As societies grow and lifestyles change, many issues and problems also seem to take a larger size than ever. Obesity is one of these seriously overwhelming questions. Child obesity in particular seems to be quite dangerous due to the many complications it usually leads to. This is a condition where a lot of extra body fat impacts child’s health. Statistics show that 25% of boys and 33% of girls between the ages of 2 to 19 suffer from obesity. Obesity is the result of many factors such as physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, genetic factors and medical conditions. Overweight kids end up with many complications like high cholestrole levels, high blood pressure, early heart diseases, diabetes and bone problems. Since this is such a big problem, many awareness campaigns have been launched to raise people’s awareness of the seriousness of not fighting it. The media play a significant role in combatting such problem. The above two ads are examples of such media campaigns. The first one shows an obese young girl about the age 10 or 11. She’s standing with her hands across her chest looking very serious or even upset. Across the ad there’s a big text reading “Warning: It’s hard to be a little girl if you arent”. The second ad shows four young overweight children also looking serious and upset. Below each child’s photo is a warning sign. The ad picturing the four kids is more effective than the one with one girl as it uses stronger persuasive techniques to appeal to the audience.
Both ads use different techniques to make a strong emotional appeal to the intended audience. The dull colors used by the first ad designer create feelings of both unhappiness and fear. Moreover, the usage of the human figure has proved quite success...
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... the second ad. The statement blaming “big meals” for the problem indirectly blames the parents for providing such meals, and thus creates this inevitable guilt. It’s also unethical to cause your kids early death - “may not outlive their parents” - through your selfish inconsideration of their health issues. Here, too, the second ad proves more effective in making a strong ethical appeal.
Finally, both ads alert the society to the peoblem of child obesity and call for action to prevent it. Both attempt to appeal to the audience’s reason, emotions and ethics, yet the second one seems to use human figures and text in a richer way, thus sending a stronger message. Since obesity is such a pressing serious problem, more and more efforts should be exerted to combat it through different institutions to both raise people’s awareness and to take serious action to prevent it.
Americans are constantly facing obstacles to healthy eating. Obesity is something that is growing rapidly in the United States. Some Americans argue that fast-food restaurants play a major role in obesity. In “Preventing Obesity” Barbara Mantel states, “Four of the companies — Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Hershey and Mars — pledge not to advertise any food and beverage products on programming for children younger than 12, and the remaining firms pledge that 100 percent of their children's advertising would be for self-designated ‘better-for-you’ products ” (805-806). Whenever children see a junk-food or candy commercial they are instantly attracted to it, it might be because of how colorful they are or the usual toy they receive when they buy kids
The fast food industry is one of the largest sectors of the United States economy. Companies such as Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, McDonalds and KFC have all become household names. Each of these companies operates under a similar mission statement: to serve a quick, filling meal for a very low cost. The primary marketing medium for these companies is television where via commercials, they can portray both their products and a lifestyle. Their intense advertising focus on minorities and children, however, has begun to exacerbate the epidemic of obesity that is sweeping our nation. Fast food's televised advertising is a significant contributor to obesity in today's minority youth. By promoting unhealthy tendencies and high-calorie foods as well as an attitude that promotes tolerance of diseases such as obesity, these companies are influencing people to such a degree that it is negatively affecting their health. This dangerous marketing method is not only sweeping America, but other countries as well. The emphasis on fast food companies' immoral marketing raises the question: Are people eating for hunger or because of an advertised, influenced habit? However, we must also address whether or not fast food companies are mainly responsible, or if the blame also covers their consumers.
In the article, Every Nook and Cranny: The Dangerous Spread of Commercialized Culture by Gary Ruskin and Juliet Schor (Ackley 361). Since the early 90s is when Commercialism has bombarded the society. Ruskin and Schor provide examples why advertising has an effect on people’s health. Marketing related diseases afflicting people in the United States, and especially children, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and smoking-related illnesses. “Each day, about 2,000 U.S. children begin to smoke, and about one-third of them will die from tobacco-related illnesses” (Ackley 366). Children are inundated with advertising for high calorie junk food and fast food, and, predictably, 15 percent of U.S. children aged 6 to 19 are now overweight (Ackley 366). Commercialism promotes future negative effects and consumers don’t realize it.
The impact of the video is strong, because it covers common ground. The video portrays the child returning home from school and immediately searching for food. Many children in America endure this every day. The creator also uses many zoomed in views of random objects, which vaguely fails to tie the video together. This method is ineffective because the different point-of-views exaggerate the contents of the house and draws the viewer’s attention to the fact that the family is middle-classed, which means they are probably not suffering from poverty. The dominant figure—the boy—seems to have on nice, clean clothing. This tells the spectators that the family can at least provide necessities for themselves. Furthermore, from the handmade pictures on the refrigerator and the finger paintings on the wall, the viewers can conclude that they are family-oriented; however, there are no parents in sight. The logic flounders because there is indeed food in the refrigerator. The impact would have been more effective if there had been less food or even no food. Overall, the commercial is simple, easy, and effective. It portrays the problem at hand and then presents a solution. The viewers can easily discern that the video is about child hunger. The tactics that the composer uses ultimately evokes compassion from the audience. The ad has appealed to pathos and ethos and has solidified the ad. The subdued colors and the somber music have depicted how earnest the video is. In just 60 seconds, AdCouncil and Feeding America have effectively broadcasted their world hunger relief
According to Mark Dolliver, “foods account for 39 percent of TV advertising seen by 2-7 year olds, 95 percent of that seen by 8-19s and 92 percent of that seen by 13-17s.On a typical day, the 2-7 year olds are exposed to 4:51 minutes of food commercials.” (Dolliver, 2007. p.1) Dolliver used statistics to show much how children are seeing these commercials. Throughout the rest of the article he talks about the increasing amounts of time that children spend watching television and the types of foods that are being advertised. Depending on the family dynamic in the household, children could be watching more television than the statistics that Dolliver presents in his study. This is what would be characterized as the advertisement of obesity in todays society. Before televisions were made, there were print advertisements that contributed to the purchasing of junk or fast foods like the 1956 Canada Dry Ginger Ale Print Ad. Although for 1956, there is not a lot of information about the obesity epidemic, it contributes to how powerful advertisements can be. These advertisements whether it is from the 1950s or if it is from today, largely influence the food quality that children are wanting or expecting. When children are exposed to television advertisements about unhealthy products in large quantities, they are more susceptible to the risk of obesity. Television
This article is published on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website; which is dedicated to increasing the knowledge of health problems and obesity. There is no specific author, but this article helps the website based on the new studies that have been found. They have percentages of children seeing ads each day and a follow up from the studies in 2010; which increases the liability of the website and the information on it. Some of the main points would be that the epidemic is decreasing. Children see many fast food ads every day and they stick in the child’s mind; which is how the producers grab the children’s attention, by having the best and most exciting advertisement. Restaurants should provide healthier options when one would like dine out. The circumstance is the obesity epidemic, but how it is slowly becoming better. The purpose of this article to is make people more aware and make thei...
The role of media is listed as one of the many reasons of obesity particularly in children (Boyce, 2006). A study by Dietz & Gortmaker (1985) suggests, for each additional hour of television children aged between 12 -17 viewed, the prevalence of obesity increased by 2%. On the other hand, food being the most advertised product on children’s television, advertisements make quite an impact on unhealthy consumption (Boyce, 2006). Children who watch this advertisements are more likely to choose the foods advertised compared to the ones who don’t (Coon & Tucker, 2002). The image of body presented by the media is expectable, obese characters are commonly portrayed as unattractive, unpopular and unsuccessful (Brown & Witherspoon; Parallel as cited in Boyce 2006). This portrayal or image of obese people can be harmful for their self-esteem and can cause stress, anxie...
According to “Burger Battles” from the Weekly Reader, obesity is defined as a person whose weight is 20 percent higher than recommended for their height (Burger Battles 1). When this condition begins to affect children lives, it is then known as childhood obesity. Within the United States of America, around 15 percent of children are considered to be obese (Holguin 3). Increasing tremendously, this outbreak has actually tripled in the amount of obese teen and doubled in children up to the age of thirteen (Burger Battles 2). One of the factors that is usually overlooked in the cause for obesity is the role of television. Not only does it reduce the amount of physical activity, the advertisements and commercials are targeting innocent viewers. In a survey completed by Gary Ruskin of Commercial Alert, the average child watches nearly 19 hours and 40 minutes of television a week (Ruskin 2). With that amount of time spent watching television, advertisements for fast food will be entering the children’s minds.
The amount of money that is spent marketing to children is outrageous. Companies purposefully market to the young children's tastes in a variety of ways through package design, typefaces, pictures, and content. Key elements for successful marketing to young children are carefully and thoughtfully planned by companies. The entertainment, fast and friendly service, immediate gratification, familiar brand-names fun-to-eat, reasonable prices, value, and quality time are all fundamental basics. Companies justify their marketing as a "public service, expression of freedom of speech, and argue that the advertised foods are not inherently unhealthful, and emphasize that exercise "not diet" are the key to weight control. Company's claim that advertising contributes to nutrition education and argue that the primary responsibility for determining dietary intake rests with parents and caretakers." Unfortunately children are not with their parents or caretakers every minute of the day thus leaving time for them to fend for themselves while in school.
Many children can quickly recall that eye shutting public service announcement that sends thrills through their body. The advertisers are looking at every single detail and for good reason, they have to get into the viewers head and make it relevant to them. Using techniques such as fear, specific characters for the target age group and a setting suitable for the commercial, ads can create a life changing experience. To truly examine the differences and similarities between ads and how they’ve changed over the years, the ads being presented are selected from different periods in time. Culture and style change constantly and marketers must follow this trend to impact their target audience with effective strategies.
In today’s society, childhood obesity is a climbing dilemma. According to CDC (centers of disease control and prevention) in the past thirty years obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents. Approximately 72.7 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 years experienced obesity. (CDC) Obesity does not require lab test or imaging; normally a person who is obese is overweight and lives a sedentary lifestyle. In an ad made by a Belgium student, David Lesage the issue of childhood obesity is most appropriately displayed. The caption of the ad reads “L'obésité commence dès le plus jeune âge”. Which can be translated to “obesity begins at a young age”. Lesage successfully persuades the reader to support the battle
Children are targeted by unhealthy food advertisements every day, which is why there needs to be a solution to poor nutritional food advertisements. In the article Food Marketing to Youth Mollie Grow and Marlene Shwartz give insight to one solution that would “eliminate the tax write-offs companies receive for advertising unhealthy foods to children”. This would be a good policy to reduce food marketing that promotes unhealthy food choices among children. This article is helpful in showing preventative measures that can be taken to help reduce Obesity.
Food advertising contributes to childhood obesity in many ways. One of them being that the food advertised is unhealthy. “The mechanism of effect of media exposure on obesity may also operate through the extensive advertising messages for unhealthy foods targeted at children.” (Agarwal, Dhanasekaran) The food advertising geared towards children makes them develop unhealthy eating habits, and choices. The advertisements are usually advertising unhealthy foods, never healthy ones. “When children watch television, they cannot escape food advertising. “Sugared snacks and drinks, cereal, and fast food advertisements respectively comprise approximately thirty-two percent, thirty-one percent, and nine percent of all advertisements marketed specifically to children.” (Termini, Roberto, Hostetter) Due to limited cognitive abilities, children view many food advertisements, and don’t really have the knowledge or capability to comprehend that the food being advertised is not healthy.
This childhood obesity ad expresses itself through color, slander, body type, and loaded language. This ad has more of a negative impact on those who view it rather than a positive one. This ad is effective by encouraging parents to provide their child with a healthy diet, but it is also ineffective because it body shames young children.
Moerdyk, Chris. "Advertising Alone Cannot Be Blamed for Childhood Obesity." Ed. David M. Haugen. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.