The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study
Abstract Objective: Despite strong evidence linking exposure to food and beverage marketing with poor diet quality and negative health impacts in children, the effect of brand marketing (i.e. marketing featuring branded content, but no food products) is uncertain. This study evaluated the impact o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000369/type/journal_article |
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| author | Christine Mulligan Lauren Remedios Tim Ramsay Elise Pauzé Mariangela Bagnato Monique Potvin Kent |
| author_facet | Christine Mulligan Lauren Remedios Tim Ramsay Elise Pauzé Mariangela Bagnato Monique Potvin Kent |
| author_sort | Christine Mulligan |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
Despite strong evidence linking exposure to food and beverage marketing with poor diet quality and negative health impacts in children, the effect of brand marketing (i.e. marketing featuring branded content, but no food products) is uncertain. This study evaluated the impact of brand marketing v. product-based advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions.
Design:
An online survey was administered to participants randomised to one of four ad conditions; familiar product (i.e. from popular Canadian brands); familiar brand (i.e. no food product, Canadian brand); unfamiliar product (i.e. foreign products); and unfamiliar brand ad (i.e. foreign brand). Participants viewed three ads displaying features of that condition and answered three 5-point Likert-scale questions related to the study outcomes: food preference, purchase intent and pester power. The average of all outcomes determined the total impact. An ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests evaluated differences in impact between conditions.
Setting:
Canada participants: n 1341 Canadian children (9–12 years)
Results:
Familiar product ads had a higher total impact on children (mean score 3·57) compared with familiar brand ads (2·88), unfamiliar brand ads (3·24) or unfamiliar product ads (3·09; P < 0·001 for all pairwise comparisons). Total impact was lower for familiar brand ads than for unfamiliar brand ads or unfamiliar product ads (P < 0·001 for all pairwise comparisons). The impact of an unfamiliar brand and product did not differ (P = 0·53).
Conclusions:
Results suggest that familiar product ads seem to have a stronger impact on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions than familiar brand ads, unfamiliar brand ads and unfamiliar product ads.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c27dac15675c43be8b5957b8ca0b7802 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-c27dac15675c43be8b5957b8ca0b78022025-08-20T03:09:46ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980025000369The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental studyChristine Mulligan0Lauren Remedios1Tim Ramsay2Elise Pauzé3Mariangela Bagnato4Monique Potvin Kent5School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada Abstract Objective: Despite strong evidence linking exposure to food and beverage marketing with poor diet quality and negative health impacts in children, the effect of brand marketing (i.e. marketing featuring branded content, but no food products) is uncertain. This study evaluated the impact of brand marketing v. product-based advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions. Design: An online survey was administered to participants randomised to one of four ad conditions; familiar product (i.e. from popular Canadian brands); familiar brand (i.e. no food product, Canadian brand); unfamiliar product (i.e. foreign products); and unfamiliar brand ad (i.e. foreign brand). Participants viewed three ads displaying features of that condition and answered three 5-point Likert-scale questions related to the study outcomes: food preference, purchase intent and pester power. The average of all outcomes determined the total impact. An ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests evaluated differences in impact between conditions. Setting: Canada participants: n 1341 Canadian children (9–12 years) Results: Familiar product ads had a higher total impact on children (mean score 3·57) compared with familiar brand ads (2·88), unfamiliar brand ads (3·24) or unfamiliar product ads (3·09; P < 0·001 for all pairwise comparisons). Total impact was lower for familiar brand ads than for unfamiliar brand ads or unfamiliar product ads (P < 0·001 for all pairwise comparisons). The impact of an unfamiliar brand and product did not differ (P = 0·53). Conclusions: Results suggest that familiar product ads seem to have a stronger impact on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions than familiar brand ads, unfamiliar brand ads and unfamiliar product ads. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000369/type/journal_articleBrand marketingFood and beverage brandsChildrenYouthFood marketingMarketing restrictionsFood policy |
| spellingShingle | Christine Mulligan Lauren Remedios Tim Ramsay Elise Pauzé Mariangela Bagnato Monique Potvin Kent The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study Public Health Nutrition Brand marketing Food and beverage brands Children Youth Food marketing Marketing restrictions Food policy |
| title | The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study |
| title_full | The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study |
| title_fullStr | The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study |
| title_short | The impact of brand advertising on children’s food preferences and behavioural intentions: an experimental study |
| title_sort | impact of brand advertising on children s food preferences and behavioural intentions an experimental study |
| topic | Brand marketing Food and beverage brands Children Youth Food marketing Marketing restrictions Food policy |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000369/type/journal_article |
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