Sugary drink marketing targeted to children, teens and multicultural youth: A continuing challenge for public health initiatives to reduce consumption

Introduction: While local communities launch initiatives to discourage sugary drink consumption, beverage companies spend over $500 million annually in marketing directed to children and teens encouraging greater consumption. Much of this marketing occurs outside of traditional media, including social, mobile and in-school marketing and local community sponsorships, and it disproportionately reaches black and Latino youth. This presentation updates our 2010 analysis of sugary drink marketing to children, teens and minority youth. Methods: We compiled data from syndicated sources and field research to identify common marketing practices and quantify youth exposure to advertising for sugary drinks versus healthier options. We examined changes from 2010 to 2013 and compared exposure by age group and race/ethnicity. Results: Youth exposure to traditional forms of advertising for sugary drinks declined during the past three years. For example, teens viewed 30% fewer television advertisements for regular sodas in 2013 versus 2010, and children’s exposure to child-targeted fruit drink ads declined by 40% or more. However, teens’ exposure to ads for some regular soda, sports drink and energy drink brands increased by as much as 68%, and sugary drink advertising continued to disproportionately reach minority youth. Furthermore, companies have expanded their nontraditional youth-targeted marketing practices, including mobile and social media. Discussion: Marketing targeted to children and teens presents a significant challenge for public health efforts to reduce sugary drink consumption. Much of this marketing occurs at the local-community level and targets black and Latino youth. Community-level action is needed to effectively counteract this threat to public health.