"Unhealthy" beverage brands continue to market to youth

Talks have been ongoing about revising standards of marketing to children. The biggest brands today have promised to play nice and promote healthy living. But yet, a study recently done claims that marketers are still sneakily targeting youths and breaking the vow to push for better consumption.(Read also: No more fast food marketing for children and Singapore’s tough new guidelines on food marketing to kids)"Despite promises by major beverage companies to be part of the solution in addressing childhood obesity, our report shows that companies continue to market their unhealthy products directly to children and teens,” said Jennifer Harris, PhD, Yale Rudd Center’s director of marketing initiatives and lead author of the report Sugary Drink FACTS 2014.Beverage companies in 2013 spent US$866 million to advertise unhealthy drinks where children and teens were the key target audiences for the advertising tactics, said the study.The report released by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity also added that while progress is being made regarding beverage marketing to young people, companies still have a long way to go to improve their marketing practices. The study analysed marketing tactics for 23 companies that advertised sugary drinks and products.Social media the new go to platform“[Beverage companies] have also rapidly expanded marketing in social and mobile media that are popular with young people, but much more difficult for parents to monitor,” said Harris. With the changing landscape, it seems that companies today actively market on social media and via mobile apps, popular with youth.Coca-Cola, Red Bull, and Pepsi were the top-three drink brands in Facebook likes, Twitter followers, and YouTube views. Two additional energy drink brands – Monster Energy and Rockstar – also ranked among the most active brands on social media.The market has also seen a slew of several child friendly mobile game apps by brands. Topping the charts when targeting children are  Fanta Fruit Slam, Fanta Fun Tap, Snapple Spiny Lobsters in Snaplantis, Mtn Dew Baja or Bust, Lipton Cool Cubes, and Sierra Mist Must Haves. Meanwhile, 5-hour Energy had the most-viewed YouTube video with 46 million views, while Red Bull’s channel featured 4,200 different videos.“Industry self-regulation only limits advertising on a fraction of the TV shows and websites that youth see, and classifies children as adults the day they turn 12 years old, said Marlene Schwartz, PhD, director of the Rudd Center. “Our children deserve to grow up in a culture where they are exposed to messages that promote health, not sugar and caffeine.”TV and Websites are not yet deadOverall since 2010, marketing to youth on TV and children’s websites has gone down. Children aged 6-11 viewed 39% fewer TV ads for sugary drinks in 2013 than in 2010;while teens aged 12-19 viewed 30% fewer ads.But not all companies are improving, said the report. PepsiCo and Red Bull were two companies which were found guilty by the study.Preschoolers saw 39% more ads for PepsiCo’s sugary drinks in 2013 than in 2010; children aged 6 to 11 saw 25% more. Red Bull increased TV advertising to youth by 59%. One out of three TV ads for sugary drinks were viewed by teens, and one out of four such ads viewed by preschoolers and children, promoted energy drinks, said the study.Meanwhile, out of all advertising dollars, beverage companies continued to spend four times as much to advertise sugar-sweetened beverages as they spend on 100% juice and plain water. Just 4% of their advertising spending was devoted to water.Transparency on nutrition informationHowever, companies are starting to provide more nutrition information. Coca-Cola Co., Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and PepsiCo now provide calories-per-serving on the front of most packages, and they enhanced nutrition information on their websites.Recommended movesThe study asks that companies stop marketing sugary drinks and energy drinks to children and teens, and develop children’s drinks with less than 40 calories per serving and no artificial sweeteners. It also advices that parents should ignore all the marketing claims on drink packages and check ingredient lists on packages.The aspects reviewed in the study included amount spent to advertise in all media; child and teen exposure to advertising and brand appearances on TV and visits to beverage company websites; advertising on websites popular with children and teens; and marketing in newer media like mobile apps and social media. Researchers also examined changes in advertising of diet beverages, 100% juice, and water.