Poster #239 - Evaluating the Influence of Racially Targeted Food and Beverage Advertisements on Black and White Adolescents

• In Event: 1-061 - Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Section - Technology, Media & Child Development

Integrative Statement

Targeted marketing, a tool used by food companies to reach specific demographics, may be especially powerful among adolescents, who seek products and brands that provide them with a sense of identity (Grier & Kumanyika, 2010). While this may be a useful practice to market products to specific groups, alarming data report food and beverage companies advertising more unhealthy food products on television channels popular among Black youth, while healthier products appear on channels popular among White youth (Harris, Shehan, Gross, & Others, 2015). In fact, compared to their White counterparts, Black youth are exposed to 70% more fast food and beverage television commercials that primarily feature unhealthy products than commercials promoting healthier foods (Grier & Kumanyika, 2008). Because adolescents are in a critical stage of identity development that facilitates the adoption of strong brand loyalty and product preferences (Grier, 2009; Grier & Kumanyika, 2010; Kersting, 2004; Marwick, 2010), and they account for millions in spending power (McGinnis, Gootman, Kraak, 2006), it is critical to explore the influence of food and beverage marketing on adolescents because of the influential role targeted marketing may have on various health behaviors.
In the present study, 1,533 Black and White teens ages 12-17 years completed an online survey in 2016 in which they were randomized to view four food and beverage ads featuring Black actors or four featuring White actors. Participants were asked to report on whether they liked the ad and how the ad made them feel, in addition to responding to questions assessing their reactions to the advertised brand. Multilevel regression analyses were used to explore the influence of ad targeting on adolescents, and binary outcomes were analyzed using logistic regressions while continuous outcomes were measured with linear regressions.
For the two components of the attitudinal outcome as noted in figures 1 and 2, Black participants were more likely to report a positive affective response toward ads that targeted them compared to Whites. However, White participants were more likely to like ads that were not targeted toward them compared to Black participants. These data demonstrate both Black and White adolescents reporting more positive affective responses to Black-targeted ads compared to White-targeted ads. Future research should examine the influence of racially-targeted marketing in real-world contexts (e.g. social media) and longitudinal exposure to targeted advertising on behavior.

Authors

• Alysa N Miller, University of Illinois at Chicago
  Presenting Author

• Marie A. Bragg, New York University School of Medicine, New York University College of Global Public Health
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amanda L Roy, University of Illinois, Chicago
  Non-Presenting Author

• David A Kalkstein, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brian D Elbel, New York University School of Medicine, New York University Wagner School of Public Service
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christina A Roberto, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
  Non-Presenting Author