The effect of influencer marketing of food and a “protective” advertising disclosure on children's food intake

Coates, Anna ORCID: 0000-0003-1339-4419, Hardman, Charlotte ORCID: 0000-0002-0744-6019, Halford, Jason, Christiansen, Paul and Boyland, EJ ORCID: 0000-0001-8384-4994 (2019) The effect of influencer marketing of food and a “protective” advertising disclosure on children's food intake Pediatric obesity, 14 (10). e12540-. ISSN 2047-6302, 2047-6310

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Abstract

Background
Children are active on social media and consequently are exposed to new and subtle forms of food marketing.

Objectives
To examine whether exposure to a YouTube video featuring influencer marketing of an unhealthy snack affects children's ad libitum snack intake and whether inclusion of an advertising disclosure moderates this effect.

Methods
In a randomized between‐subjects design, 151 children (aged 9‐11 y; mean, 10.32 y ± 0.6) were exposed to influencer marketing of a non‐food product (n = 51), or an unhealthy snack with (n = 50) or without (n = 50) an advertising disclosure. Participants' ad libitum intake of the marketed snack and an alternative brand of the same snack was measured.

Results
Children exposed to food marketing with (P < .001, d = 1.40) and without (P < .001, d = 1.07) a disclosure consumed more (kcals) of the marketed snack relative to the alternative; the control did not differ (.186, d = 0.45). Consumption of the alterative brand did not differ across conditions (.287, η p2 = .02). Children who viewed food marketing with a disclosure (and not those without) consumed 41% more of the marketed snack (.004, η p2 = .06), compared with control.

Conclusions
Influencer marketing increases children's immediate intake of the promoted snack relative to an alternative brand. Advertising disclosures may enhance the effect.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Digital marketing, Disclosures, Food advertisment, Food intake, Influencer, Social media
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	02 May 2019 13:26
Last Modified:	22 Jan 2026 04:11
DOI:	10.1111/ijpo.12540
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3039335
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