Published: August 2013

ID #: 69552

Journal: PLoS One

Authors: Bernhardt AM, Wilking C, Adachi-Mejia AM, Bergamini E, Marijnissen J, Sargent JD

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This article compares quick-service restaurant (QSR) television advertisements for children’s meals with adult advertisements from the same company to assess whether companies were complying with their self-regulatory pledges. Researchers coded nationally televised advertisements for visual and audio assessments of branding, toy premiums, movie tie-ins, and depictions of food. They found that almost all of the QSR children’s meal advertisements were attributable to McDonald’s (70%) or Burger King (29%). Four children’s television channels—Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney XD, and Nicktoons—aired 79 percent of the advertisements aimed at children. Toy premiums were present in 69 percent of advertisements aimed at children, compared with 1 percent in adult advertisements, and movie tie-ins were present in 55 percent of children’s advertisements, compared with 14 percent in adult advertisements. Advertisements aimed at children also were more likely to include visual branding. Images of food packaging were present in 88 percent of advertisements aimed at children, compared with 23 percent of advertisements targeting adults.

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