The effect of influencer marketing of food and a “protective” advertising disclosure on children's food intake

• Published in: Pediatric obesity Vol. 14; no. 10; pp. e12540 - n/a
• Main Authors: Coates, Anna Elizabeth, Hardman, Charlotte Alice, Halford, Jason Christian Grovenor, Christiansen, Paul, Boyland, Emma Jane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Advertising; Child; Child Behavior; Children & youth; Childrens health; digital marketing; Disclosure; disclosures; Female; Food; food advertisement; food intake; Food Preferences; Humans; influencer; Influencer marketing; Male; Marketing; Obesity; Pediatrics; Snacks; social media; Social networks; digital marketing; food advertisement; disclosures; influencer; social media; food intake
• ISSN: 2047-6302; 2047-6310
• DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12540

Summary Background Children are active on social media and consequently are exposed to new and subtle forms of food marketing. Objectives To examine whether exposure to a YouTube video featuring influencer marketing of an unhealthy snack affects children's ad libitum snack intake and whether inclusion of an advertising disclosure moderates this effect. Methods In a randomized between‐subjects design, 151 children (aged 9‐11 y; mean, 10.32 y ± 0.6) were exposed to influencer marketing of a non‐food product (n = 51), or an unhealthy snack with (n = 50) or without (n = 50) an advertising disclosure. Participants' ad libitum intake of the marketed snack and an alternative brand of the same snack was measured. Results Children exposed to food marketing with (P < .001, d = 1.40) and without (P < .001, d = 1.07) a disclosure consumed more (kcals) of the marketed snack relative to the alternative; the control did not differ (.186, d = 0.45). Consumption of the alterative brand did not differ across conditions (.287, ηp2 = .02). Children who viewed food marketing with a disclosure (and not those without) consumed 41% more of the marketed snack (.004, ηp2 = .06), compared with control. Conclusions Influencer marketing increases children's immediate intake of the promoted snack relative to an alternative brand. Advertising disclosures may enhance the effect.