WHO'S FEEDING THE KIDS ONLINE? - Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland - Report prepared for the Irish Heart Foundation 2016
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
1 WHO’S FEEDING THE KIDS ONLINE? Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland w w w Report prepared for the Irish Heart Foundation – 2016 Irish Heart Foundation
2 3 Who’s Feeding The Kids Online? Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Dr. Mimi Tatlow-Golden Ph.D. With Lynne Tracey BA, FIAPI and Dr. Louise Dolphin Ph.D. Report prepared for the Irish Heart Foundation – 2016 Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland
4 3 Table of Contents Summary 4 Recommendations 6 1. The web of influence: Marketing food to children goes online 7 1.1 Food marketing and children’s rights 8 1.2 The limits of current regulation 9 1.3 Digital media, children and marketing 10 1.4 Understanding the effects of digital marketing and children’s ability to resist it 11 1.5 Identifying digital food marketing seen by children: An imbalance of access and power 12 1.6 Who’s responsible? An issue of choice, or of children’s rights? 13 2. On the homepage: Websites of top food and drink retail brands 15 2.2 Advergames and apps 18 2.3 Appealing to families 19 2.4 Food and drink website features appealing to teens 20 2.5 Competitions 22 2.6 Summary 24 3. On Facebook: Food brand Pages popular among young teens 25 3.1 Brands with the greatest ‘reach’ in Facebook among users aged 13 and 14 years in Ireland 27 3.3 Analysing brand Pages: Brand Page ‘likes’ and brand post ‘likes’ and shares 28 3.4 Analysing brand Pages: Coding the brand posts for marketing techniques 30 3.7 Postcript: What do children actually see in their Facebook News Feeds? 38 4. Who’s feeding the kids online: What do parents know? 39 4.1 Exploring parents’ views 40 4.2 Participating parents 41 4.3 Food decisions at home and eating with friends 41 4.4 Parents’ awareness of and views about advertising 42 4.5 Talking with their teen about advertising and food ads 42 4.6 Parents’ responses to online food marketing 43 4.7 After viewing the ads 47 4.8 Summary 48 5. Digital food marketing to children and young people: The way forward 49 6. Recommendations 53 References 56 Endnotes 59 Reproduction of this Report is not authorised. Save as specifically provided otherwise, title of the material (text, graphs, screen shots etc) is © The Irish Heart Foundation, 2016 – all rights reserved. Glossary 61 For reproduction or use of this Report, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder. Appendix 62 The information and views set out in this Report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Irish Heart Foundation. Responsibility for the information and views expressed herein lies entirely with the author(s). Neither the Irish Heart Foundation nor its directors, officers or employees nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained in this Report. The Irish Heart Foundation is the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke. We support, educate and train people to save lives, campaign for patients, promote positive health strategies, support research and provide vital public information. We need your support – through donations, as a volunteer or on our training courses. www.irishheart.ie Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
4 5 Summary @ Although little marketing directed at young children on food brand websites was found, there was a strong focus on teen-appealing Obesity in children and young people is a global health challenge. The widespread marketing of content on websites and on unhealthy foods (food and non-alcoholic drinks high in fat, sugar and salt, or HFSS) plays a causal social media, using powerful role in unhealthy eating and obesity. Food and eating is typically presented as an issue of ‘choice’. engagement-, emotion-, and However, this disregards the fact that current obesogenic environments use many tactics to entertainment-based tactics. Parents of young teens in Ireland are largely promote unhealthy foods, interfering with people’s ability to make good choices. unaware of this. There are clearly challenges presented by national regulation of global media, yet Ireland restricts HFSS broadcast any site where young people enter advertising to under-18s on TV their age to register could switch Facebook Food brand Pages Parents are unaware of and radio, but has not yet tackled off HFSS advertising to under-18s popular with 13-14 year digital food marketing and regulation of digital marketing. immediately. olds: Engagement, emotion, its engagement techniques. Children in Ireland are increasingly active on digital media, with most 9 Here, brief synopses of each section entertainment They consider many of them to 16 year olds now going online via of the study are presented, followed In Facebook, all the food/drink misleading and exploitative a smartphone. Digital media have by the recommendations. brand Pages with the greatest Parents of 13-14 year olds were fundamentally changed marketing, reach among users aged 13-14 in selected from a large online panel and evidence from marketers Websites of top retail food Ireland are for brands that feature to reflect a range of demographics and digital platforms indicates brands in Ireland: 1 in 5 very HFSS products. They included in Ireland and 33 took part in an that online methods increase the appealing to teens major international brands (e.g., online interactive interview. They impact of marketing, including Other jurisdictions report Coca-Cola) and local Irish ones had generally positive attitudes to for unhealthy foods. Digital widespread engaging and (e.g., Tayto). Some brands posted advertising, and though two-thirds marketing can target children using immersive children’s sections, but updates on their Pages infrequently, felt teens should not view HFSS sophisticated analytics, as opposed on 73 websites of the top retail less than once a week, but others food advertising, they were largely to broadcast TV advertising which food brands in Ireland, just 1 in 10 posted more than once daily. Brands unaware of and indifferent to the can only rely on a scattergun effect. had some child-directed content, actively sought user engagement, issue of digital food marketing, much of it at most mildly engaging. seeking ‘likes’, tags, comments, and almost none knew how brand Whereas anyone can inspect ads In informal discussions, digital and photos, and providing many content reaches Facebook users’ that are shown on TV, the targeted marketers in Ireland reported that links and hashtags (#). In addition News Feeds. They conceived of nature of digital marketing means in Ireland’s HFSS regulatory context, to bold graphics and strong visuals, ads online as requiring opening, that parents and policymakers are directing food marketing specifically they featured competitions, had or clicking to skip. However, once unaware of who is feeding our kids at young children is now considered a strong emphasis on humour, parents had viewed examples of online. unethical, and that therefore they invoked fun and ‘special days’, food marketing from digital media, This study examined: target parents of young children and linked to entertainment and their attitudes shifted. They said 1. Content appealing to children instead. Notably, however, one in events (current movies, music, TV, they had been unaware of how and young people on websites five websites, almost all for items festivals). Over a quarter of the 354 subtle digital food marketing is of top food and drink retail high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS), had brand posts analysed did not show and felt that great maturity would brands in Ireland content directed at or appealing food, packaging or a brand logo, be needed to resist. They voiced to older children or teens, focusing indicating a shift to more subtle particulary strong concerns about 2. Marketing techniques on on teen activities, entertainment promotional strategies that are less celebrities and sporting heroes Facebook Pages of food brands and sporting celebrities, and easily identified as advertising. engaging in what they considered that have the highest reach competitions with entertainment-, misleading advertising for unhealthy among young teens, the first media- and sport-based prizes. foods. When shown prompts from such study of which we are Not included in this analysis, and ads to ‘tag’ friends in Facebook, two- aware requiring systematic examination, thirds of parents used terms such 3. Parents’ awareness of digital were video games, apps in app as immoral, dishonest, exploitative, food marketing to their children stores, fast food websites, and or should be banned. After viewing in an online, two-stage survey websites for international products the marketing examples, three- with digital marketing examples of appeal to children in Ireland. quarters of parents were strongly and open-ended response against teens receiving digital HFSS options. marketing. Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
6 7 Recommendations 1. Recognise children’s rights to 5. Disrupt the language of ‘choice’ must be grounded in careful, child- participation - but also to health and ‘responsibility’ centred research, as eating unhealthy and protection Obesogenic environments push foods currently often forms part of Children have the same rights online unhealthy choices through food children’s identity as separate from as they do offline. These include rights to participate in social life and promotion, pricing and availability. Framing families’ and children’s the adult world in Ireland and across Europe, so general ‘healthy eating’ 1. The web of influence: to have their voices heard, but also eating as purely a matter of ‘choice’ messages from adults may even encourage less healthy practices. Marketing food to children goes online rights to health and to have their disregards the impact of obesogenic Children have also been found best interests considered. Therefore, environments on children, young to attend less to marketing for ways need to be devised to ensure people and parents – and also healthier items, although this may that under-18s can participate safely disregards the choices made by food depend on the nature of the ads. online – without being subject to companies to promote such items to For example, what would the effect targeted marketing for products that children, parents of young children, be if the ‘heroes of the young’ (such have been demonstrated to have a and teens. as YouTube vloggers, and sporting negative effect on their health and 6. Prohibit ‘heroes of the young’ stars), who currently promote well-being, and without having their from marketing HFSS products unhealthy foods, were instead to turn data harvested and resold online. to promoting healthy items? Finally, To protect children and young 2. Extend existing regulation for it is important to note that social people, ‘heroes or heroines of the broadcast media to all digital media marketing for healthier eating alone young’ – celebrities in entertainment, is not the answer. It cannot replace Statutory regulation in Ireland has sport and other domains – are the need for regulation, as public established the principle of no HFSS prohibited from marketing any health cannot match the marketing broadcast advertising to under-18s. alcohol advertising in Ireland (ASAI, budgets of major food companies. The same should apply to social 2015). This exclusion should be media and all other digital platforms. extended to all HFSS marketing. 9. Equalise access to information about digital HFSS marketing 3. Identify international options for 7. Inform young people, parents and Media platforms, marketers and ending HFSS food promotion policy makers about digital food food brands have extensive access Obesity has become a global health marketing. to data about children, and they challenge, and tackling obesogenic The ‘Internet safety’ issue tends to engage in extensive research on environments – of which HFSS push marketing into the background them without independent research marketing is a part – must become when children’s digital participation ethics governance. In contrast, those a global priority, particularly HFSS is discussed, but individually targeted concerned with public health cannot marketing to which children and marketing is a well-being issue access these data. Yet – in an era of young people are exposed. of itself – and is linked to privacy targeted and personalised marketing concerns through the collection of – it is essential that researchers 4. Close loopholes in current personal data. Young people, parents concerned with children’s well-being regulations and policymakers need information find ways to systematically examine As in other jurisdictions, Ireland’s on privacy issues and how children’s children’s engagement with digital statutory regulation lacks data is used to target them, their food marketing in Facebook and effectiveness, as it is limited to friends and their families. They also beyond (e.g., Instagram, Snapchat, children’s programming on pre-6pm need to be informed about the video games that deliver in-game TV, and is governed by one of the effectiveness of emotional marketing ads, branded food and drink most lax Nutrient Profiling models approaches that function through apps appealing to children and by international standards (UK implicit ‘stealth’ persuasion. more). Which children are more Nutrient Profiling; UK NP). Regulatory likely to engage? In what way do loopholes should be closed, and UK 8. Consider the potential of ‘social they do so? What effect does this NP replaced with a simpler, stricter marketing’ for healthier habits have? Answering these questions system such as the WHO European Social marketing seeks to change is essential. In the interests of Region 2015 Nutrient Profiling (WHO a group’s perceptions of what is children’s rights to health, protection Euro-NP) which has rapidly gained normative behaviour. It is often and participation online as well acceptance across WHO Regions recommended to prompt healthy as offline, this imbalance of access worldwide. eating. However, any such approach needs to be equalised. Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
8 9 1. The web of influence: Marketing food to 1.2 The limits of current regulation Some governments have responded children goes online to calls for marketing restrictions, implementing regulations of varying impact to limit children’s exposure In Ireland, one in four children is overweight or obese. Current World Health Organisation (WHO) to marketing for unhealthy foods predictions are that in 2025, over 80% of aduts in Ireland will be overweight or obese, the highest in Europe, Asia, South America proportion in the WHO 54-country European Region (UK Health Forum/WHO 2015). Tackling the and the Middle East (see World Cancer Research Fund [no date]). underlying causes of obesity in Ireland is a critical issue for children’s rights, health and well-being. In 2013, Ireland established the important principle that items high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) should not be advertised to under-18s on broadcast media (TV and radio), when the Children’s Commercial Communications Code update prohibited advertising HFSS products around ‘children’s programming’ (Broadcasting Authority of Ireland [BAI], 2013). Ireland’s broadcast ban, however, despite being a strong statement about protecting children and young people, has only been partially successful at reducing exposure to HFSS marketing. with carrot sticks). The definition of forms of digital marketing, rather The ban applies to ‘children’s HFSS currently applied in Ireland, than displacing effects of traditional programming’, when under-18s the UK Nutrient Profiling model (UK media such as television, instead form 50% or more of the audience, NP; UK Department of Health, 2011) magnify them, as described in and up to 6 pm – yet most of the TV has been identified as lax compared section 1.3. programming children and young to other international systems Currently digital marketing of people view does not meet these (Scarborough et al., 2013). It permits food to children in Ireland is criteria. As a result, even very young marketing to children of foods with subject to voluntary regulation by children in Ireland are likely to see more than 10g sugar per 100g, or the advertising industry’s Code over 1,000 unhealthy food ads on drinks with artificial sweeteners, (Advertising Standards Authority television a year under current which do not pass recommendations for Ireland; ASAI, 2015). Although 1.1 Food marketing and children’s rights regulations (Tatlow-Golden et al., for marketing to children under the the Code defines children as those 2016), and older children who watch WHO Europe Nutrient Profile model under 18, and states that marketing Although eating habits and the which consulted with over 100 primacy of the child’s best interests. more TV later in the day probably (WHO, 2015). should not ‘encourage an unhealthy causes of obesity are complex WHO Member States (WHO, 2016). This leads to the understanding, as view substantially more. A final, major factor limiting the lifestyle or unhealthy eating or and are affected by many factors, Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur the WHO Commission noted, that Similar regulation gaps have been effectiveness of current regulation drinking habits’ (Rule 8.16), this systematic reviews of research on the right of everyone to the States have a ‘moral responsibility’ identified in the US and the UK, in Ireland, and the one that has is open to interpretation as no have consistently found that food enjoyment of the highest attainable to act in this regard (WHO, 2016). and in the UK HFSS advertising has provided the impetus for this report, definition of unhealthy eating or marketing plays an independent standard of physical and mental The need to act to reduce food shifted to general-view programmes is that existing statutory regulations drinking habits is given and no causal role (Cairns, 2013; Cairns et health has also done so (UN, 2014). marketing has also recently been viewed by many children (Boyland only apply to broadcast media – Nutrient Profiling system is applied al., 2009; 2013; Galbraith-Emami & Increasingly, it is recognised that addressed by Better Outcomes, et al., 2011; Galbraith-Emami & they do not encompass the Internet. to define items that should not be Lobstein, 2013; WHO, 2016). For this this is an issue of children’s rights. Brighter Futures, Ireland’s whole- Lobstein, 2013; Harris et al., 2013). As use of digital media increases advertised to children. In general, reason, the WHO has repeatedly The United Nations Convention on of-government national policy There are further factors limiting the among children and young people voluntary schemes are weaker called for reductions in children’s the Rights of the Child (UN, 1990) framework for children and young effectiveness of current regulation. in Ireland, this is becoming more of and less well implemented and exposure to food marketing for enshrines children’s rights to the people 2014-2020 (Department of Brands that sell primarily unhealthy a concern. Not only do digital media monitored than statutory regulation unhealthy foods, most recently highest attainable standard of Children and Youth Affairs, 2014). foods can evade the ban by provide new and engaging ways for (Galbraith-Emami & Lobstein, 2013). in the Report of a Commission health, protection from harm, and advertising with healthier items (e.g., brands to seek to engage children on Ending Childhood Obesity, requires States to recognise the McDonald’s advertising Happy Meals and young people, but these new Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
10 11 1.3 Digital media, children and marketing 1.4 Understanding the effects of digital marketing and children’s ability to resist it The media landscape has been Geolocation in smartphones also A long-held assumption is that the with it (Lawlor, 2009), suggesting ‘breaks’ or identification of ads or changed profoundly by digitisation, allows marketers to identify exactly ability to resist advertising effects is that they are not motivated to resist branded content (Ali et al., 2009). as have marketing activities where a child or young person is. governed by conscious awareness its effects. In social media, studies Second, resistance may be harder (Mulhern, 2009), and marketers and understanding about ads. Most of teens in the US and UK indicate to activate for digital marketing This host of tracking activities gives report that digital marketing has research on children and advertising that about half to two-thirds like such as promotional ‘advergames’ marketers the powerful ability to a powerful capacity to amplify has addressed the question of the advertising and engage with it (brand-created interactive games specify what children and young advertising effects. In France and age at which children can recognise (Logicalis, 2016; Nielsen, 2009). incorporating branded visuals). people look at online, who they the US, market research reports ads, and when they can understand Furthermore, the impact of ads on These are exciting and immersive, are connected to, and even where that direct return on investment that advertisers wish to persuade children’s emotions is frequently so even when children understand they are. This certainly raises for online Coca-Cola and Cadbury people to buy things. Discussions not addressed. Psychological and that they intend to persuade, privacy concerns. However, a less campaigns was about 4 times about advertising typically neuroscientific evidence indicates playing them establishes positive frequently discussed matter of greater than for TV: Kantar draw on this body of research to that emotional ads are processed brand associations (Rozendaal concern is that marketers use this calculated that for a Coca-Cola conclude that once children can with little conscious awareness and et al., 2011). Third, considerable information to target individuals, campaign in France, Facebook recognise ads, they will be able result in ‘implicit persuasion’ (Nairn HFSS food marketing is delivered including children, more perfectly. accounted for 2% of marketing to resist them (Harris et al., 2009), & Fine, 2008), and an audit of nearly in the exciting, peer-saturated The US Children’s Online Privacy cost but 27% of incremental sales and developmental research has 900 ad campaigns found emotional environment of social media such Protection Act (COPPA), which (Peterson, 2014). In addition to generally concluded that by the ads (with little or no rational content) as Instagram and Facebook, where requires ‘verifiable parental consent’ direct returns on investment, age of 12, children have adult-level were most effective (Binet & Field, children in Ireland have accounts before collecting information from online marketing creates further, recognition of advertising and can 2009). Therefore, when ads focus on from the age of about 9 years on children under-13 years (coppa.org), synergystic effects. Facebook therefore resist it. emotions rather than information as and where participation increases discourages OBA directed at under- reports that its ads increase target their route to persuasion, questions steeply from 13 years (O’Neill & Dinh, 13s, as does Ireland’s ASAI Code (ASAI, And yet there are problems with audience reach, ad memorability, dependence or overdependence on of when children can recognise an 2015). 2015). However, the 2015 Global this conclusion. Even if marketing brand linkage and likeability, smartphones (O’Neill & Dinh, 2015). ad and resist it do not apply. Privacy Enforcement Network Sweep is recognised, and understood, Even though social media compared to television alone One of the most pronounced of apps and sites targeting children, in order to resist it one must also In this context, digital marketing participation is intended to be (Facebook, 2015), and Facebook changes in marketing in the new or popular with them, found that activate resistance and have the adds a number of challenges. First, limited to those aged 13 years ads across 14 campaigns generated digital landscape is the shift from two-thirds of sites and apps (67%) motivation to do so (Rozendaal et children find digital marketing and up, when children typically nearly triple the ad recall compared broadcast to targeted advertising across the world collect identifying al., 2011). Yet from early childhood, harder to identify than television recognise and understand the to control groups (Gibs & Bruich, that is crafted for individual users’ information from children (Data children often describe enjoying advertising, as it is typically purpose of advertising, the presence 2010). Econometric analysis of fast- demographics and their online Protection Commissioner, 2015), and advertising and wishing to engage presented without clear ad of HFSS marketing in social media is moving consumer goods brand behaviours (Online Behavioural apps / websites tested for Ireland a concern. Research demonstrates marketing (including food and Advertising, or OBA). To deliver OBA, collected technical data such as that teens are more susceptible drinks) in Europe found that online technical and personal information cookies (61%), UID (unique identifier to marketing than adults, due to marketing magnifies returns on about Internet users is collected of a computer; 50%), IP address (28%), factors such as reduced inhibition other media investment, e.g., a 70% from websites, social media and and Geolocation (28%). In addition, and gratification delay; greater increase for TV and 71% for cinema apps, using site or competition once children are 13 years old, or responsiveness to peer influence; (Microsoft, 2013). registration forms and many digital earlier if they signed up for a social and the developmental need to Digital HFSS marketing is a concern identifiers and trackers. ‘Cookies’ network with a false date of birth, establish their own identity (Harris as rates of children’s Internet use (a small piece of data sent from a marketers, brands, digital platforms et al., 2009; Harris et al., 2014; are rising in Ireland. Three-quarters website and stored in the user’s may target them freely. Pechmann et al., 2005). A substantial of 9-16 year olds access the Internet web browser), which are quite easily part of teens’ ‘identity work’ – a key Marketers take advantage of daily; nearly 20% go online for deleted, have been augmented by task of adolescent development these rich digital data to create more than 3 hours daily at the a host of more persistent tracking – now takes place in social media ‘unprecedented intimacies’ between weekends and 40% are online for methods such as flash and zombie (boyd, 2014b), including through them and children (Montgomery more than an hour daily during the cookies and device fingerprinting; consumer practices, representation et al., 2012). Furthermore, such week (O’Neill & Dinh, 2015). With a these can follow users’ journeys and transfer of symbolic meaning targeting methods are shutting out smartphone, children in Ireland feel and activities online in detail, even from brands, which function as researchers and policy makers who more connected to their friends; following them from one device to psychological symbols of personal wish to measure digital marketing to three-quarters feel they must always another, mapping every device they attributes and social goals (Levy, children and its effects. We return to be available for contact; nearly half use, every web location they explore 1969, in Leiss et al, 2013; McCreanor this below in section 1.5, before first often feel a strong need to check and what they do there, and all the et al., 2005). In relation to food in considering children’s susceptibility their phone; and four in ten display links in their social networks (Office particular, neuroimaging research to digital marketing. two or more such indicators of of the Privacy Commissioner, 2015). of food advertising has found Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
12 13 teens to be particularly responsive In Ireland, adolescents are In sum, therefore, although teens ‘Competitive intelligence analysis’ Therefore, as researchers do not generated by the role that digital (Gearhardt et al., 2014) and research influenced in HFSS choices by peers; have adult-level understanding of the of digital marketing (analyses of have access to the carefully-guarded platforms now play in public life across Europe from Ireland to Cyprus enjoy eating such foods with friends; purpose of advertising, this does not data carried out by analysts external marketing analytics on children and the communications landscape has found that teens use unhealthy use their increased autonomy protect them from emotion-based to a company), which can identify available to social media platforms (Pasquale, 2015; Sandvig et al., 2014; food as a peer activity and a within restricted budgets to buy marketing. Many are particularly some demographics of users’ online and food brands, it is impossible Tufekci, 2015). feature of their generational, ‘teen’ HFSS foods; and strongly prefer susceptible to food marketing – yet behaviour, is less accurate in small to specify how much digital While researchers work on identity (Fitzgerald et al., 2010, 2013; HFSS foods despite understanding the teen years are largely neglected countries such as Ireland due to advertising children and young developing methods and gaining Ionnanou, 2009; Stead et al., 2011; healthy eating principles (Fitzgerald where food marketing policy and small samples (Kaushik, 2015). And people actually see, particularly in access to data, it remains critical Trew et al., 2005). et al., 2010). research are concerned. researchers who analyse large-scale smaller countries such as Ireland. to understand the HFSS digital social media datasets (‘Big Data’) told This is a research area that is certain marketing techniques that children us they could not reliably segment to develop rapidly in the coming 1.5 Identifying digital food marketing seen by children: An imbalance of access and power and young people are exposed to, as users by age, a crucial requirement months and years. It is also a topic digital marketing, rather than simply Despite the many factors described see is targeted or personalised to The atomisation of children’s media for those interested in children’s HFSS for ethical discussion, as ever-greater replacing traditional advertising, above indicating that children varying degrees. The platforms, practices presents challenges to marketing exposure online. imbalances of power are being amplifies its effects. and young people are likely to sites and channels they view online researchers seeking to understand be susceptible to digital food are fragmented, by age, gender digital food advertising to children, marketing, identifying their exposure and country, and over time. As an but the greatest challenge of all is 1.6 Who’s responsible? An issue of choice, or of children’s rights? to marketing of HFSS food and drink example, UK research with over 400 presented by online behavioural is extremely challenging (Cairns, children aged 7 to 12 years (drawn advertising (OBA). 2013). One might imagine, in a from a panel of 25,000+ children run As noted above, in the process of relentlessly data-driven age, that by digital marketers SuperAwesome; delivering OBA, brands, media and 6’6” information on children’s and young December 2013) reported YouTube 6’0” ? ? ? ? marketing platforms gather vast people’s media practices, and on as the most popular site among boys amounts of information on young the ‘reach’ of digital marketing to and girls aged 7-12 – but YouTube people’s marketing exposure and 5’6” children, would be easy to come houses millions of channels, so by. Yet this is not the case. While this doesn’t clarify which channels engagement, and conduct extensive 5’0” and sophisticated analyses of their researching this report, we made children are viewing. Gender behaviours. However, researchers 4’6” contact with digital marketers, differences were also evident with digital marketing researchers, and girls favouring Facebook, Movie cannot simply ‘go online’ to identify the advertising children see, as 4’0” digital data and Big Data specialists Star Planet and CBBC whereas researchers have different platform, in Ireland; with UK digital marketers boys preferred Friv, Minecraft and browser and device histories to who specalise in marketing to Facebook. children and young people and are children; and with international Furthermore, children’s and young therefore unlikely to be delivered researchers monitoring food people’s digital media preferences the same ads. Researchers also marketing to children and young may change rapidly, although cannot access proprietary industry people. No-one could direct us Finally, it is important to highlight food marketing is an integral part As the use of the language of media storms about the ‘death’ of data because it is rarely made to good quality information on that, when food marketing (Swinburn et al., 2011). Obesogenic ‘choice’ places all the responsibility certain online locations should be available to outsiders. On the rare the extent and nature of digital to children is being debated, environments prompt frequent on individuals, and none on treated with caution, as these are occasions that limited analyses are marketing to children and young discussions are usually framed consumption of unhealthy foods, food companies, marketers and often based on anecdotal reports of available, the cost is prohibitive people in Ireland that was available around twin rhetorics of ‘choice’ interfering with individuals’ ability governments, understanding single individuals or small groups, or (e.g., we were quoted over €60,000 to individuals outside industry at a and ‘parental responsibility’. Food to act in their own long-term parents’ views of digital food misinterpretations of evidence (boyd, for some rudimentary information). reasonable cost. companies state their belief that interest. Food companies promote marketing is important. Do they 2015; Cellan-Jones, 2013; Magid, 2015; Some companies (such as comScore, On TV, advertising is broadcast see also Mascheroni & Ólafsson, Alexa and others) do sell some data from the teens onward, individuals availability and affordability of believe the issue of food, eating in single blocks to large numbers 2014, p.35 note 9). Finally, it should on children’s digital activity and can make rational choices about unhealthy foods (Greenfield, 2011; and food marketing is primarily a of people. As long as one knows be borne in mind that not all online marketing exposure, but not for their snacking and eating – see Swinburn et al., 2011), and spend matter of choice for themselves which channels and times have high locations popular with children and under-15s in Ireland, and drawing for example Mars’ marketing code vast budgets on building emotional and for young people? Or do they child viewership, it is relatively easy young people feature advertising, inferences from other countries (Mars [no date]) – and parents are associations with them – one agree with the WHO (2016) and the to measure children’s advertising although it can be expected that is problematic, as inter-country assigned primary reponsibility for estimate found that food companies’ United Nations Special Rapporteur exposure. Online, however, media wherever it is absent, sites will differences in children’s digital media their children’s eating (Handsley et spend on promoting unhealthy (UN, 2014) that society has a moral and children’s uses of it are highly eventually seek to ‘monetise’ their use can be pronounced (O’Neill & al., 2014). However, such positions foods is approximately 500 times responsibility to protect children’s fragmented. Children see marketing offerings. For example, Instagram Dinh, 2015). In fact, seeking data on ignore the strong evidence for the the amount that the WHO spends on right to health and restrict children’s in some online settings, but not was ad-free until advertising began children’s digital practices in a small impact of present-day ‘obesogenic’ promoting healthier practices (Lang and young people’s exposure to others, and the marketing they late in 2015 (Delzio, 2015). country is a particular challenge. food environments, of which & Millstone, 2002). food marketing? Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
14 15 1.7 Aims of this study In conclusion, basic knowledge the digital food and drink marketing and young people in Ireland, and is missing about the digital food appealing to, or directed at, children is a location where advertisers are marketing that children and teens and young people in Ireland. It also very active. Finally, to indicate are exposed to in Ireland, and about studied (1) websites of top Ireland what information families need, and parents’ knowledge and attitudes on food and drink retail brands – as whether there is a public appetite for this topic. Although data available to reports from other countries indicate regulation of digital food marketing non-industry researchers on digital these have much content directed at to children, the report also explored marketing are currently extremely young children – and (2) Facebook (3) parent awareness and views in limited, this study aimed to make brand Pages – as Facebook is a single Ireland of digital food marketing. essential first steps in identifying platform, most popular with children 2. On the homepage: Websites of top food and drink retail brands Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
16 17 2. On the homepage: Websites of top food and Examples of websites with child-directed content – from 73 websites of the 100 top retail brands in Ireland drink retail brands Website Tab Child-directed content www.pom-bear.co.uk/home¹ Family Fun ■■ Homepage (see image) had bright colours, cartoon In Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK, studies report that 3 to 8 out of 10 websites of food and soft (KP snacks) images, large bold graphics drink brands, primarily for HFSS products, have features designed for children, such as children’s ■■ Family fun tab had craft ideas, e.g., create PomBear- decorated Christmas lanterns, cups areas, advergames, brand spokescharacters, videos, ‘webisodes’, branded education and interactive ■■ A 10 question nutrition quiz implied that eating Pombear features, all designed to engage children in lengthy brand-related exposure and build positive snacks (potatoes) and ketchup (tomatoes) is good for health associations with the products and brands (Henry & Story, 2009; Cheyne et al., 2013; Kelly et al., ■■ When Googling ‘PomBear games’ we were linked to www. 2008; Potvin Kent et al., 2013). As far as we know, there has never been a systematic examination of pom-bear.co.uk/games/world-builder/login.html websites for food and drink products in Ireland, to identify techniques appealing to children. As data are not available on the food www.taytocrisps.ie² Fun Stuff & Tayto Crisps homepage (see image): Bright colours, story-book Led to www.taytopark.ie Colouring style cartoon-like illustrations and featured Mr Tayto. and drink brands that are of greatest Pages ■■ Fun Stuff tab led to a ‘Mastermind’ quiz about Tayto. appeal to children in Ireland, we ■■ Colouring Pages: Pdfs (Mr Tayto/ bag of Tayto crisps) identified 83 of Ireland’s top food ■■ Tayto Park linked to www.taytopark.ie and drink retail brands from a listing ■■ Children, teens on theme park attractions. of Ireland’s 100 top retail grocery ■■ Zoo: introductions to animal galleries. dedicated animal brands (Checkout, 2014; based on pages Nielsen ranking of over 6,500 brands ■■ Early October: Hallowe’en, Santa visits featured in over 200 product categories of ‘fast moving consumer goods’). Google searches were conducted to www.avonmore.ie³ Bó Corner ■■ Parent-directed site with Bó Corner tab (Bó page – see locate brand sites with .ie (Ireland) image) domain addresses. If none could ■■ Bó Chase game (only the page itself was branded; see image). A cow herds unbranded glasses of milk onto a milk be located, the .co.uk (UK) site was float; Heard [sic] the glasses of milk onto the Avonmore examined; where neither was found, milk float as fast as you can without spilling any. Careful .com (international, usually US sites) now!). websites were explored, some of ■■ Pdfs of colouring sheets. which redirected to Irish sites or content. www.john-west.ie⁴ Trawler More parent-directed: 2.1 Kids’ and fun areas on Fun ■■ Entertainment for Tiddlers and Old Sea Dogs food and drink websites ■■ Downloads of colouring sheets ■■ Link to YouTube video Websites were found for 82 of the 83 brands (73 individual sites; see Appendix). Some, e.g., Cadbury, that no site had a section named kids were parent-oriented (Flora, John Denny, Avonmore, host multiple or children, and overtly designated West, and Avonmore) and three were products; other brands have more children’s areas were almost entirely somewhat child-oriented (Miwadi, than one site, e.g., Tayto crisps has a absent. Of the 73 sites, 8 had a tab or Tayto crisps, and the Tayto Park site). Not Shown: tab that leads to the Tayto Park site. image on the homepage named Fun, Finally, the Pombear site (a KP Snacks A full ‘sweep’ of the 73 websites was www.miwadi.ie Fun A ‘Fun’ tab led to a set of options: a child-oriented Corner, or content brand) was the only site identified conducted between 28 September ■■ A simple game, similar to the Avonmore game (only the for children to engage with (the that was strongly child-oriented with and 10 October 2015, to identify page itself was branded, not the game): Catch fruit as it Pepsico.ie site was then excluded as substantial child-related content falls in a truck designated children’s areas and it was an adult-directed, corporate and bright colours and the PomBear ■■ Screensaver (bottle of Miwadi, glasses slowly filling up) content appealing to children and site, and the Fun tab stated that Life brand character throughout. These may be appealing to children young people. can’t be all about work). Seven sites are shown in the table. ■■ Downloadable wallpaper (oranges growing on a tree) less so In contrast to reports from other (10%) had some (often minimal) countries, it was encouraging to find child/fun-oriented content. Three www.flora.com Family Fun ■■ For parents to do with children ■■ Recipes, baking suggestions, and other activities Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
18 19 However, it should be noted that should be included in further for long periods. Its disclaimer on 2.3 Appealing to families our focus on .ie sites for top retail analyses of this topic. For example, the home page (‘Hey kids, this is brands in Ireland meant that other the McDonald’s Happy Meal site advertising’) on the very top left is Finally, it was notable in our analyses were currently targeting parents of 12 and over as this is the age at which websites that may seek to engage (www.happymeal.com) is extremely in exceptionally small type, and is that websites for top food and drink young children instead. This raises we believe that people can make young children in Ireland were not child-oriented and engaging, with visually swamped by the engaging retail items in Ireland frequently the interesting possibility that a informed choices about sensible snack examined in this study. Sites from loud music on launch and many fonts and visuals of the other site appealed to parents, rather than climate of regulation can change consumption’. other countries, sites for fast food games, videos, sounds, music, content. children, through ‘family’ games social norms about marketing to This – along with the content of restaurants, and sites for products ebooks and other activities that and activities; competitions; or free children. However it is also possible the food brand websites viewed – particularly designed for children could keep a young child occupied gifts, e.g. Kelloggs offered bowls that marketers have simply made raised the issue of food marketing for children and adults and seeds a decision – as they did in the for unhealthy items that is aimed and growing kits, all branded with UK when television restrictions Example of child-oriented fast food restaurant site with engaging and immersive appeal for at teens. Companies such as Mars their proprietary characters. Sites came into force around children’s young children and Coca-Cola state their belief that also offered nutrition, eating and programming – to direct their efforts it is appropriate to market snacks Website Tab Child-directed content cooking suggestions: e.g., Hellmans’ elsewhere. and other foods to young people offered tips to get children eating Notably, the sweep identified three from 12 or 13 years as they can make www.happymeal.com⁵ Entire site The site is aimed at young children. Content is extremely vegetables: They’ll soon be convinced is child- engaging. websites (Mars sites Galaxy and informed choices about sensible that vegetables really are delicious oriented It launches with very loud, catchy music and features bright M&Ms, and Kinder) that had ‘age snack consumption (Coca-Cola [no when mixed with their favourite colours and animation gates’ where a date of birth needs date]; Mars [no date]). Yet in Ireland, mayonnaise or ketchup. Through Facilitates an all-round marketing experience. Store toy to be entered to gain access to the broadcast regulations do not permit giveaways unlock a video game and many engaging and such approaches, it appears site. This was in line with stated advertising of HFSS products to entertaining games. brands are seeking to encourage company policies not to market under-18s. As noted in Chapter 1, Tabs: parents to involve brands in their directly to children 12 and under. in the teen years, young people ■ Toys ■ Create ■ Games children’s lives. This chimed with ■ Videos ■ Happy ■ eBooks Maltesers, also a Mars brand, had may be particularly vulnerable to informal discussions we held with A tiny ‘Hey, kids this is advertising’ disclaimer is at the top left. a website home page with only developing unhealthy eating habits, digital marketers in Ireland. They A healthy eating message to ‘balance your fun’ with apple an image of a Maltesers bag, an and to many marketing approaches said that, as marketing unhealthy slices is at the bottom of the page. invitation to visit us on Facebook employed online. Therefore, the 73 foods directly to young children (where the official minimum age is websites were examined again to was now considered unethical in 13 years) and explained that ‘we only identify features that may appeal to 2.2 Advergames and apps a climate of statutory regulation promote our products to people aged teens. in broadcast media, marketers The 73 food and drink retail websites free (Glayzer, 2015). An example is a their functionality, such as their were examined for any advergames, racing car app by Kinder Bueno on accessibility from an Irish IP address which were also found to be rare. play.google.com, a simple game that as well as the specifics of personal Examples of age ‘gates’ on HFSS food websites Two sites, Avonmore and Miwadi, would appeal to young children. A information collected from the each hosted an easily accessible constant stream of Kinder Bueno6 user. As noted in Chapter 1, apps child-oriented game, that involved logos features during game play. frequently breach US and Irish collecting milk or fruit, was very Other informational and play-based guidelines, raising concerns about simple and was aimed at young apps feature HFSS brands, such as further tracking and targeting children. However, as these did the Haribo weather app featuring of children with marketing (Data not have branded visuals or offer the brand’s bear. Interestingly, some Protection Commissioner, 2015). an immersive experience, they do apps restricted their geographic not fit the generally understood availability, such as the McDonald’s category of ‘advergames’. When Minions movie tie-in Min-ball app, searching for branded games ‘appropriate for ages 4+’, which was M&Ms age ‘gate’ ⁷ Kinder age ‘gate’ ⁸ through Google, one advergame not available in the Irish iTunes store Our promise. At Mars we take our responsibility for marketing our brands was found. A PomBear games site (the site doesn’t allow linking to the appropriately very seriously. We have a Marketing Code that governs all login page appeared with links to US store). Such practices indicate our promotional activity and states that we only promote our products to games directed at young children; that despite the global reach of the people aged 12 and over as this is the age at which we believe that people this had not appeared when internet, it is possible for geographic can make informed choices about sensible snack consumption. We apply navigating the website itself. limits to be placed on marketing to our Marketing Code to all our advertising and communications and are committed to providing you and your family with suitable and transparent children. It should be noted that advergames information about our products. For more information about how we have not disappeared from the A full sweep of HFSS brand apps promote our products responsibly, please follow the link to the Mars marketing landscape. Instead, they aimed at children and available Marketing Code. appear to have migrated to app from online app stores is required. Maltesers home page (prominent link to Facebook) ⁹ Maltesers Marketing Code on website (Mars [no date]) and game stores to download for This should assess the apps and Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
20 21 2.4 Food and drink website features appealing to teens Continued. Websites were excluded from Sites were also excluded if they Avonmore, John West, PomBear or Lucozade consideration for teen-appealing had child-related content that was Miwadi above). www.lucozadeenergy.ie content if they had directed primarily at parents or The remaining sites were evaluated www.lucozadesport.ie/rugby-instant-win13 teachers, e.g., lunchbox tips (Denny), ■■ little or no consumer-oriented for appeal to teens by three raters: Searching for Lucozade Sport directly opened tips for getting children to eat the Win Official Rugby Shirts Every 80 Minutes content; or two adults (a developmental more fruit or vegetables (Hellmans, competition. This is 18+ but that is only made psychologist, and a marketing ■■ consumer-oriented content Tropicana), baking (Dr. Oetker, Flora), evident on the second, competition entry page. professional who also manages limited to product images school-based lunch club (Brennans marketing compliance) and a teen. and basic product/nutritional bread), food pyramid or nutrition- To be considered to have appeal information; or related tests or quizzes (Irish Pride), to teens, a site needed to have (i) a ■■ content directed at general or free cereal bowls for younger KitKat homepage that was visually strong adult audiences (e.g., Batchelors, children and adults (Kelloggs). and youth-appealing, and (ii) teen- www.KitKat.co.uk/content14 Donegal Catch Green Isle 2 Finally, sites were excluded if the appealing content. Any differences Despite the office scene on the home page, the Sisters Group, Charleville, Brady main focus was on family-oriented overall air of humour and relaxed leisure gives it were resolved by discussion, with fun or content was directed teen appeal. A main tab (not a small tile icon) links Family Ham, KP Snacks, Pepsico, the casting vote given to the teen. to YouTube, launching a video of a ‘ninja’ teddy Magnum, and Hunky Dorys). primarily at younger children (e.g., with a KitKat, by animator Patrick Boivin, and also featuring vlogger Marcus Butler with the ‘Google my break’ feature. Both are likely to have strong appeal for teens. Examples of websites of 73 top retail food brands in Ireland assessed as having appeal to teens Websites featuring HFSS items, not recommended for marketing to children and young people under WHO Ben & Jerry Nutrient Profiling Guidelines (WHO, 2015) www.benjerry.ie15 Both the product and the environmental cause are Coca-Cola likely to have strong appeal to teens, amplified by the strong graphic identity of the home page and www.Coca-Cola.ie product. www.happiness.Coca-Cola.com/ie/en/hom10 The Coca-Cola happiness site is strongly teen- oriented in its visuals and content throughout, with entertainment and activity-oriented downloads, competitions, creative content co-creation, sports and more. Not shown: Club Orange www.club.ie links to www.bestbits.ie The Club Orange site redirected to bestbits.ie; when clicked on, this home page opened a site with social media feeds featuring Pringles competitions and a model showing substantial cleavage in an orange grove. www.pringles.com/ie/home11 The Pringles homepage features 3 separate In total, 13 websites, 18% of the The teen-appealing content downloads, World Cup rugby shirts, promotions for karaoke kits, Xbox and movies, all 73 food and soft drink sites, on websites fell into three UEFA Champions league tickets of potential appeal to teens which require unique product codes. The Terms and Conditions (18+) are were assessed as having features broad clusters which could be and crates of soft drinks. There was hard to find. appealing to teens. These are shown characterised as evoking emotion considerable overlap across these in the table on these pages, and as through fun and excitement. These clusters of teen-appealing features, the assessment of appeal to teens were entertainment features with sites featuring multiple appeals, was a qualitative judgment, in the that appealed to teens through so on page 23 we present examples digital Appendix we show examples music, theme parks, festivals, together. Tayto of homepages that were considered gaming, YouTube and other media www.taytocrisps.ie for inclusion but agreed by raters content; celebrities from sport and www.taytocrisps.ie/park12 to be less appealing to teens. The entertainment featured in multiple The Tayto Crisps homepage is humorous, slightly products and brands featured on sites; and competitions/promotions surreal (with iconic Dublin landmarks in a countryside setting) and features Mr Tayto. the sites were evaluated to identify which drew attention to brands It links to the Tayto Park site shown here, featuring whether they were high in fat, through many different offers: teen-appealing theme park rides (see examples salt and sugar. To do so the WHO movie downloads, karaoke kits, below), and at the time of the study Halloween- themed events. European Region Nutrient Profiling Xboxes, selfie sticks, power banks, model (WHO, 2015) was applied. festival tickets, branded emoji Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
22 23 Examples of websites of 73 top retail food brands in Ireland assessed as having appeal to teens Examples of features of websites for food and drink likely to appeal to teens Websites featuring non-HFSS items, cleared for marketing to children and young people according to WHO Guidelines (WHO, 2015). Volvic www.volvic.co.uk16 After reflection (with doubts about whether teens would spend limited budgets on water) we retained the Volvic site in the section appealing to teens. This was for its music festival theme, an engaging count-down to the volcano ‘explosion’, and appealing infographics on the site about health benefits of water. Glenisk Entertainment: Co-creating content, downloading Entertainment/celebrity: Angela Scanlon (TV presenter & digital host of www.glenisk.com17 Coca-Cola emojis and cycling on Coca-Cola city bikes 18 The Voice) launched Coke’s 360 festival selfie stage 19 Although most of the Glenisk site is adult- and parent-directed, the homepage has a powerful image featuring its IRFU sponsorship and high- protein, low fat yogurts. It was therefore considered to have appeal to sport-, fitness- and diet-oriented teens. As the yogurts have less than 10g sugar per 100g, they would pass WHO guidance (2015) for marketing to children. 2.5 Competitions Many competitions or promotions Agency of Ireland Code’s 7th Edition query about excessive consumption. had strong teen appeal, whether (ASAI, 2015), which came into force In the Republic of Ireland (RoI), every explicitly aimed at children/ teens in March 2016, which requires that entry required purchase of a 500ml or not, and thus had the potential promotions’ terms and conditions be promotional pack of Coca-Cola; and to build interest in HFSS products. ‘prominently stated’ (Rule 5.16). The up to 20 entries per person, per day Sport/celebrities: Glenisk is the official yogurt of the IRFU and Sport/celebrities: Rugby World Cup stars feature in a Lucozade In several cases age restrictions teen researcher who co-reviewed were permitted. For comparison, in Ireland rugby stars feature 20 Sport competition 21 were not shown where the prize the sites said of the Pringles offers, Northern Ireland no purchase was was advertised on the website, and ‘that’s cool, but I would never click necessary and entry was limited terms and conditions (for example, on those [Terms and Conditions]’. to one per person per day. The RoI limiting participation to over-18s) Somewhat clearer communication condition could be considered to were difficult to find. of age restriction was seen, for facilitate or encourage excessive example, in the lucozadesport.ie consumption, against the ASAI An example was the Pringles Win a Rugby Shirt every 80 Minutes Code 7th Edition (ASAI, 2015, 8.21b) site, with strong teen appeal competition (see images on p.24). that, in marketing to children under and featuring three separate Although the 18+ entry requirement 16, communications featuring a competitions/promotions for was not displayed on the homepage promotional offer linked to a food karaoke kits, Xbox and movies (see where the competition was product of interest to children image on p.20). Locating the terms advertised, the first click to the entry should ‘avoid … encouraging the and conditions required clicking screen showed the need to enter purchase of an excessive quantity for onto the relevant promotion or date of birth prominently. irresponsible consumption’. competition page, scrolling past Entertainment: Red Bull site with features on gaming and music news 22 product entry codes and other Coca-Cola’s WIN Enjoy your favourite appealing content, and identifying a Coke for a chance to win a Coke Selfie link in very small type at the bottom Stick promotion (summer 2015) was of the webpage (see images on open to those aged 13 and over p.24). In our view this would breach (with parental permission if under the new Advertising Standards 16). Its terms and conditions raise a Who's Feeding the Kids Online? | Digital Food Marketing and Children in Ireland Irish Heart Foundation
You can also read