This document summarizes a systematic review of 15 experimental studies on the effects of endorsers in child-targeted food marketing. The main findings are: 1) Endorsers were generally found to be effective in influencing children's attitudes and food choices. 2) Celebrity or familiar endorsers had stronger effects than unknown endorsers. 3) Endorsers were more effective at promoting unhealthy foods, though some studies found effects for healthy foods as well.

1. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF
ENDORSER EFFECTS
IN CHILD-TARGETED
FOOD MARKETING
1
Tim Smits
KU Leuven
@timsmitstim
Tim.smits@soc.kuleuven.be
Slideshare: timsmitstim
Collaboration:
Heidi Vandebosch (U Antwerp)
Evy Neyens (KU Leuven)
Emma Boyland (U Liverpool)

2. BACKGROUND
First wave of child media/marketing research
(Mainly) focus on :
 general effects
 concerns, incl. parental concerns
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 2

3. BACKGROUND
Second wave of child marketing research
Specific focus on food marketing
 IOM 2006 report: Food Marketing to Children
 FTC (2008): Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents
Spurred a lot of research on:
 General media effects on food liking/intake
 Specific marketing techniques
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 3

4. ENDORSEMENT FOOD MARKETING
Endorser = fictional or real character promoting a
product (in ads, on packages, websites etc.)
Often used marketing technique:
• 17% of ads worldwide (Money et al 2006)
• 9 - 49% of child targeting food ads (Kelly et al
2010)
• Even 73% in sample of TV ads (Castonguay et
al 2013)
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 4

6. ENDORSEMENT FOOD MARKETING
They often endorse unhealthy foods
• 79% ‘noncore’ endorsed foods (Kelly et al 2010)
• 72% foods of low nutr quality (Castonguay et al
2013)
• Comparable for on-pack endorsers in
supermarket (Hebden et al 2011; Van Assema et al
2011; Devi et al 2014; Smits CTC2014)
Do such endorsements have a persuasive impact?
Does that depend on endorser type?
Does it depend on food type?
Strategy & Social Media 2014 6

7. METHOD
Systematic review
• Experimental research on food endorsement
targeting children <12 years old
• Keyword search in WoS/WoK, PsychINFO, Scholar;
further inspection of article upon retention
• Snowball search from within consideration set
Result: 15 Articles (from 11 journals)
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 7

8. REVIEW CORPUS
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 8
Bezbaruah, N., Stastny, S. N., & Brunt, A. (2014). Journal of Human Nutrition and Food
Science.
Boyland, E. J., Harrold, J. A., Dovey, T. M., Allison, M., Dobson, S., Jacobs, M. C., & Halford, J. C.
(2013). The Journal of Pediatrics
Dixon, H., Scully, M., Niven, P., Kelly, B., Chapman, K., Donovan, R., ... & Wakefield, M. (2014).
Pediatric obesity.
de Droog, S. M., Buijzen, M., & Valkenburg, P. (2012). Journal of Health Communication
de Droog, S. M., Buijzen, M., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2014). Appetite
de Droog, S. M., Valkenburg, P., & Buijzen, M. (2011). Journal of Health Communication
Kotler, J. A., Shiffman, J. M., & Hanson K. G. (2012). Journal of Health Communication
Lapierre, M. A., Vaala, S. E., & Linebarger, D. L. (2011). Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent
Medicine
Levin, A. M., & Levin, I. P. (2010). Journal of Consumer Behaviour
Neeley, S. M., & Schumann, D. W. (2004). Journal of Advertising
Roberto, C. A., Baik, J. , Harris, J. L., & Brownell, K. D. (2010). Pediatrics
Robinson, T. N., Borzekowski, D. L. G.., Matheson, D. N., & Kraemer, H. C. (2007). Archives of
Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Smits, T. & Vandebosch, H. (2012). Communications
Wansink, B., Shimizu, M., & Camps, G. (2012). Pediatric Obesity
Wansink, B., Just, D. R., & Payne, C. R. (2012). Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

9. METHODS
Different disciplines & backgrounds
Hence, different methodologies
 Between-subjects vs Within-subjects
 Post-test only versus pre- & post-test
 Control-experimental vs Experimental-experimental
 Food items versus Endorsers varied
 DVs: attitude/liking, nagging, wanting, choice, consumption
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 9

10. Q1. BASIC ENDORSER EFFECT?
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 10
++ + / -
Between-
subjects
Kotler et al (2012)
Boyland et al (2013)
De Droog et al (2011)
Lapierre et al (2011)
Within-
subjects
Roberto et al (2010)
Smits & Vandebosch (2012)
De Droog et al (2014)
Dixon et al (in press)
Bezbaruah et al (2013)
Wansink et al (2013)
Levin & Levin (2010)
DVs:
 Attitudinal vs Choice/(Behavior)
Age:
 3 to 12 years old

11. Q2. ENDORSER TYPE? CELEB VS NON-CELEB
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 11
++ + / -
Between-
subjects
De Droog et al (2011)
Within-
subjects
Kotler et al (2012)
Wansink et al (2012)
Smits & Vandebosch (2012)
De Droog et al (2012)
DVs:
 Attitudinal vs Choice/(Behavior)
Age:
 3 to 12 years old
Basic effect for unknown endorser?
 Smits & Vandebosch, 2012; De Droog et al (2011; only for healthy snack)

12. Q3. ENDORSED FOOD? UNHEALTHY VS HEALTHY
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 12
++ + / --
Between-
subjects
Lapierre et al (2011)
Within-
subjects
Roberto et al (2010)
Smits & Vandebosch (2012)
Kotler et al (2012) De Droog et al (2011)
Wansink et al (2012)
DVs:
 Attitudinal vs Choice/(Behavior)
Age:
 3 to 12 years old
Basic effect for healthy foods?
 De Droog et al (2011), Roberto et al (2010); Smits & Vandebosch (2012), Wansink et al
(2012)

13. DISCUSSION
• Endorser effects are effective: shown in diff designs
• Stronger for familiar/celeb endorsers
• Stronger for unhealthy foods, though it does work for
healthy foods
• Limitations:
– Missing gaps: behavior DV, attitudes DV for ‘type of
food ’ studies, …
– No theory
– Only raw effects studied: no moderation/mediation
Endorser effects @ ICORIA 2014 13

14. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF
ENDORSER EFFECTS
IN CHILD-TARGETED
FOOD MARKETING
14
Tim Smits
KU Leuven
@timsmitstim
Tim.smits@soc.kuleuven.be
Slideshare: timsmitstim
Collaboration:
Heidi Vandebosch (U Antwerp)
Evy Neyens (KU Leuven)
Emma Boyland (U Liverpool)