With increasing levels of child obesity, the food industry and its advertising techniques are ever more in the centre of public and academic discussion. While such discussion is complicated by the subjectivity of ethical understanding, the existing body of research also lacks evidence for the actual effects of child-directed advertising. In order to advance a solution in the persisting conflict, this paper critically examines public, governmental and corporate responsibilities. A reflection of theoretical and empirical research is therefore complemented by the collection of primary data – drawn from qualitative interviews with children and their parents. As means of implications for practice, the author drafts an organisational concept for the responsible use and creation of children’s food advertising.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The status quo of food advertising to children in Germany
2.1 Advertising to children as reflected by theoretical and empirical research
2.1.1 Ethical considerations
2.1.2 Food advertising to children and its potential effects
2.1.3 Influences on advertising’s effects on children
2.2 Advertising regulation
2.2.1 Legal regulation
2.2.2 Self-disciplinary regulation
3. Children’s responses to food advertising and the parental influence
3.1 Research questions
3.2 Design and implementation of research
3.3 Findings
3.3.1 Effects of persuasive tactics on advertising-literate children
3.3.2 Children’s assumptions about the nutritional value of non-core food
3.3.3 Parents’ attitudes towards child-directed food advertising and their influence on children’s responses
3.4 Limitations of research design
4. An approach towards the responsible use and creation of food advertising to children
4.1 Practical implications of research findings
4.2 Mission Statement: „Initiative für gesunden Umgang mit Lebensmittelwerbung für Kinder“
5. Conclusions for future research
Objective & Topics
This thesis investigates the research gaps regarding the impact of food advertising on children in Germany and explores the moderating role of parental influence. By combining secondary research with primary qualitative interviews, the study seeks to determine whether persuasive advertising tactics effectively influence children's product desires and nutritional perceptions, and how parents can mediate these effects.
- Effects of persuasive tactics on advertising-literate children
- Children's assumptions regarding the nutritional value of non-core food
- Parental attitudes and mediation styles regarding child-directed advertising
- Evaluation of legal and self-disciplinary regulatory instruments
- Development of an organisational concept for responsible food advertising
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1 Ethical considerations
Since the initial references in the late 1950s, research on advertising to children has grown in both scope and depth. As a review of theoretical and empirical research shows, the subject demands insights from various fields of study, including law, politics, paediatrics and developmental psychology. However, most fundamentally, the debate on children’s advertising is rooted in a debate on advertising ethics (Turk, 1979; Preston, 2004; Livingstone, 2009). According to Cunningham (1999, p.500), advertising ethics is defined as a set of values that determine “what is right or good in the conduct of the advertising function” and “it is concerned with questions of what ought to be done”.
In the discussion about children’s advertising, two different sets of ethics collide: the ethical values of the advertising industry versus the values of children’s advocates (Turk, 1979). Within this scenario, the advertising industry is represented by advertisers, agencies and the media (Murphy, 1998, p.318). Children’s advocates, on the other hand, include governmental agencies, consumer activists and parents. Because of the conflict’s entanglement with ethics, emotional involvement from both sides has often complicated an objective examination of children’s advertising (Turk, 1979, p.4).
The industry’s behaviour is assumed to be mainly driven by economic welfare (Robin, 2009, p.141), and hence various researchers have questioned the ethicality of the advertising business. Early on in the discussion on advertising ethics, the profession has been condemned as a manipulative tool that creates demand with the purpose of absorbing increased production (Galbraith, 1958). Later, it has been accused of “polluting” the “psychological and social ecology” in a way that “raises moral alarm” (Pollay, 1986, p.19). Most recently, anti-capitalistic consumer activists have labelled advertising as sheer “brain damage” (Adbusters, 2007).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the ongoing public and academic conflict regarding the ethics and impact of child-directed food advertising in Germany.
2. The status quo of food advertising to children in Germany: This section reviews existing theoretical research, ethical debates, and evaluates current legal and self-disciplinary regulatory frameworks.
3. Children’s responses to food advertising and the parental influence: This chapter outlines the research questions and presents findings from qualitative parent-child interviews regarding persuasion, nutrition perception, and parental mediation.
4. An approach towards the responsible use and creation of food advertising to children: This chapter discusses practical implications and proposes an independent initiative to promote responsible advertising and parental mediation.
5. Conclusions for future research: The final chapter evaluates the study's findings and limitations, suggesting future quantitative research paths.
Keywords
Food advertising, children, Germany, parental mediation, advertising literacy, non-core food, childhood obesity, ethics, self-regulation, consumer protection, persuasive tactics, qualitative research, nutritional claims, market regulation, media education
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The research focuses on the impact of food advertising on children in Germany, specifically analyzing how persuasive tactics affect children and how parents attempt to mitigate these effects through mediation.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the ethical debate surrounding child-directed marketing, the effectiveness of German advertising regulations, the influence of TV commercials on children's product choices, and parental mediation strategies.
What is the core research objective?
The primary objective is to investigate research gaps concerning children's understanding of persuasive techniques and to determine how parental attitudes influence their children's responses to advertised food.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative research approach, specifically conducting problem-centered interviews with parent-child dyads to gather empirical data.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the status quo of advertising in Germany, details the findings from the interviews regarding children's responses to specific commercials (Capri Sonne, Nesquik, Ferdi Fuchs), and evaluates the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks.
What are the characterizing keywords of the study?
Key terms include food advertising, children, parental mediation, advertising literacy, non-core food, ethics, and self-regulation.
How do children in the study perceive "non-core" food products?
While children often correctly identify items like sugary drinks or chocolate as "unhealthy," their consumption and product requests remain high, suggesting that knowledge about nutritional content does not always dictate behavior.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding parental mediation?
The author concludes that parental mediation is a highly effective tool that can protect children from the negative effects of advertising, provided that parents actively discuss advertising tactics and nutritional aspects with their children rather than just limiting screen time.
What is the purpose of the proposed "Initiative"?
The proposed initiative aims to serve as an unbiased, non-profit platform to educate parents on mediation strategies and to advocate for responsible advertising creation within the industry.
- Quote paper
- Anna Lena Hallmann (Author), 2012, Food advertising to children, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/263241
