Self Image

Diet and Nutrition•Should not encourage unhealthy lifestyle•Depicted in framework of a balanced diet•Product not a substitute for Fruit and Veg•High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS)

▫Not permitted in Children’s programmes▫No Licensed Characters▫No Health and Nutrition claims▫No Promotional Offers

What is Social Marketing?

• The Application of Commercial Marketing Processes with the aim of Promoting Beneficial Social Change Rather than Increasing Sales

• Brands are Developed around the basis of healthy behaviours and lifestyles as Opposed to Simply around products and Services. 

Who’s in Charge?•Governmental organisations

▫The Department of the Environment▫The Department of Health

•Charitable Organisations▫Self-funded NGO’s▫Commercially Funded Organisations (CSR)

Why Target Children?• Social marketing messages can help prevent

unhealthy behaviour through education or the promotion of behavioural alternatives.

• By targeting young children it is possible to;▫ Circumvent the formation of unhealthy attitudes

towards food and physical activity.▫ Instil a sense of pride in their environment.

Challenges

• Competition with Commercial Marketers▫ compete for children’s and adolescents’ time,

attention, and behavioural choices

• Budget▫ Limited Budget in Comparison to many

Commercial Advertisers.▫ Must Optimise Funding Allocation

• Parental Engagement▫ Parents are a Vital Resource in Maximising

Campaign Message Lifespan

Vital Aspects• Use of Conventional Marketing Techniques

▫ Segmentation▫ Prior Research▫ 4 P’s

• Maintain Focus on Behavioural Change

• Uniformity of approach

• Continuously Reinforce Benefits

• Provide Necessary Post Campaign Follow Up

Let’s Move

• ‘Let's Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. ‘

• Government Backed Programme Focused on Improving Children's Diets and Approach to Exercise

• Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices.

• Providing healthier foods in schools

Positives Wide Base of Inclusion

‘Simple’ Changes

Children are Targeted both at Home and in School

Inclusion of Parents helps Reinforce the Programmes’ Ethos

Negatives

• The Lack of Uniformity of standards in the Programmes School Lunches has Bred Ill Will Towards ‘Let’s Move

School Dinners

• Began in 2005 in Greenwich London▫ working class backgrounds, 21%

employed in low earner jobs

• Aimed to Improve Diets Through Healthier School Dinners

School Dinners•Jamie Oliver – Unrelatable Celebrity Image

▫ “I admit I haven’t succeeded, mainly because I haven’t single-mindedly gone for it.

▫ “In Britain, eating well and feeding your kid right and being aware about food is all considered very posh and middle class

•No Contact with Parents Only targeted one aspect of the childrens life (school dinner),

family values and eating habits were not affected.

•Perfect Example of how to run a Social Marketing Campaign.

•Launched in 2002 aiming to increase activity of 9-13 year olds

•Utilised a Large Amount of Prior Research Data

•Engaged with Youth Directed Advertisers to Create Brand Image

•Exhibited Message of Social Inclusion

• The VERB Brand

▫Based on healthy behaviour, marketed using socially appealing images

▫Portrayed healthy lifestyles as preferable to junk food or fast food

▫Portrayed Sedentary Behaviour, such as watching television—as socially undesirable, dull, and boring