Fast Food Advertising and Kids

Are our children getting fatter? A brief look at current statistics seems to confirm that they are. For example, in Bristol one in five children can be classified as 'obese', with the number as high as one in four in other parts of the country.

Over the last few years both the government and parents' groups have been looking at what's causing our children's waistlines to expand so fast. Poverty and poor dietary education are one side of the story - but critics have also placed some of the blame at the door of the fast food industry.

Children And Fast Food

Whether it's selling burgers or soft drinks, the fast food industry knows that its main consumers are children and young adults. In the past it has paid good money to reach these groups through advertising. A study in 1998 found that out of 91 hours of children's broadcasting on both cable and terrestrial channels, 60% of the ads screened were for food products scientists believed were of 'questionable nutritional value'.

Toys And Ties Ins

In the past the fast food industry has spent millions on campaigns to woo children into their restaurants. TV ads used cartoon characters and images of happy children to highlight the 'fun' element of eating at the restaurant. Film tie-ins which link current children's movies to food available at the restaurant (especially during school holidays) were often promoted with a free branded toy. In these kind of communications the appeal of the food itself was secondary to generating excitement about the restaurant experience.

This 'feel-good' element was bolstered by restaurants offering parents special 'kids' parties' whereby children were given hats, cards and presents when they took a party of children down to the restaurant for a birthday.

The Law Changes

This kind of advertising techniques came to a partial halt when, in 2007, the government-funded body Ofcom announced they were bringing in new rules concerning fast food advertising. The new guidelines decreed that foods which were high in salt, sugar or fat would be banned from appearing during TV programmes designed to appeal to children between the ages of four and nine.

The announcement caused uproar from both campaigners and advertisers. While critics complained that the ban didn't go far enough, advertisers claimed that their particular products were being discriminated against. Whatever the truth of the matter, the ruling has mean that advertisers have had to come up with more creative ways to reach children.

Food For Thought

If TV seems to be turning its back on fast food advertising, the Internet is welcoming it with open arms. Internet advertising is proving popular with kids - especially where food is concerned. A recent survey of 2,800 primary school pupils revealed that nearly half believed they would eat more of a branded food product that they saw online. This fact is coupled with an advertising loophole which currently makes the content of websites exempt from many advertising rules. Facing concerns about health, the fast food industry is trying to rebrand its products as 'healthy'. Though they might not be able to do that on a TV screen near you, it would seem that on the Internet, things might be very different.