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MARKETING TO CHILDREN:
AN ANALYSIS OF ITS IMPACT
AND APPLICATION TO SELLING
HEALTH BEHAVIORS
INTRODUCTION
Stated in the 1995 report of the Committee on Communications to the
American Academy of the Pediatrics is a queer fact: "In 1750 BC, the Code
of Hammurabi made it a crime, punishable by death, to sell anything to a
child without first obtaining a power of attorney. In the 1990s, selling
products to American children has become a standard business practice."
Throughout the years, marketing to children has become a trend.
Numerous giant corporations have taken over the young population as
consumers. They targeted a wide range of commercial commodities and
services to the children, including clothing lines, food products, school
supplies, gadgets, and toys, among others. These corporations in the United
States spend more than an accumulated amount of 12 billion dollars every
year for marketing strategies directed to children. Compared to expenditures
ten years ago, this amount has increased to more than twenty times. Why
shouldn't they want to focus their efforts to children? Various studies have
shown that altogether, children as consumers have the greatest market
potential than any other demographic group.
The vastness of the influence that the children have in the marketing
world can be described through grouping them into three types of consumer
markets: Firstly, they are a primary market, having their own money to
spend out of their own volition. In the United States, it was estimated that
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This case was written by Reulyssa A. Peralta under the supervision of Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Asian
Institute of Management – Dr. Stephen Zuellig Center for Asian Business Transformation. Special
acknowledgement also for the guidance of Mr. Harold Grande of the Asian Institute of Management and
Ms. Maya Estrada of . All case materials are prepared solely for the purpose of class discussion. They are
neither designed nor intended to illustrate the correct or incorrect management of problems or issues
contained in the case.
Copyright 2012, Asian Institute of Management – Dr. Stephen Zuellig Center for Asian Business
Transformation, Makati City, Philippines, http://www.aim.edu. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a report or spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by
any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise - without the consent of the
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Marketing to Children
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23.4 billion dollars were spent directly by children, mostly through their
pocket money and allowances. This amount was quoted more than a decade
ago, and the rate was observed to be steadily increasing at an estimated 1520% every year, still excluding the independent purchases made by
teenagers, which may have their part-time jobs. Even in a study conducted
in the Philippines during the year 1995, it has been shown that Filipino
children represent a substantial segment of the consumer market in terms of
their individual needs, with a significant fraction also coming from the
children's personal money.
Secondarily and most significantly, they are an influence market.
Children were said to possess the 'pester power' or 'kidfluence' which are
modern terms referring to the child as an important role-player on the
decision-making process of the family, especially on the choice of consumer
goods and services. Studies have shown that the expenses incurred by the
family generally through this type of market are ten times bigger than that
incurred from the primary market. By 2010, Marketing Week estimated the
children’s global purchasing influence to be upwards of $1.88 trillion.
Lastly, they are viewed as the future market for all goods and services,
which will provide a steady stream of new customers when they reach the
market age for a particular commodity. Children were targeted and
bombarded with all sorts of brand names at the earliest ages, so as to
acquire brand loyalty or promised consumerism in the preceding years. Thus
is the importance and the coverage of potential consumers when marketing
strategies are targeted to children.
Moreover, numerous and seemingly simple circumstances during the
last decade were seen to be simple, yet very powerful forces which paved the
way for the increase in the rate of consumption of children's commodities
throughout the years. For the last decade, there has been an increase in the
number of households with both of the parents working and earning money
for the family. This, most commonly, equates to additional money for the
family than before, so luxuries such as entertainment and designer items can
now be afforded. With both parents away from home, children are usually left
on their own, and the responsibility for consumption decisions is ingrained
earlier in them than with other kids having more parental supervision. These
types of children are also the ones more vulnerable to succumb to peer
influences and commercial advertisements, and thus, become early primary
consumers. Another important implication usually observed is the perceived
'guilt factor' of the working parents. Since they rarely have time to spend
with their children, they try to compensate the lost time through provision to
the kids of more entertainment, gadgets, food, and pocket money for them
to freely spend. Such are termed the latch-key kids. It has also been a trend
that working parents, in response to being frequently out of the house, set
schedules for 'bonding' moments or time spent exclusively with their kids.
This is usually done through trips to the consumer havens: shopping malls
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and theme parks. The role of grandparents in the increase of consumerism of
children is also quite significant, especially if the parents are usually not
around. They indulge the children with whatever childhood pleasures they
can contribute to. All of the aforementioned situations are also applicable for
single parents.
For career-oriented individuals, of which number is highest in the
urban areas, the decision of having children come later than the others.
Therefore, when the child arrives, it would be given the utmost importance needs would be tended and wants would be graciously provided. Studies
have also shown that the increase in the divorce rates particularly in the
United States may be a contributing factor to the progress of the market,
since the resulting child would most probably be given combination of gifts
and pocket money from the two separate families, usually amounting to
more than what is received by a child from a non-splintered household.
The rise in the number and types of mass media technology being
developed and distributed worldwide has now grown to be the most
important and most frequently utilized in marketing strategies for children.
Approximately twenty-five percent of preschool-aged kids in the United
States have televisions in their own rooms, and the estimated watching time,
in average, is for two hours each day. Annually, an American child sees fortythousand television commercials. A study in Stanford University has
correlated the children's demands for specific consumer items with the time
they spent in front of the television. In China, it was also noted in a study
during the year 1998 that the television is a more influential source of
information than the parents. With the success of advertising schemes using
television, radio, and print ads, companies have also being exerting efforts to
expand to social networking sites and hand-held devices such as smart
phones, of which younger kids are now being able to utilize, and may have
already overtaken the television as their most valuable form of
entertainment.
As Walt Disney once stated, "The child's mind is like a blank book. The
quality of writing during its first years would affect its life profoundly." With
their limited cognitive abilities and capacity for abstract reasoning, coupled
with their very high degree of curiosity, children are said to take the greatest
impact from advertising schemes. There have been numerous studies
showing that children under the age of eight cannot distinguish commercial
ads from regular television programming, and also, unable to understand the
intent of advertisements. As a result, they easily accept the claims made by
the commercial advertisements as the valid truth.
Jean Piaget contributed much to the study of the development stages
of a child's cognitive abilities. Based on this foundation, later researches
discovered the points that would make a highly effective advertisement
based on the child’s level of cognitive ability: First, it must be simplified, and
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second, it must contain as much visual information as possible, because of
the child’s ability for simple analyses and comprehension. Lastly, it must be
repeated adequately for effective retention of the message. Intensive
research is an absolute necessity. These contributed much to the success of
television shows such as Blue’s Clues and Sesame Street. Consultations with
child psychologists, children, and the family should be done. Research and
development, and evaluation of the existing marketing strategies are
absolute necessities. While this is a great strategy, this could also expose all
of the child’s vulnerability, while the companies helplessly trap them into
buying the consumer products. Whatever strategy is used, it should not be
forgotten that advertisements have the primary aim of selling merchandise,
so even if advertising regulations and policies are in place to protect the wellbeing of the child, the primary protection must be initiated by the family
through proper guidance of the child. The family should be the ones
responsible in instilling the proper consumer values to the child.
With all these in mind, the marketing strategies targeted to children,
together with the evolving life situations and technology at present, should
be further analyzed in order to fully understand the implications they have
for the child. These implications should be noted and manipulated so as to be
used to affect positive behavioral changes, rather than the bad.
Two companies have set trends in marketing to children, and their
marketing strategies would be thoroughly discussed in the preceding pages.
The first one is an international company that has mastered the art of kid’s
entertainment through various media. The second is a local company which
has successfully catered to the Filipino children’s palates. Knowledge of their
history, exemplary strategies, and the critics’ opinion of them, hopefully,
could provide lessons in marketing social behaviors to the children.
Marketing to children has its downsides, too, especially when marketed
through the media. Its implications are enumerated in the hopes that in the
future, definite ways of dealing with them would be crafted. With this, it is of
equal importance to present the existing policies and regulations of the
Advertising Board of the Philippines regarding the marketing strategies to the
children.
Social marketing is an important strategy that must be learned
public health professionals. By taking examples and applying concepts
commercial marketing to selling public health messages, the efficiency
delivery of social commodities, especially for the children, is anticipated
have greater impact.
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DISNEY, INC.
Walt Disney has been known, arguably, as the most influential man of
the twentieth century. Beginning in the late 1920s and accelerating through
the decades, the multifaceted company has produced, primarily, movies and
animated films. In addition to this, the company has in its hands one of the
widest variety of consumer items and services, distributed and consumed all
over the world.
As of 2011, the Walt Disney Corporation has in its assets a number of
cable networks (ESPN, Disney Channels Worldwide, ABC Family, and
SOAPnet networks), six domestic television stations, five Disneyland parks
and resorts located all over the globe, Disney vacation clubs, cruise lines,
tour packages, the Disney Music Groups and Theatrical Productions, and a
huge line of branded Disney Consumer Products. Recently, they also
launched the Interactive Media Group, which provides online games,
information about their product and service offerings, stores, and other
services. Disney also has the Imagineering Department which takes care of
the training and support services, also the research and development
strategies of the company. With all these possessions, it is not surprising that
the Disney corporation is known as one of the largest in the world.
Walt Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois on 1901. His deep interest in
art was noticed in a very early age. He first established the “Laugh-O-Gram
Films” which produced the highly successfully series “Alice Comedies”, among
others. Despite the immense creativity of the staff, the company declared
bankruptcy after a short period of time. Instead of accepting defeat, Walt
Disney went to Hollywood. With Walt’s creativity, and Roy’s business
strategies, the Disney Brothers established their own studio, which produced
“Oswald the Lucky Rabbit”, and later on, their signature character: “Mickey
Mouse.” During the following years, Mickey Mouse’s friends were also created
by the same studio. In less than ten years in Hollywood, the Disney Brothers
were a domestic name, with the Mouse as a national symbol. Its fame paved
the way for the first Disney-branded consumer product released in 1927: a
child’s writing tablet embedded with Mickey Mouse’s image. During the later
years, all popularized Disney characters where branded into a huge line of
Disney Consumer Products.
One of the strengths that the Disney Corporation has is its capacity to
evolve, and its never-ending quest for growth. Such is also evident during its
early years. In spite of having highly successful animation flicks, Disney
planned to produce full-length animation films and produced the classic
movies: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia,”
“Dumbo,” and “Bambi” during the next few years. Live action films are his
next venture, and he was extremely successful with the “Treasure Island”
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and “Mary Poppins.” Television started to become popular and Disney
penetrated this field as well, producing his own television shows. During the
latter years, domestic and international television channels were also
acquired. The Walt Disney Music Company and company’s own Art School
were also established. When Internet has finally been within the grasp of
children, Disney also expanded into this field. During the 1990s, the Walt
Disney Internet Group (WDIG) was created, and this launched several
internet-based businesses and applications. Around the year 2000, Disney
started its wireless initiatives. It entered into agreements with 22 global
telecommunications companies around the world, so subscribers would be
able to receive a huge range of offerings for Disney items and services. Later
on, WDIG launched ‘Toontown’, an collaborative online game.
Walt Disney conceived the plans and personally supervised the
construction of the very first Disneyland Theme Park. While it was inspired by
the typical carnivals, Disney aimed to ‘bring dreams into life.’ With his
painstaking obsession for details, hard work, and immense talent, he was
able to transform dreams into reality. While carnivals were known to be a
place enjoyed by kids while parents wait idly on the sidelines, Disneyland
was designed to be a place for the whole family. The first one was
constructed in Anaheim, California, and, with its success, subsequent ones
were built in different areas of the world, namely: Florida, Paris, Tokyo, and
Hongkong.
Disney marketed dreams and childhood innocence. These are his
signature products. These are what made his products pure and simply
irresistible. For the child, it gives space for its imagination to run wild. It is an
escape from reality, into a place where animals can talk, genies and fairies
can grant wishes, and everyone can have the chance to be a lovely princess.
For the adults, it gives them a feeling of nostalgia. In addition, Disney also
banked on the promotion of moral conduct in most of his movies, which
parents love and certainly endorse to the kids. His stories are also about
protagonists seeking self-identity and self-worth, an enticing subject for all
ages. It provides hope, defines childhood innocence, and strengthens moral
values and self-worth, aside from its vastly successful entertainment value. It
is known to provide ‘clean’ entertainment. All of these are what explains its
unique charm, and of course, market viability.
As mentioned earlier, Disney owns a vast quantity of businesses, and
it is known as one of the biggest media moguls in the world. They have
penetrated all types of mass media, from local and international television
stations, the Internet, record media, etc. Moreover, the Disney Consumer
Products have a very extensive range of product lines. Branded with the
Disney logo are toys, clothing, school supplies, even food. Simply put, Disney
is everywhere. It is now powerful enough to be a component of the culture
we live in, especially for a child. It was mentioned in the Advertising Age by
the CEO of Disney himself in 1989, that the corporation’s activities reinforce
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each other. "The Disney Stores promote the consumer products which
promote the [theme] parks which promote the television shows. The
television shows promote the company.” Disney enjoys the privilege of taking
part in such a “media oligopoly,” which is further reinforced by its consumer
products. Therefore, it comes as to no surprise that Disney has such a
powerful consumer effect among the children and the family.
The company also has been especially active in hosting events such as
tournaments, school programs, and a variety of other events, not excluding
those in which there are only adult participants. The industry publication,
Brandweek, explains: "Disney has started hosting events to try to appeal to
everyone from empty nesters and senior citizens to honeymooners and postcollege singles." Disney knows that in targeting children, the knowledge and
influence of the adult population is also very beneficial to their success.
Partnerships and outsourcing is highly inevitable for the success of
giant corporations such as Disney. The death of the Disney brothers, Walt
and Roy Disney, during the decades of 70’s and 80’s, respectively, resulted
to the alleged Dark Ages of Disney. Adjustments in leadership and shifts in
goals caused confusion in the corporation, and certainly took a toll on their
creative efforts and succeeding outputs. During the late 80’s, Steve Jobs
established the Pixar studio. It consists of a rather small group of artists,
with its creativity and unique methods already starting to attract attention.
Its film-making strategy involved the use of highly-innovative computer
graphics, focusing on a small number of projects with meticulously-written
script. However, they still do not have enough means to market and
distribute its films. Its collaboration with Disney was mutually beneficial, as
Pixar was provided with access to distribution and marketing, while Disney
was able to produce highly successful movies, from Toy Story movies to
Finding Nemo. With Disney’s animation division lagging behind that of Pixar,
it was acquired in 2005 by Disney for ten billion dollars. Its partnership with
Pixar is not its only successful partnership strategy. Throughout the years,
Disney has been partnering up with fast food chains such as McDonald’s,
which consistently featured Disney’s creations for their Happy Meals.
McDonald’s was able to incorporate fun and play into their foods, while
Disney was able to promote their films and Disney characters.
The company’s research and development strategies paved way for
creation of television shows, films, and consumer products targeted to
specific age groups. During the last decade, it set the trend for marketing to
the ‘tween’, or the pre-teen population, with shows and movies such as
Hannah Montana, Lizzie Mcguire and the High School Musical.
During the past decade, the corporation has been using social
advocacies to promote itself. Recently, Disney has made a commitment to
promote good healthy eating habits for kids through a wide array of means.
Nutritional guidelines were set, which are now globally implemented.
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Nutritional portfolios of foods were branded with Disney characters.
Conspicuous labels were put in Disney food products in order to highlight
nutritional facts for shoppers. All Disney Parks and Resorts committed to
offer only healthy options to the children, through serving nutritious prebundled kids’ meals in the parks. Imagination Farms were founded to serve
and to engage farms in producing fruits and other organics under the Disney
Garden brand. Regulation of foods served in the theme parks aimed to serve
healthier options to the children. Recently, they also launched programs in
support not only to child’s nutrition but to healthy living. In their program,
“The Disney Magic of Healthy Living,” they focused on the benefits of physical
activity and exercise for kids. Thus, it was proposed, and now implemented,
that at least one episode of each series in Disney production has a healthy
lifestyle theme. Another advocacy that the corporation made is its
denouncement of cigarette-smoking. They announced that Disney will no
longer feature smoking in any of its movies, as part of this campaign.
THE BAD SIDE:
The large number of protests and criticisms over the offerings of the
Disney Corporation is a testament that all directives towards children must
be thoroughly analyzed before offering them to public. But even so, as it was
mentioned earlier, backlash must still be expected and appropriate responses
should be made accordingly, since the target population is composed of the
children, which are perceived to be the most vulnerable of all the population
groups.
Nothing seems to be wrong when the Baby Einstein videos were
adopted by Disney as one of their consumer products. Its product offerings
include educational materials designed for infants and toddlers. They are said
to be ‘created from a baby’s point-of-view,’ and based on its name, it initially
promised to create geniuses out of the babies, through enhanced methods in
the development of speech, language, and math skills of the children. This is
considered to be one of the first educational materials using video that is
targeted to children under the age of two. This is where the problem started.
According to the recommendations set but the American Academy of
Pediatrics, television must be avoided for children less than two years of age.
In addition, they specifically mentioned that: ‘Babies and toddlers need direct
interactions with parents and other significant caregivers for healthy brain
growth and development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive
skills.’ The videos could even provide means for some working parents to
consort to having the babies to watch Baby Einstein, instead of personally
teaching and spending time with them. Thus, the Baby Einstein videos,
according to these critics, do not teach anything significant to the children,
despite the company’s claims. It could even be detrimental to the learning
process of very young children. After the complaint, the company made
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major modifications on its promotion and marketing strategies, particularly in
their claims. However, their products are still being distributed, while the
company was able to refute the attacks of their protestors.
Another problem with Disney is its immense number of acquired
assets, including television channels or shows not specifically directed to
children. The messages relayed by these can be conflicting with children’s
values. Disney has stuck with its ‘clean, innocent, child-friendly looks’ for its
decades of existence. Its acquisition of ABC, and the quality of shows the
channel continues to air, has earned them numerous criticisms. Initially, ABC
marketed itself as a family-centered network. However, themes related to
violence, homosexuality, premarital sex, and the use of alcohol and drugs
have been used. This is directly exposing the child to things and themes that
are detrimental to its values. A company for children should stay true to its
goals and remain child-friendly in all of its ventures, or else, this could lead
to damage to its reputation.
The Disney Consumer Products released dolls of the Disney Princesses
during the early 2000s. Marketing these toys also pushed critics to sign their
protests against Disney. They say that these consumer items encourage
materialism and luxurious fantasies to little girls. However, pro-Disney
counterparts say that their allegations are far-fetched, and that no studies
have been proven that these types of toys do permanent damage to a child.
The issues of subliminal messages in several Disney films, such as ‘The
Little Mermaid,’ ‘Alladin,’ and ‘The Lion King’, also made considerable noise,
with groups even filing lawsuits against Disney. Subliminal messages,
consisting of obscene words and images, were allegedly placed purposefully
by Disney into their movies, according to the protesters. Disney vehemently
denied the allegations, but reportedly, disciplinary actions were filed against
the creators of the cartoons with the questionable messages. The effects of
the subliminal messages are still unclear for psychologists. The
corresponding significance and influence to the audience’s behavior change
of these subliminal messages must be given further studies.
Disney’s strategies for commodification, globalization, and capitalism
are indeed very successful. However, according to Roy Disney, nephew of
Walt Disney, and also a past CEO, too much effort for commercialization of
the company during the past decade is killing the magic of Disney. Walt’s
ulterior motive of providing pure entertainment for the children, according to
him, is now being gradually replaced into a motive full of schemes for pure
money-making venture and conquest for more control and power.
Throughout the years, the quality of Disney films, according to some
critics, has also been disintegrating instead of improving. According to them,
this is one of the reasons why Disney partnered with, and later on, acquired
Pixar. They know that its innovativeness overpowered theirs. They used their
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supremacy to control and own whatever competition that may appear. That
is now their vision: to continue ruling the world with their media.
In summary, strategies successfully done by Disney are within the
following principle: (1) A successful company never fails to evolve. They
must be open to modify their strategies based on the changing needs of the
target population and the existing technology available. Stagnancy signifies
the death of the company. However, this must be in place while retaining the
successful characteristic of the brand. For Disney, this would be the pure,
unadulterated type of entertainment it has since provided. (2) A brand is
necessary. It is one that should set it apart from its competitors. As
mentioned, Disney’s brand is innocent fun and pure entertainment value. No
other company has beaten the quality and value of Disney movies. (3)
Ubiquity of the consumer products is a necessity. There is strength and more
market viability in numbers. (4) Partnership strategy is important. As it was
said, if you can’t beat them, join them. Also, products that satisfy multiple
needs attract a greater number of consumers. (5) Social advocacy is a
helpful way in refreshing a company’s image.
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JOLLIBEE
It was in 1975 that Mr. Tony Tan founded his own franchise. His vision
is of a company of hard-working individuals, yet never losing the perspective
for good times and fun, so he named it Jollibee. Around this time, the
internationally-acclaimed fast food chain, McDonald’s, have just entered the
Philippine market. It was suggested to Mr. Tan that it would be more
practical to give up Jollibee and instead, invest his money for a McDonald’s
franchise. He refused to do so, and believed in the power of his brand. More
than 25 years later, Jollibee has grown to be the most dominant fast food
restaurant in the country. It was said to be one of the only local fast food
chains in the world that easily toppled the sales and popularity of the
internationally-successful McDonald’s and KFC.
With its acquisition of various other businesses, the Jollibee Foods
Corporation (JFC) group was established. It is easily the Philippines’ largest
restaurant network. By the end of 2011, it was operating an accumulated
number of 2,001 stores in the country consisting of Jollibee and its subsidiary
stores: Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, and Burger King. Around the
globe, it has over 400 stores. JFC has been awarded and commended for its
financial soundness, vision, and excellent management and marketing
strategies over the past three decades not only in the local scene, but even
outside the Philippines, earning tons of respect and accolades. It has been
awarded numerous times as one of the highest achieving companies in Asia
by the Far Eastern Economic Review and the Asian Wall Street Journal.
Recently, it has been highly praised as one of the top twenty leading fast
food chains in the world. Like McDonald’s, children is primarily targeted by
Jollibee.
Despite having been modeled from American fast food chains and
serving Western foods, Jollibee still retained obvious evidences of its Filipino
heritage. This quality is what put Jollibee on its pedestal, above all its
counterparts and competitions. Jollibee imitated and made innovations on all
the strong points of McDonald’s; however, they customized the menu and the
flavor of the Western-influenced foods. They incorporated the Filipino taste,
giving much consideration to the preferences of the Filipino children. Their
hamburgers and fried chickens were made tastier through the use of Filipino
soy and spices. Its trademark recipe for spaghetti is much sweeter than the
traditional ones, which is certainly a hit for children and adults alike. This
signature sweet flavor popularized by Jollibee is now known as the Filipinostyle spaghetti. Palabok, a Filipino noodle dish, remains to be one of their
most popular products. Other Filipino meals were also included in their menu,
including the Chicken Barbecue, Shanghai rice, and Fried Bangus Belly,
among others. Through this, the menu of Jollibee was seen to provide
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options for the whole family. Their meals were priced a little less than the
cost for McDonald’s. Good taste and better cost-efficiency made for a dashing
winning strategy. However, its expansion to other countries was not so
successful, with the Filipino version of Western foods not faring well enough
with foreigners. Jollibee stores abroad still have Filipinos as their primary
consumers. This, they need to improve on: How to incorporate the Filipino
palates they are an expert on, with those of the foreigners?
Another element that contributed much to the success of Jollibee is the
fun ambience emanated for the children and the whole family. All restaurants
have been painted with bright colors and designed innovatively. Product
names were modified and branded into childish names for easy retention:
Yum, ChickenJoy, JollySpaghetti, and Jolly Twirl, for examples. In addition,
there was a time when every Jollibee store has a children’s play area, so
children do not only go to Jollibee to eat, but also, to socialize with other
children. Jollibee’s party packages were also a hit among kids.
Jollibee developed its own group of mascots. Starting with the big bee,
which was declared to be more child-friendly than Roger McDonald’s, Jollibee
created the other mascots, representing some of their famous food products
on sale: Yum for the hamburger, Twirlie for the ice cream, Popo for the fries,
and Hetty for the Spaghetti. Branded toys and other commodities in response
to the popularity of the mascots were released. Later on, the famous Jollibee
characters were also used for a television show for children entitled
“Jollytown.” Besides promoting their products, the show typically teaches
good moral conduct to the kids.
The corporation is also known to be one of the first businesses in the
Philippines to realize the vast power of mass media advertising, which was
again, in response to the highly successful television advertisements of
McDonald’s and other brand names abroad. Since then, it has produced a
number of television commercials. At most occasions, they dwelled on the
theme of children and their relationship with the Filipino family.
Jollibee is also a multi-awarded employer. All employees receive
extensive training so that corporate values of humility, respect for authority,
and integrity would be instilled to them. A family-like atmosphere at work is
what they aim for, to maintain a happy disposition for everyone. The
corporation realizes that a friendly set of staff would complement the
corporation’s goal for a restaurant that could foster a cheerful atmosphere,
for children and their parents, alike.
Social advocacies have also been a powerful marketing strategy of
Jollibee since 1995, when it started the nationwide toy drive “Ma-AGA ang
Pasko sa Jollibee” (Christmas is early at Jollibee). Throughout the years, the
program has been widely recognized and supported by DSWD and other
organizations. In 1997, another advocacy program was launced: “Sabi ng
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Jollibee, Kaya Mo, Kid!” This program particularly aims to inspire Filipino
children by showing them examples of positive values and providing a
platform to use their talents and express their creativity through drawing and
painting contests.
By the year 2005, the corporation has finally established the Jollibee
Foundation, which aims to provide community service, especially targeting
the Filipino children. With their partners, they are doing endeavors on several
fields: For education, school feeding and scholarships were given out. For
agriculture, an entrepreneurship program was developed. For housing and
development, they partnered with Gawad-Kalinga in the nourishment of their
villages. There were also a very visible help in calamities. Lastly, they
advocated for tree-planting and nurturing programs.
With these social advocacies, creative manipulation of its philosophies,
and strong management of its financial resources, the Filipino children, as
well as the whole Filipino population has been branded by the bee. A mid-90s
market study found that nearly 100% of respondents in the Philippines knew
about the Jollibee brand. Jollibee, indeed, is the Philippine’s Mickey Mouse.
The Issues Regarding Food Advertising:
The harshest criticisms being thrown to fast food restaurants are about
the seemingly low nutritional values of the food products they serve. In the
United States, McDonald’s has been attacked numerous times because of the
high calorie, trans fat, and salt content of the food products they sell. There
have been books and news articles about the danger of fast food items.
There has also been a movie entitled “Supersized Me” which is a
documentary that demonstrated how McDonald’s ‘evil’ foods can induce
unhealthiness for people of all ages. In the Philippines, however, there have
been no such demonstrations that have occurred against our favorite fast
food restaurant. This is interesting, knowing that Jollibee has patterned most
of its products on McDonald’s. It also serves the deep-fried chicken, French
fries and hash browns, soft drinks, burgers, and ice cream, all of which can
be rich and more than sufficient sources of sugar and calories.
A study done by the Nippon Foundation in Japan on 2005 entitled
“Globalization of Fatness: Cultural, Social, and Economic Perception of
Obesity in Southeast Asia”, included Philippines in its list of respondents,
analyzing and comparing their consumer characteristics when it comes to
fast foods and its corresponding relationship to some health factors.
Amazingly, yet not surprisingly, it was only in the Philippines that there was
a 100% positive answer when they were asked if they have consumed, at
any point of their life, a product from the country’s most popular fast food
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restaurant, which in the Philippine’s case, is Jollibee. Results also stated that
Filipino respondents frequented fast food outlets more than any other
respondents from other countries. Manila was regarded as having the most
number of fast food outlets than any other city in Southeast Asia. The food
products are also generally cheaper as compared to the other countries in
study, which maybe, can explain the high rate and frequency of
consumption. However, compared with Malaysia and Thailand, the
respondents from the Philippines also garnered the highest average Body
Mass Index, thus provided a positive correlation between the rate and
frequency of fast food consumption to the BMI. The commercial value of fast
food businesses in the Philippines is unquestionably high, so the implications
of these to health and other aspects should be thoroughly inspected and
evaluated.
Most especially, the nutritional value of the foods being distributed by
Jollibee must be given further analysis since they are targeting their
marketing efforts towards family and children. It is disheartening that
McDonald’s has the nutritional value sheet of all its products made available
for public, while the same could not be said for Jollibee. The writer personally
sent an electronic message to Jollibee requesting for the nutritional value
sheet, but unfortunately, no response was received.
In a study done in the US, children were said to typically view one food
commercial every five minutes. Studies have shown that food advertisements
significantly affect the children’s preference of food products. Because of food
advertisements, the children choose sweets and junk foods over fruits.
Through the promotional stints, food is also presented as more than just a
mean of satisfying hunger and staying healthy. It is also a way of
socialization and status symbol, relieving from stress, and a reward for self.
However, generalizing food advertising as a direct proponent for the
children’s poor eating habits is still an exaggeration and needs further
studies. Various environmental factors, such as the family habits and physical
activities, or the lack thereof, can also be significant influences for this.
Like in other developing countries, the Philippines also has a double
burden of malnutrition, and they are on the opposite sides of the scale.
During the 2011 National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute, it was estimated that 3.5 million Filipinos are suffering from
malnutrition. 2 out of 10 children, or 20% of all the respondents were
observed to be underweight. 5% was seen to be obese, a value that has
consistently increased during the past years. The largest quantity of obese
children was seen in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces. While some
nutritionists argue that children need calories that are provided more than
sufficiently by fast food restaurants, an intervention for the rising problem of
obesity must also be formulated by authorities. Added to this is the fact that
health and proper nutrition are being taught as early as in the elementary
schools, and Jollibee, with the types of food they serve, does not fit well into
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the ‘ideal food model’ as taught in schools. Foods being served by Jollibee
and the other fast food companies are usually belonging to the upper portion
of the Food Pyramid, being rich in saturated sugar, oil, and meat. This
equates to requirement of smaller servings per day, while the larger ones
should be reserved for fruits and vegetables, which are usually lacking in fast
food meals. As Jollibee is also posing itself as a Foundation committed to
providing proper nutrition for the kids, they should also be able to provide a
healthier menu for the children. Nevertheless, this is far from happening.
Minor modifications might be in place, but modifying the ingredients and
preparation of the much-loved, yet also, deep-fried ChickenJoy, or their other
popular food products, to give way for meals comprised of more fruits and
vegetables would mean a definite loss in their sales. Jollibee and the likes
should be able to present more nutritionally-aesthetic meals to avoid any
future backlash and widespread criticism on their products.
Jollibee’s philosophical motives can be summed up in 5F’s:
Friendliness of the staff and the place itself attracts customers. Flavorful
food is their primary selling product. Its customized flavor and their ability to
provide options for different age demographic are very good marketing
strategies. It caters a fun atmosphere. Its flexibility and innovativeness is
also accountable to its success. Like Disney, it evolves, improves, and tries
venturing into diverse fields in marketing their products. Lastly, also similar
to Disney, it focuses not only to the child but to the whole family. They
promote the importance of the family relationship. However, as they are
selling food products, the importance of ensuring the safety and the ability to
satiate the daily nutritional needs of a child is also very important so that
criticisms and future backlashes would be avoided that could possibly be
detrimental to their business.
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THE MARKETING MIX:
Marketing mix, more popularly known as the 4P’s of marketing, is a
set of interrelated variables by which a company set its strategies towards a
particular target group. These 4P’s are composed of: Product, Price, Place,
and Promotion. In analyzing marketing strategies for children, the marketing
mix should not be ignored. With children as the target group, the following
marketing mix is typically and especially used by the corporations, especially
those which were just discussed:
Products. For marketing products especially designed for children,
commodities should have a degree of ‘kidness’ in them, a quality that
distinguishes or makes it unique from adults’ items. These are items wherein
kids are especially attracted to, or are mostly satisfied in. Usually, this is the
‘fun’ or entertainment factor of the commercial product. It can also be
something that would improve the child’s self-esteem and identity, especially
among a group of kids. These are not only true for commodities but also for
services. Health services do not usually tip high on the ‘kidness’ scale, so
incorporating this unique characteristic is a must, so that they would not only
be inviting to the parents, which are able to comprehend the usefulness of
the services, but also, give satisfaction and identity with the kids.
Price. Children were observed to be price-conscious around the age of
eight or nine. Their favorite price is ‘free,’ and this strategy has been used
widely by marketers to attract children customers. It is so strong that
children, sometimes, buy products just because of its promised freebies.
Another important price strategy is the introduction of products wherein the
cost is usually within the child’s pocket allowances. In the Philippines, one-tofive peso bite-sized snacks are very popular among elementary pupils.
Place. Retailers or stores that handle products also play an important
role in the success of the children’s commodities. Successful ones are those
that are positioned within the eye-level of the child, storekeepers or service
crew who are child-friendly, prices which are clearly visible. Retailing in childprone areas like schools an shopping malls, and the use of vending machines
for children’s sweets and other products have also been prevalent and
likewise, successful.
Promotions. Promotions inform customers and persuade them to buy.
Methods usually for promoting child commodities come in all sorts of classes:
(1) Promotions using mass media and print ads, (2) Sales promotions
through contests and free samples, (3) Event developments, usually through
athletic competitions and other school activities, and (4) Publicity, may be
through magazines and resource speakers signifying the products’ credibility.
Publicity was said to be the most effective, among children and parents,
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alike, while the use of mass media i.e. television commercial was stated to
be the least credible promotional scheme, though it has the capability to
reach the largest audience.
Three other marketing strategies are seen to be very effective and
have been utilized extensively. The first is the brand-based strategy. Brand,
they say, is the vehicle of modern marketing. Companies cultivate the brand
names, market and promote it, sometimes, much more than the product
itself. They try to win customers through giving their products a value and an
identity unique from its competitors. When the target customers have
identified with the product and have perceived its value as marketed by
companies, they would continue buying the product, thus, ensuring what
they call the brand loyalty. A brand name is now a very important deciding
factor for a consumer’s buying preference. In targeting to children,
companies try to cultivate and ensure brand loyalty among children and their
corresponding families as early as possible.
The partnership strategy has also been a very effective technique. This
is done by having two corporations come together to use each other’s brands
or products. Through this, they are able to promote each other, giving
themselves a greater market of consumers.
Social marketing is also a highly effective strategy in marketing. The
two aforementioned corporations have extensively utilized social marketing
as a valuable marketing strategy. Social marketing is defined as the
marketing of social behaviors to a certain target group. Like commercial
marketing, it also requires careful product planning, pricing, communication,
advertisements, and most importantly, research and development. It aims to
promote ideas, rather than products, and to influence the acceptability of the
target group to these ideas. Similar to Jollibee and Disney, social marketing
can be used for profit. These corporations commit to certain social causes for
them to ‘look good by doing good.
THE EFFECTS OF MEDIA USE FOR CHILDREN’S MARKETING
With all the discussions, it is safe to assume that there is really a lot
more to the effects of marketing to children than what it really aims to do,
which is to promote and sell products. Although the media has been proven
to be a very successful mean to promote items for it is able to target the
largest audience, the risks are also aplenty for this particular field. Again, the
media is the consumer haven, not only for the children’s commodities but
also for adults’ consumer items. The marketer’s relentless use of mass
media, especially the television, has been widely criticized to have the
greatest effect on a child’s development and behavior. Too much
consumerism ingrained in the child, especially through uncontrolled and
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unguided media use, has been seen to have numerous negative effects not
only for the child, but also for the whole family.
First, early exposure of the child to consumerism, especially with the
television, if not thoroughly guided, may implant on him a materialistic
attitude. This might give the child the perception that owning the best and
most expensive products available on the market is the way of gaining the
most self-worth.
It has also been shown that advertising can cause various conflicts on
the child’s relations to the family. Since not everything a child wants can be
bought by its parents, or not all products can be provided equally to all of the
children in the family, a strain on the relationship of the children to their
parents or siblings can be expected in a materialistic child. A study in
Netherlands has reported that there is a significant relationship with the
child’s purchase requests to family conflicts, whether with the parents or
sibling rivalry. It could also cause disappointments for the child, and later on,
life dissatisfaction.
The relationship of the child’s exposure to food advertisements to the
development of unhealthy eating habits has already been mentioned earlier.
It must be minded that unhealthy eating habits acquired from childhood has
the greatest probability to persist throughout life, and therefore, have the
most serious implications on a child’s health and well-being. Therefore, the
influence and implication of food advertising must not be underestimated.
While children are able to watch television shows and advertisements
generally targeted to them, advertisements of products that are inherently
detrimental for the children are also aired, like those of cigarettes, alcohol,
and others. Children, through the television, can also be targeted by these
products, though unintentionally. Studies have shown that the airing of the
cigarette advertisements have generally contributed to the rise in the rate of
early cigarette consumption among the younger population. The
advertisements portray it to be an indication of ‘coolness’ or masculinity.
Older children, especially those with self-esteem and self-identity crises,
succumb easily to these advertisements.
Also in the television are aired various shows which portray violence,
sex-related messages, and other immoral principles, all of which are
definitely unsuitable for children. Without adequate supervision from the
parents, children would have direct and unlimited access to all of these
liberal values. Some children’s cartoons nowadays have been depicting
violence and illicit behaviors, as well. Disturbingly, they are also being shown
during the children’s hours on local and international television networks,
which is the early morning and later afternoon hours. Regulation policies
regarding these are seen to be insufficient, with just suggestions of parental
guidance posted before the shows start. Thus, the media is not just an
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excellent conveyor of information, but is also very powerful influence.
Guiding the children on which television networks or shows they should
watch, and carefully explaining the good from bad should be the very first
consideration. Such is also similar for commercial advertisements.
A very significant factor in counteracting the effects of media
consumption of the children is still the immediate family or guardians of the
children. Their guidance, discipline, and their ability to set a good model for
the children are highly important in delimiting the messages they absorb.
Having close and constant communication with the children, and their
presence to answer all their concerns is vital to the development of the
children into well-rounded individuals and responsible consumers. The media
should not be the child’s primary source of information and influence, but
still, the parents.
The role of the government in protecting the welfare of the audience or
consumer through adequate screening of advertisements is also significant.
It was with this need that during the presidency of the late Ferdinand E.
Marco, the first Mass Media Council was formed. On January, 1973, the
manual for the Code of Ethics in was formalized. Preceding this is the
establishment of the Philippine Board of Advertising, more commonly termed
nowadays as the Adboard or the Advertising Board of the Philippines. This
aims to screen all advertising that falls under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). With this, corresponding violations
and penalties would be recommended by the Adboard to the DTI. One of
their stated missions is to ‘safeguard the interest of the consumers through
truthful and responsible advertising.’
For the Code of Ethics in Advertising in the Philippines, the issue of
children with regards to the effects of advertising was most probably raised
during its formulation. As a result, articles for solely for the standards for
protection of the child can be found on the manual. Several policies were
drafted, including:
1. All advertisements with regards to drugs, medicines, or any devices or
services related to medical treatment should NEVER be directed
towards children, nor encouraged to be taken without the supervision
of an adult.
2. It should not promote any improper behavior.
3. Alcohol and cigarette brands should never be used in promoting
children’s consumer items.
4. Children should never be exploited in all types of advertisements.
5. No child should be used in advertisements of games of gambling, and
the like.
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The support of the state is also very important in influencing children.
The formulation of policies such as these, and their extensive and strict
implementation, would benefit the children and the whole community.
SOCIAL MARKETING
What is social marketing? In 1971, Kotler and Zaltman coined the term
to describe the ‘use of marketing principles and techniques to advance a
social cause, idea or behavior.’ Basically, it markets behavior. It also
primarily aims to influence a target audience to do either or all of these
things: accept a new behavior, reject a potential one, modify a current
behavior, or abandon an old one. Social marketing leads to a voluntary
change and may be intended to affect individuals, a group, or the society as
a whole.
The principles surrounding the use of social marketing is generally
similar with commercial marketing, and this would be further explained in the
preceding pages. However, social and commercial marketing are also very
different because of the varying elements composing them:
The primary difference would be the types of product sold: commercial
marketing involves the marketing of goods and services, while in social
marketing, the non-tangible products are sold, which are ideas, attitudes,
and behavior. In consequence to this, social marketing strategies are
generally long-term projects, for it is far more difficult to make an effect with
concern to attitudes than influence people to buy goods and services. Thus,
commercial marketing are generally short-term; the success of a marketing
strategy can be evaluated in just a matter of weeks, depending on the
project or the product being sold. The effect of a social marketing effort is
evaluated, on the minimum, every after a few months, and may stretch to
years or decades.
Commercial marketing exists primarily for financial gains. Social
marketing is done specifically for individual and societal gains. The
messages, therefore, of commercial marketing are more superficial. Social
marketing strategies require a higher degree of involvement among the
program managers and stakeholders. Another point is that, since commercial
marketing generates funds, it also has more money to spend for its
strategies; social marketing has limited funds.
Also, the cost of buying social products or behavioral change goes
beyond the financial concerns. They usually entail more of physical efforts,
social and lifestyle sacrifices, and time expenditures. Commercial marketing
frequently entails just money for its customers. It may cost all of the
abovementioned costs for commercial marketing, as well, but to a lesser
degree. In addition, the competitors are not similar for commercial and social
marketing. In the latter, marketers compete with the current or preferred
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behavior; commercial marketers compete with different products which
provide the same goods and services.
Since the 1970s, the principles of social marketing have been used to
affect behavioral changes with regards to public health, injury prevention,
environmental protection, and various projects that require community
involvement. The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention used social marketing for public health programs
since the 1980s, and from that time onwards, has managed to launch several
successful projects.
Similar to commercial marketing, children can also contribute to
having the largest potential market of consumers. The reasons for targeting
children for social marketing strategies can also be quite similar to those of
commercial marketing. As a primary market, children can be targeted for
behavioral changes for various explanations: They are seen to have the
greatest time to spend for leisure and other activities. Thus, social
organizations try to recruit them into joining their causes, in forms of
summer camps, workshops of all types, sports activities, and simple events
like tree-planting and peer counseling activities. Schooled children are the
easiest to organize and also, the most likely to oblige in social activities. As it
was pointed out earlier, children have a significant amount of money to
spend. It is aimed by social organizations that this money is utilized on more
socially desirable products and services. Promotion of healthy consumer
habits, while demarketing unhealthy commercial products like cigarettes,
alcohols, and junk foods have been some of the goals of a social marketing
project. Lastly, children have the highest degree of curiosity, and they are
able to absorb the greatest possible amount of information. Behavior change
is also the easiest within their age group. Social marketing strategies aim
that the children absorb the information that would be healthy and socially
relevant to them. As an influence market, children may also be utilized as
reformers of social behaviors, in a process called as ‘reverse consumer
socialization’. Children may be used as a primary target for social messages,
upon which it is aimed that these messages be diffused to their family
members, and thus, to other adults. The children’s value for marketing social
messages is the greatest when they are viewed as a future market. Some
messages may not be immediately needed by a child, like values for premarital sex or the use of drugs and cigarettes, but instilling these ideas at
the earliest time would make the strongest foundation for a child’s adequate
and proper behaviors. Successfully marketing health ideas for a child would
not only greatly impact its development into a healthy adult, but would be
ingrained deep enough that he could also be an advocate of the idea to his
family and friends throughout his lifetime.
The success of a social marketing strategy can be based on the
preceding principles, which are similar to commercial marketing strategies.
First, it is imperative that the needs of the consumer be adequately
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assessed, and it must be ensured that they meet the needs of the
consumers, while the consumers realize and fulfill the goals of the
organization. Especially for social marketing strategies, the behavior or idea
should be marketable for the target audience by knowing the wants and
needs of the consumers. Second, the best marketing strategies are those
that put emphasis on the voluntary exchanges of goods and services
between the providers and consumers. Social marketing sometimes require
demarketing of some commercial products, as was already mentioned, but
marketing strategies should not use that as the focal point of their messages.
Instead, the satisfying qualities of the behavior or social idea being sold must
be sought. This is to be used to persuade the consumer to voluntarily accept
and peruse the social product, not out of fear of the danger in not using it,
but because, they are genuinely impressed with its benefits. Third, like in
commercial marketing, research is very important for social marketing.
Through research, the most adequate message and design would be
purposely formulated for the subgroup of choice, and also, the most efficient
distribution and communication channel. Lastly, there are also similarities in
the marketing mix used for children in both social and commercial
marketing:
For advertisements directly for kids, it should be made fun and
entertaining. They must ensure that the kids would identify with it, and
should definitely be able to contain the ‘kiddie’ factor also possessed by
successful commercial products targeting children. They should adopt the
ideas they want to market in a way that the kids would easily comprehend. It
should be leveled into the child’s culture and life issues.
The teaching of moral values in some Disney movies and signifying the
importance of family togetherness in Jollibee’s advertisements are effectively
done through this first principle of inserting fun into the picture. While doing
this, they also manage to promote their products. The ‘kiddiness’ principle
contributed, as well, to the great deal of success enjoyed by children’s shows
such as Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues, and local television shows like
Batibot and Sineskwela. Education is partnered with entertainment, so while
they retain their audience because of their antics, they also manage to teach
them. The challenge in this is the balance. While the entertainment value is
vital for the children’s physical and mental presence, this should not be
overdone to prevent obscuring the real message.
Second, they must be able to make the children comprehend the price
or inherent value of the behavioral change that they are selling. The cost for
changing old attitudes or creating new ones must come forth as being
insubstantial compared to the benefits of adapting the social behavior being
sold. For commercial products like Jollibee, they won the competition
amongst other fast food chains through customizing its flavor and making its
prices more affordable. Thus, it gives its products an edge by giving more
value for their costs. Social marketing products can be sold by showing them
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how convenient, safe, or healthy it would be to accept the new behavior,
amidst all the inherent sacrifices or cost of accepting it.
Thirdly, the social idea being marketed should be ubiquitous and
relatable everywhere a child goes. While Disney products and Jollibee stores
are everywhere, social or health messages, too, must be seen or reinforced
in multiple aspects of their lives. Another thing to consider with this is the
child’s environment. The compliance or opinion of the immediate family
toward the social messages targeted to the child can make or break the
chances of successfully teaching a new behavior to a child. This again, points
to the inherent importance of the family in affecting the child’s behavior.
Lastly, there should be adequate promotion for the social product. It
should be marketed in all the elements also being utilized for commercial
marketing. Modes of mass media technology must be explored and utilized.
The Internet also provides a vast avenue for promoting behavioral change.
Free social networking sites can also be used. Creativity and resourcefulness
is necessitated of social marketers because of their limited manpower and
funding as compared to the commercial marketers. In spite of this, similar
rules in marketing commercial product still apply for social marketing: that
messages be simplified as much as possible and abstract messages be
avoided, that messages be repeated multiple times, and that messages must
contain as much imageries as possible.
Other strategies or elements must be taken into consideration when
marketing social products. Like in commercial marketing, a brand-based
strategy is also necessary. The targeted individuals should be able to
associate an improvement in their life status or well-being to the marketed
social message. Partnership or co-branding with other tried and tested
brands, which may also be commercial in nature like Disney, Jollibee,
Sesame Street, or the likes, can also be done.
In social marketing, the element of competition is the hardest to
acquire and conquer. First, they are competing for the children’s attention
against commercial marketers. This is very difficult to do, realizing how
saturated the media already is with advertisements for commercial products.
They should be able to present something new to the target audience, or like
Disney, cooperate with some of its competitors. In doing this, however, the
social marketers should ensure that they would be partnering with companies
who have goals consistent to theirs, for any inconsistencies would cause
confusion for the target audience. Second, they are directly competing
against, or demarketing a particular brand, which was already mentioned
earlier. Lastly, they are competing against past behavior or lifestyle. Through
efficient research and development strategies, and ingenuous creativity and
commitment, it is highly anticipated that the social marketers win all these
competitions.
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The principles of marketing strategies of Jollibee and Disney which
were previously presented and their subsequent application to marketing
social causes or behavioral changes have been ubiquitously discussed in this
section. To summarize, such are the most important lessons drawn from the
strategies put forth towards children of the aforementioned companies:
The evolution of strategies, or, keeping the knowledge pool
continuously flowing and open to new ideas, must be done also for social
marketing causes. Strategies should be open to innovations especially in
response to technology. The stakeholders must always be up to date with
what the consumers demand and what the competitors bring to their plates.
Branding is not only for commercial products: social marketing causes
should also adopt this principle by making a powerful name or motto that
would be highly suggestive or symbolic of its vision and cause. It should be
able to represent. The ubiquity of products sold is also very important. For
social marketing, in addition to infiltrating mass media technology, the
importance of other institutions in promoting social causes should not be
taken for granted. Examples of these are the family, schools, and churches.
The utilization of these units of the community is crucial to the success of
strategies. In addition, partnership with tried and tested brands can help in
reaching out to a larger market of consumers.
Jollibee’s 5F’s can also be applied to social marketing in the same
manner. Its application can be specifically linked to social marketing
strategies for children. The child friendliness of the promotional materials
and the advocates themselves, and the inherent fun factor of the social
marketing strategy are very important in attracting potential customers. This
is the particular selling point of marketing strategies targeted to children.
However, whatever strategy used must maintain its flavor. Incorporating the
element of fun must not conceal the real message and cause of the message
or marketing strategy. The importance of flexibility or innovativeness was
already mentioned. Lastly, in almost all marketing strategies for children,
most especially the ones involving social causes, the family should be given
utmost consideration. The message should not only cater to the child but
also, to the whole family, since a child’s primary and most important
influence, and also the screener and protector, is still its immediate family.
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SOCIAL MARKETING OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Health is man’s most important commodity, so application of concepts
learned in commercial and social marketing should be duly applied to market
health concepts. Usually, there are three goals when marketing public health
ideas: (1) To promote lifestyle change, (2) To affect changes to the social
and economic conditions of the society, and lastly, (3) To affect changes to
health policies. Public health focuses on prevention as the most important
intervention strategy. It is also linked with government and public policy,
with the philosophy of social justice, or issues of equity or equality among
the different societal groups, as its central pillar.
The marketing of positive health behavioral changes is usually made
difficult, not only among the third-world countries but also in the most
modernized countries, by the insufficient capacity of the public health
practitioners brought about by some factors. First, the emphasis of their role
in advocacy is inadequate. Public health practitioners also lack the skills or
the expertise in social advocacies. Lastly, there is an inherently insufficient
number of training programs for the public health practitioners in relation to
health education and advocacy programs. Thus, the importance of social
marketing public health principles and ideas must be related and ingrained
most especially to the different levels of health units. Despite the
aforementioned limitations, some Public Health programs especially designed
and marketed to children have been widely successful in their own ways:
In the year 1992, then-Health Secretary Juan Flavier launched the
“Yosi Kadiri” (youth slang for ‘disgusting cigarettes) campaign. It negated the
selling strategy of cigarette companies which is giving a ‘hip and cool’ image
to the smokers. Vast media involvement, coupled with nationwide community
programs, made the campaign a nationwide sensation, and definitely, a great
success for a few years especially among the children and young adults.
However, the program gradually lost its appearance over the years because
of lack of funds to continue the mass campaign. However, the advocacy went
on through other means and forms: There were the Youth Congress and
nationwide advocacy celebrations such as the Celebration of Lung Month and
the No Smoking Day. The most significant effect of this campaign, however,
is the gain of support of various legislators that proposed several tobacco
control policies in the Congress. By 2001, the STOP (Stop Tobacco and Other
Products) for Health bill, which contained a blueprint for tobacco control
strategies, was submitted. By 2003, Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco
Control Act was passed and implemented. Recently, the Sin Tax Bill for
tobacco products was passed. Truly, the significance of social marketing
strategies in attracting attention from the policy-makers cannot be
undermined.
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The VERB campaign of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
can also be cited as an example of a social marketing campaign on the field
of public health that has experienced great success. With the public health
problems caused by the sedentary lifestyle suffered by a large percentage of
American children, the CDC launched this campaign. It aims for an increase
in physical activity among the tweens, or children between the ages of nine
and thirteen. As usual, the parents and schoolteachers are the secondary
audiences for the kids, as they are also important influences for the children.
They marketed physical activity as cool and fun especially if done with friends
and family. Their messages were much more on “Kids do exercise!”, rather
than the don’ts (in example, it is bad to watch television or play video games
all day) or other modes of perceptibly demarketing other values. Diverse
methods were used: First and most importantly is the advertising done using
mass media. Schools were also penetrated with their efforts, through
introduction of sports and other recreational activities. Community-based
strategies were also implemented, through advertisements on the streets
and establishment of recreational centers in the communities. They also
teamed up with companies, such as Disney. Through evaluation of the efforts
in a study, the awareness and the physical activity of the kids have
significantly increased. However, the insufficient funds and support also
caused the program to stop its activities.
The Choose Health Project in Italy provides another good example of a
social marketing strategy. This project aims to prevent obesity and promote
Healthy Lifestyle through the massive availability of vending machines which
offer more nutritional choices for the consumers. Instead of candies, junk
foods, and soda, the vending machines offer fruit snacks, sandwiches, water,
yogurts, and other low-calorie beverages. As part of their strategy, the
healthy products from vending machines were priced less than those sold in
snack bars. The machines also contain educational and promotional posters
on them to reinforce the health message. These were made available
primarily in schools, and later on, in hospitals, offices, and other major public
places. This was done through the partnership of the Local Health Unit and
the Buonristoro Vending Group. The project was deemed successful, as it
caused a significant change in the preference and attitude of students and
workers, alike, towards healthier options.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Because of inherent characteristics of children, they are an excellent
target for various marketing programs, whether on the field of commercial
marketing or with social marketing, especially with public health advocacies.
Research and development has paved the way for formulating vastly
successful marketing strategies of commercial companies. Through the indepth analysis and application of these marketing strategies, public health
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advocacy campaigns could be carried out more efficiently. Some marketing
strategies, like the marketing mix, brand-based, and partnership methods,
could be similarly used by the social marketers. However, since social
marketing sells behavior, there are also differences, so modification of these
strategies based on the differences should be analyzed and done accordingly.
The development of training programs for health professionals especially
those on the public sector, on advocacy and health promotion is now needed
and should be prioritized. A number of social marketing projects primarily
targeted to children and public health have been launched. Their effects have
been enjoyed by its consumers around the world.
The people and the government must also be wary of the marketing
strategies done and their effects on the children beyond the consumer
context. The parents’ contribution to the effects of these is paramount: their
presence and active participation to the child’s daily activities and
development is an absolute necessity. The government should have a
systematic procedure for the screening of advertisements, especially those
shown in the television. The marketers should practice responsible
marketing, as it is also for their own good. Consumer backlash could result to
the fall of their product sales.
The children as a market have the largest potential – for the market of
commercial products and social advocacies. They are also the most
vulnerable. Taking care that they develop to be responsible and sociallyrelevant consumers should be the primary goal. This should not just be a
responsibility of just the marketers – this is a concerted effort of all the
stakeholders and members of the community.
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Annex 1
Kids a Big Chunk of Consumer market – De La Salle Study
Children all over the world have been observed to have become powerful,
money-wielding consumers. This development somehow ushered in a
phenomenon referred by to Gerald Schoenfeld, a marketing psychologist, as
“kidfluence.” And Filipino children today, representing a substantial segment
of the consumer market, have been found to buy products based on their
sensory judgments on their experiences with people and other social
institutions, and not necessarily on their thinking processes.
These are the highlights of the findings of the study entitled “A Psychographic
Study on Filipino Children’s Behavior as Consumers and as an Emerging
Primary Market” conducted by Renato Lee former Assistant Professor of the
Marketing Management Department of DLSU. The study was done to
determine the factors that influence the buying habits of Filipino children in
selected sites in Metro Manila.
Lee employed a combination of research techniques: Observation (i.e.,
during board games, of shopping center behavior, of taste tests), focus group
discussion, picture drawing technique and survey among parents and
children to specifically determine the latter’s concept of the marketplace, the
factors affecting their choice of products, their buying patterns, the
socialization agents that influence their buying behavior, their responses to
new products and services, their media habits and reactions to advertising
promotion and packaging, and their influence on their parents’ purchases.
The proponent likewise attempted to establish the different personalities of
these children including their economic behavior.
His study indicates that parents are surrogate for children in marketing
research. This means that parents are the best source of information
regarding their children’s economic behavior, influence on parental decision
to purchase a product, and media habits (i.e. when and to what extent
children watch television, listen to the radio, and read magazines and
billboards). Parents likewise provide valuable and more reliable information
for estimating product usage.
Another interesting finding is that a larger portion of the children’s personal
money are spent on toys, and sweet stuff which include candies, gum, frozen
desserts, fresh pastries, cookies, fresh fruit, nad carbonated juice and
flavored drinks. This particular finding, according to Lee, appears to suggest
a value change – that children are more conscious now about fitness since
they now spend on fruits.
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The researcher also noted a difference between where the children actually
spend their money, and where they want it spent. In general, “children like
and prefer stores that (a) are children friendly; (b) their parents prefer; and
(c) stock their desired products in large quantities.” Thus, says Lee, a store
that greets children provides gifts (eg balloons, cookies) for them, and has
shopping facilitators (eg scaled down shopping carts, eye-level displays) are
most likely to attract children and make “good impressions on them… that
may last a lifetime.” Children also tend to like what their parents like – partly
to please their parents, and partly because it appears to provide them with a
sound criterion.
Also evident from the findings is that Filipino children “love conspicuous
products that meet their need to be identified (with certain others) and
dissociated (from certain others). This need appears to be satisfied by
clothing items, including shoes. Thus, noted Lee, parents who in the past
made most of the purchases for their kids in this category are now too busy
working and are increasingly relinquishing the responsibility to their children.
Children were also found to recall advertising messages better than adults.
This may be due to the observation that children watch television more and
pay more attention to ads (especially the catchy one) than adults. TV
commercials that are humorous, fast-paced, musical, or endorsed by a
celebrity or a cartoon character are the ones that children find attractive.
However , as to their willingness to buy products endorsed by these
commercials, it was found that they will buy only those items which they can
afford. Thus, products requiring lower cash outlay such as junk foods,
chocolates, and the candies appear to be the most popular among the kids.
Family members, peers, other adults (eg teachers, yaya/maid, relatives),
broadcast and print media nad movies were perceived by children to be the
factors that influence their buying habits. Listing down the children’s choice
of products is in the order of priority Lee came up with food, toys, clothes,
and school supplies.
In the light of his findings, Lee offers several recommendations. A major
recommendation is that extensive marketing research be done by companies
to determine children’s responses to new products and services considering a
more realistic environment (eg where the role of parents, the store setting,
and competitive products are present), their responses to marketing
communications, the brands or companies that are retained in their
memories, and the extent to which children influence their parents’
purchases. Such an extensive research is expected to likewise help measure
the children’s economic behavior.
Manila Standard: Saturday, 20 Jan 1996. Page 8.
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Annex 2
Children Influence Buying Pattern, Poll Says.
By: Riza T. Olchondra
Filipino children have taken control—of their digital lives, at least—and can
influence the purchasing patterns of their guardians, according to the New
Generations 2012 survey of Cartoon Network.
“We found that Filipino children are clear about what they want and don’t
want,” says Duncan Morris, vice president for research and market
development for Turner International Asia Pacific Ltd. The Turner group’s
portfolio includes Cartoon Network. Morris says Filipino children have firm
preferences on what gadgets they like to use, what TV shows they like to
watch, and what activities they want to do. In terms of access to gadgets,
the Internet and related technology, Filipino children are ahead of their peers
in more developed countries in Asia-Pacific, according to the survey. In short,
they love using gadgets, whether they are borrowed, hand-me-down or their
own. No wonder parents are considering buying computers, mobile phones
and tablet computers in the next 12 months, as shown in the survey results.
Guardians may also find it assuring that the survey shows Filipino children
crave physical activities (going to theme parks, sports and dancing, among
others) about as much as virtual ones—at least according to the survey,
Morris says.
“The findings show young Pinoys not only have the know-how in the digital
space, but increasingly have the tools to consume and experience media
across multiple platforms—from TV to PC, from their tablet to phone,” Morris
says.
The survey shows that two-thirds of children (aged 7 to 14) in the Philippines
own a mobile phone, which is more than their counterparts in Australia and
Taiwan. There also has been a 71-percent leap in Philippine ownership levels
since 2009, says a recent study by Cartoon Network on children’s lifestyles.
According to the study, current ownership levels are at 65 percent. This
positions the next generation of Filipinos as one of the most connected in the
whole of Asia-Pacific.
More than half of the children surveyed from urban centers across the
Philippines now live in Internet-enabled homes, which is a 66-percent jump
since the last time the study was conducted three years ago. Those that do
not have Internet at home gain access outside, say, in Internet cafes.
Filipino children are also adept at switching between screens and devices.
Over a third (38 percent) watch TV on a flat-panel screen; 54 percent have
access to a digital camera; and 20 percent have a smartphone within reach.
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The latest gadget to break into the market since the last study is the tablet
and, already, 16 percent of homes have one.
The Internet is an increasingly large virtual playground for Filipino kids, with
82 percent of those living in homes with a computer going online every
week.
Gaming continues to be the top Internet pastime with 58 percent of Internet
users playing games daily. Catching up quickly in popularity are social
networking sites, with 52 percent of kids surveyed logging on every day.
Even as mobile and device ownership surges, television continues to claim
top spot as the favorite medium among young Filipinos.
In an average week, 99 percent of kids claimed to have watched TV, 76
percent accessed the Internet, 40 percent listened to the radio, 13 percent
read newspapers, and 9 percent read magazines.
The New Generations 2012 study was based on face-to-face, in-home
interviews with 1,000 randomly selected children from Metro Manila, Metro
Cebu and Metro Davao, across socio-economic classes A, B, C and D. Metro
Manila respondents made up 80 percent of the sample, Metro Cebu, 10
percent, and Metro Davao, 10 percent.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 May 2012
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Annex 3: Stages of Consumer Behavior Development
STAGE
SUMMARY
MEDIAN
AGE
SIGNIFICANT
OUTCOMES
Observing
First visit to a
commercial
source of
satisfying goods
and services
2 mos.
Requesting
Asking for a
product when in
its presence by
gesturing,
pointing, words.
2 yrs
First
impressions of
marketplace
through colors,
shapes,
sounds, smells,
textures
First receipt of
satisfying
products from
a commercial
source.
Selecting
Independently
retrieving
products from
shelves,
fixtures,
3.5 yrs
First receipt of
satisfying
objects from a
commercial
source through
own physical
efforts.
Copurchasing
First purchase of
a desired
product with
parental
assistance
5.5 yrs
First
experience with
the exchange
process in
which money is
given for
products.
Solo
purchasing
Performing
entire purchase
act
independently
8 yrs
Completed the
first purchase
of a desired
product without
any assistance.
PRODUCTS
INVOLVED
(%)
None
STORES
INVOLVED (%)
Cereal
(47%)
Sweet
snacks
(30%)
Toys (21%)
Supermarket
(76%)
Mass merchant
(11%)
Toy store
(7%)
Mall (3%)
Supermarket
(56%)
Mass merchant
(23%)
Toy store
(11%)
Mall (7%)
Cereal
(35%)
Toys (28%)
Sweet and
salty snacks
(30%)
Books (6%)
Clothing
(5%)
Toys (54%)
Sweet and
salty snacks
(24%)
Gift items
(8%)
Clothing
(5%)
Cereal (5%)
Sweet and
salty snacks
(53%)
Toys (19%)
Table food
(12%)
Clothing
(7%)
Supermarket
(78%)
Mass merchant
(9%)
Mass merchant
(43%)
Toy store
(20%)
Supermarket
(19%)
Convenience
store (10%)
Mall (6%)
Convenience
store (50%)
Supermarket
(14%)
Mall (12%)
Mass merchant
(11%)
Toy store
(8%)
Source: McNeal, James U. “Children as Consumers of Commercial and Social
Products.” Pan American Health Organization: Oct 1998 p.16
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Annex 4
ARTICLE III
STANDARDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
Section 1. PRESENTATION
A.
Advertisements and promotional activities for proprietary drugs,
medicines, devices, and treatments should not be directed to children.
B.
Advertisements should not encourage children to take drugs and
medicines without the supervision of a responsible adult.
C.
Advertisements should not encourage reckless, improper, or
antisocial behavior and should no show children in activities that would
normally not be allowed by responsible adults for reasons of safety or
propriety.
D.
Advertisements shoud not undermine children’s enjoyment of
present possessions.
Section 2. ADVERTISEMENTS DIRECTED AT CHILDREN
A.
Exploitation of children is prohibited.
B.
Advertisements directed primarily at the children should not exploit
their natural credulity.
C.
Alcoholic brand names, logos, or trademarks must not be used on
children’s clothing, toys, games or other materials intended ofr use
primarily by persons under the legal purchase age.
D.
Advertisements meant for children should not contain indelicate
references to infirmities or scenes depicting physical and mental
cruelty. In general, advertisements for children should not show
irresponsible, violent or reprehensible acts/practices in a manner that
may lead children to interpret or adopt them as normal or acceptable
social behavior.
E.
Advertisements directed at children shall in no way mislead children
as to the product’s performance and usefulness.
F.
Advertisements shall not encourage children to purchase products
or services to support the television, radio, or cable television
program.
Section 3. USE OF CHILDREN IN ADVERTISEMENTS
A.
The use of children in advertisements must conform to the
requirements of the Department of Labor and Employment.
B.
Children shall not be presented as being in contact with, or
demonstrating product, recognized as potentially dangerous to them.
Advertising materials depicting or describing acts that would likely
tend to harm children is prohibited.
C.
No child shall be used, directly or indirectly, in advertisements of
gambling, gaming institutions or games of chance.
Source: Advertising Board of the Philippines. AdBoard Advertising Code of
Ethics & Manual. n.p. Mar 2000
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Annex 5: Major Recent Social Marketing Campaigns
Campaign
Topic Area
1% Or Less
1%
Milk
Consumption
5-4-3-2-1 Go!
5-A Day for
Better Health
Florida TRUTH
Jalan Sesama
KNOW
AIDS
HIV
/
loveLife
Massachusetts
anti-tobacco
campaign
Parents Speak
Up
Salama
stand
The TV Boss
Trust
truth
VERB:
It’s
What You Do
Research
Design
Observational
Location
Nutrition
and
physical activity
promotion
Fruit
and
vegetable
consumption
Tobacco
countermarketing
Experimental
Chicago
Observational
United States
of America
Quasiexperimental
Florida
Educational
entertainment
HIV
/
AIDS
awareness
and
prevention
HIV
/
AIDS
awareness
and
prevention
Tobacco
countermarketing
None
Indonesia
Observational
United States
of America
Young adults
Observational
South Africa
Quasiexperimental
Massachusetts
Reproductive
Health
HIV/AIDS
awareness
and
prevention
Tobacco
countermarketing
Experimental
United States
of America
Tanzania
Quasiexperimental
Ohio
Children’s media
use
HIV
/
AIDS
awareness
and
prevention
Tobacco
countermarketing
Observational
Observational
United States
of America
Kenya
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Adolescents
(prevention)
and
adults
(cessations)
Parents
and
families
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Parents
Quasiexperimental
United States
of America
Physical activity
promotion
Quasiexperimental
United States
of America
Observational
California
Target
Audience
Adults,
Parents, and
Families
Parents
and
families
Adults,
parents, and
families
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Youth
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Adolescents
and
young
adults
Preadolescent
children
Source: Evans, W. Douglas. “Social Marketing Campaigns and Children’s
Media Use.” Future Child. 2008.
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41
ANNEX 6:
DOH-Yosi Kadiri
Grand Gawad for Outstanding Public information Program
1994 Gawad Oscar M. Florendo
Public Relations Organization of the Philippines
Rationale
The prevalence of smoking and its detrimental effect on the health of
smokers and non-smokers have alarmed government authorities. It is in this
context that Yosi Kadiri Information and Education Anti-Smoking Campaign
has been conceptualized and implemented.
The Program
Yosi Kadiri Campaign aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking among the
youth in the 7 to 19 age bracket from 22.7% in 1987 to at least 12% by the
end of 1997.
Its audience includes non-smoking male and female children and teenagers
with emphasis on the 12 to 16 age group. Generally the campaign appeals to
everyone across the strata of society from the rich enclave of Ayala Alabang
to the depressed area of Smokey Mountain down to Butuan and Basilan City.
The Strategy
A mascot called Yosi Kadiri is the Campaign’s spokesman together with a
media network composed of outdoor signs, commercial center signages,
television, call/home radio, newspapers, magazines, school organs, comic
books, and premium items.
The campaign hopes to change the predisposition and predecision to go into
the habit of smoking at a certain age at a certain time.
Valuable advantages conveyed by the strategy revolve on the following:
1. The young generation of clean, happy and active young people, the
new culture, and the new breed of trendsetters are non-smokers.
2. Not smoking is the fashion. Being a non-smoker is being “in”
3. Being a non-smoker is not being ostracized by society or being
rejected by peers.
Results
The campaign has created a consciousness on non-smoking. Schools, certain
public areas and even office buildings have been declared No Smoking areas
by their respective authorities.
Source: Public Relations Organization of the The Philippines: Best Practices.
http://ww2.aijc.com.ph/PCCF/knowldege/best/bestpractices-archive-prop.htm
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Marketing to Children
42
Annex 7:
'Yosi Kadiri' smoked out, QuitsS in
MANILA, Philippines. Yosi Kadiri has puffed his last.
Meet QuitsS, the dancing and bouncing mascot that debuted this week as the
clean-cut symbol of the new Quit Smoking Support (QuitsS) program, a
workplace-based project batting for a holistic approach to kicking the habit
among employees.
Blue-eyed QuitsS jump-started on Tuesday evening, the three-year
engagement between its creator, the corporate foundation Philippine
Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and nine companies for a customized
anti-smoking program.
QuitsS is the flip side of the tarred monster known as Yosi Kadiri that puffed
its way into public consciousness in the '90s.
While ashen Yosi prompted yucks, QuitsS prided itself as the nicotine-free
mascot next door, smiling inside his giant red Q of a body topped with a
white cap and brandishing a cracked cigarette stick.
QuitsS image is expected to grace companies where the program will be
implemented until December 2010, when they aim to see full-fledged
quitters on their payroll.
All options harnessed
"Smoking programs that we've seen in workplaces are limited to advocacy,
but this time, we would like to harness all options available for employees to
succeed in quitting smoking," said QuitsS program manager Eric Camacho.
"This is not about imposing but rather of choice. If they choose to quit, will
they go cold turkey or need the aid of acupuncture, for instance? Then we
will help companies form a support system based on the needs of their
employees," he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of
INQUIRER.net).
The program will take "participatory, evidence-based approaches that lead to
desired behavioral change among smokers," said PBSP.
A core group that includes a company's human resource officers, in-office
doctors and nurses will undergo training to serve as the program's frontline
implementers, said Camacho.
Participating companies are Philippine Batteries Inc., Philippine Recyclers'
Inc., AMKOR Technologies, NANOX Philippines, Hayakawa Electronics,
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Hayakawa Component Technology, ON Semiconductor, Central Azucarera
Don Pedro Inc. and the University of Santo Tomas.
Contribution to wellness
The program is supported by the Department of Labor and Employment's
Occupational Safety and Health Center.
"Our company believes that our human resources is our most important
resource and we are responsible for their wellness. This innovative program
is another opportunity for us to contribute to the wellness of our employees,"
said Central Azucarera's Rafael Francisco.
Launched on Earth Day, the program, funded in support of the Pfizer
Foundation, is pegged on proven counterproductive effects of smoking in the
workplace and its ill effects on health and the environment.
"If an average smoker smokes 10 to 15 sticks a day and it takes three to five
minutes to finish one stick, imagine how much time a smoker loses. And it
causes a lot of diseases ... once an employee gets sick, he or she goes
absent," said Dr. Alfonso Villaroman of the Philippine College of Addiction
Medicine.
Where freedom ends
Citing cases of lung cancer among nonsmokers because of second-hand
smoke, PCAM's Dr. Jildma Balotro also said: "The freedom to smoke ends
when the right of the nonsmoker begins."
PBSP said that smoking could cause "increased early retirement due to ill
health, higher annual health-care costs for smokers and higher health
insurance costs, higher life insurance premiums, higher [office] maintenance
and cleaning costs, and higher costs of fire damage, explosions and other
accidents related to smoking."
Jingle coming soon
Camacho
said
PBSP,
whose
membership
does
not
include
any tobacco company, would provide technical assistance to the pilot
companies in formulating programs suited to the needs of their employees.
PBSP also launched the QuitsS jingle, a Tagalog danceable tune written by
renowned singer-songwriter Noel Cabangon set to be aired in the coming
weeks.
Source: Quismond, Tarra. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 25 April 2008.
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Annex 8:
Without Funds, VERB Program Became Past Tense.
Its message and look were clever, hyper, even edgy -- the perfect appeal to
the tweeners who were its target. Yes, tweeners, the 9- to 13-year-olds
stuck between young children and true teenagers. A group whose rate of
overweight and obesity has almost quadrupled since 1974, not just because
of too many french fries but because of too many couch potatoes.
The Verb campaign, as in "VERB -- It's what you do," was supposed to get
them up and moving.
The national program, created by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, was ordered up by Congress as a social marketing campaign to
increase physical activity. Lawmakers invested heavily, with $125 million in
start-up funds in 2001, because everyone said this had to be different to
succeed. No preachy or facts-heavy delivery; no random, late-night publicservice announcements.
Instead, Verb used paid advertising, highly focused marketing, community
promotions and megastar role models (rapper Bow Wow, pro quarterback
Donovan McNabb and singer-actress Miley Cyrus) to brand its cool, can-do
message. "We very much worked at understanding kids from kids' point of
view," said Faye Wong, who directed the program.
By the second year, evaluations showed that the program was making a
marked difference. Millions of children were aware of the campaign, with
substantial numbers choosing to be much more active. Supporters expected
Verb's impact to grow exponentially.
Except Congress cut the funding and summarily ended the program. A few
passionate proponents simply could not get their colleagues to pay enough
attention. The last ads aired in late 2006.
"It's a piece of history now," said Jeffrey P. Koplan, former CDC director and
now vice president for global health at Emory University. "If you did that with
a vaccine, that would be public health malpractice."
Source: Levine, Susan. Washington Post. 19 May, 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050900526.html
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Annex 9:
Tug of War in Food Marketing to Children
THE Federal Trade Commission issued a report Tuesday detailing the
pervasiveness of food marketing to children, and a coalition of food
companies responded with its own report arguing they had made progress on
the issue by self-policing.
The F.T.C.’s report was conducted as part of a Congressional inquiry into
rising childhood obesity rates. It found that food companies had spent $1.6
billion to market their products to children and teenagers in 2006.
Makers of carbonated beverages spent the most on marketing to children
and teenagers, followed by fast-food restaurants and producers of breakfast
cereals. And the major advertising platform was television.
The food companies’ report, also released Tuesday, detailed the progress
made by a coalition of 14 major food companies, including Coca-Cola and
Kellogg, that was formed in 2006 to fend off government regulation.
Members of the coalition, called the Children’s Food and Beverage
Advertising Initiative and run by the Council of Better Business Bureaus,
pledge either to stop aiming ads at children or to promote only what the
council calls “better-for-you products” in ads directed at children.
The F.T.C. seemed to applaud the progress that the coalition had made. “The
committee’s primary recommendation is all food and beverage companies
adopt and adhere to” nutritional standards for products marketed to children,
said Lydia Parnes, director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, at
a news conference in Washington. She said that joining the coalition would
be “a useful first step” for companies.
But critics of the self-regulatory approach said they were troubled by the lack
of industrywide definitions on what advertising to children entailed and on
what “better” food meant.
“In the Better Business Bureau program, the companies themselves
determine what is better food, the companies themselves determine what is
children’s advertising. The companies determine all these things; there’s not
even a real uniformity in what these decisions are,” said Robert Kesten, the
executive director of the Center for Screen-Time Awareness, a Washingtonbased group that aims to limit media influence.
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The business bureau’s report showed that companies’ pledges had resulted in
slight modifications to the products they sell to children and how they sell
those products.
The Campbell Soup Company, for example, has stopped featuring Chicken
Noodle Soup on its Web sites directed at children. Chicken and Stars, Healthy
Request Chicken Noodle and reduced-sodium Chicken Noodle, all of which
meet Campbell’s nutritional standards for children, can be featured, however.
Cadbury Adams has stopped marketing Bubblicious gum to children, said a
spokeswoman, Luisa Girotto.
Kellogg’s has reformulated several products, including the cold
cereals Apple Jacks, Froot Loops and Corn Pops, so that they meet the
company’s declared nutrition requirements for children, a Kellogg’s
spokeswoman said.
And Burger King started offering a new Kids Meal, featuring macaroni and
cheese, that meets its nutritional criteria. (Its children’s menu continues to
feature a double hamburger, however, with 420 calories and 22 grams of
fat.)
The business bureau’s report covered changes made in the last half of 2007.
The timeline for meeting the pledges varied. Campbell Soup, Coca-Cola,
Hershey, Kraft Foods, Mars and Unilever were to put their programs fully into
effect by the last half of 2007, while Burger King, Cadbury Adams, General
Mills, Kellogg, McDonald’s, and PepsiCo will only start adopting their
programs in that period. ConAgra Foods and Nestlé only recently joined the
coalition.
The F.T.C. report was based on internal data from 2006 that 44 food and
drink companies and fast-food restaurants were ordered to provide.
Among the findings: About $870 million in marketing spending was directed
at children under 12, while $1 billion was directed at teenagers (those figures
include $300 million worth of marketing that was aimed at both groups).
Still, the agency’s estimate of $1.6 billion being spent on marketing to
children and teenagers was far below where other estimates had been,
notably the $10 billion figure that the Institute of Medicine has been using.
(The F.T.C. said it excluded nonfood marketing and advertising that it did not
see as aimed at children, like coupons.)
Because the companies’ efforts did not get under way until 2007, none of the
shifts the report detailed were reflected in the agency’s numbers.
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In the report issued by the business bureau, companies’ commitments vary
widely.
Each company defined for itself what “better for you” meant. Kraft has
decided its crackers have to have fewer than 100 calories and 290 milligrams
of sodium in a serving, while ConAgra said its canned pasta had to have
fewer than 350 calories and 750 milligrams of sodium.
The companies were also able to define for themselves what advertising
directed at children meant. Coca-Cola and Cadbury Adams, for example,
consider a commercial whose audience is composed 50 percent or more of
children under 12 to be marketing to children. Mars’s definition is stricter: a
children’s audience is one that is composed 25 percent or more of children
under 12.
The bureau gave some examples of companies faltering. Campbell and
Unilever, for example, had promised to advertise only better-for-you
products to children. But both had neglected to remove products on Web
sites aimed at children that did not meet their nutrition guidelines. Both
companies have since fixed the problem, the bureau said.
Elaine D. Kolish, the director of the companies’ effort, said the different
standards were reasonable.
“This is self-regulation to begin with and we think that this marketplace,
competition-driven approach actually is really good for consumers and for
children under 12,” she said. “This way, more companies can participate
because they have some flexibility in setting the standards that takes into
account what kind of foods they sell.”
Of course, even if companies do cut down on their marketing to children, it
does not mean that children will stop seeing the advertisements or eating the
products.
Prime-time programming generally does not meet any of the companies’
criteria for child-focused programming, but more than two million children
regularly watch “American Idol,” for example, where Coca-Cola is a major
sponsor. (“ ‘American Idol’ is family entertainment. It is not programming
primarily directed at children under 12,” a Coca-Cola spokeswoman, Diana
Garza Ciarlante, said in an e-mail message.)
And one easy solution for companies is to take products that have been
marketed to children and start marketing them to mothers.
Kellogg’s has been trying to reformulate its Pop-Tarts, for example, but has
not succeeded in creating a better-for-you version. By the end of the year, “if
we can’t do it, we will shift the target for that product to adults, whether it’s
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moms or whomever makes sense,” said a Kellogg’s spokeswoman, Kris
Charles.
That is unlikely to satisfy critics.
“It’s the marketing industry policing itself, and as is shown over and over and
over again, that’s problematic,” said Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for
a Commercial-Free Childhood.
Source: Clifford, Stephanie. The New York Times. 30 July 2008.
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