filter by tag: youth

It’s already been an interesting year in the food and nutrition space. It’s less than halfway through, but food makers and food marketers are awaiting the fall-out from monumental changes in policy, industry, consumer behavior and research.

The year began with the unveiling of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which provide a solid foundation upon which all Americans should base their diets. Although the obesity epidemic has been front and center in the media for several years, these much anticipated Dietary Guidelines mark the first time that emphasis is actually placed on eating less. Two key concepts are the cornerstone of the guidelines: maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight and focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages. By encouraging Americans to “enjoy your food, but eat less,” the government has changed the paradigm.

At the end of April, an Interagency Working Group made up of representatives from the FTC, FDA, USDA and the CDC released new suggested guidelines on how the food industry can market products to children. The new proposal (which is suggested to strengthen existing voluntary guidelines established in 2005) calls on the food industry to improve the nutritional quality of foods it markets directly to kids ages 2 to 17 years old. Although the proposed changes are currently under review, and even if implemented would remain voluntary, it will be interesting to see how the industry responds – and even more interesting to see if there is an ultimate impact on the health of children in the U.S.

Of course the food industry, itself, continues to evolve. New trends this year include revising sodium levels (to meet recommendations laid out in the Dietary Guidelines) and home cooking, which remains a trend as the economic environment, combined with a focus on natural, local and whole ingredients, continues. There is also an increased focus on functional foods - especially foods that provide function naturally. If you haven’t already, there’s no doubt you’ll soon see these trends heavily leveraged in ad campaigns and on-pack messaging.

Time will tell what, if any, impact shifts in advertising and marketing to children might have. And there is no doubt that everyone would do well to heed the advice laid out within the Dietary Guidelines; doing so would create a healthier nation, one individual at a time. The solution, however, must ultimately come from everyone in our food system. From restaurants and schools to farmers and grocery stores to food producers and marketers – and consumers themselves - everyone must work together to bring about change. Only with full collaboration will the nation ultimately become healthier…and slimmer.

--Peggy O’Shea-Kochenbach, Vice President

Tiger Woods may have been the golfer to watch during last week’s Masters Tournament, but I was actually following newsmakers Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell. They both made headlines recently for getting into “culture clashes” with the somewhat stodgy executives at Augusta National Club, which hosts the annual golf tournament. Despite the private, all male club’s efforts to reach a more youthful golf audience – creating a video game and even a new Masters app for the iPhone – it was not ready to accept the culture of its own youthful golfing generation.

Back in March when Poulter and McDowell tweeted pictures and video from the grounds during prep, they generated a response from Augusta National spokesperson Steve Ethun, asking players to refrain from using their cell phones on the property. With almost 90 percent of new media users interacting with companies or brands via new media sites and tools, there is no denying the power of social media – even during your golf game. And this begs the question, how do luxury brands, who have largely defined themselves through their “exclusivity,” attract and engage with new, social media-savvy consumers – who are increasingly demanding transparency and two-way conversation – while staying true to their brands’ values and loyal consumers?

Luxury fashion brand Gucci is one successful example. With more than 4 million Facebook fans and 62,000 Twitter followers, the brand uses social media to debut collections and engage with consumers around fashion trends all in the hopes of sparking a purchase. According to a 2010 study from market research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies, Gucci is on the right track. Fifty-one percent of survey respondents said they were more likely to buy from a brand after following them on Facebook and an even greater 67 percent said they were more likely to buy after following on Twitter.

On the other hand, the consequences can be harsh for brands who fail to heed the tide of connected consumers. Well-known and respected luxury food brand Harry & David recently filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and is only now attempting to play catch up with the social media crowd. Targeting eco-conscious supporters of local agriculture, the brand will soon launch a camera capturing the life of its staple pears as they ripen. But, only time will tell if Harry & David can work its way out of financial ruin by appealing to consumers via social media.

As for Augusta National and the Masters Tournament, with sub-par TV ratings this year, we’ll have to wait and see how the brands decide to engage with the young, trendy, social media-savvy consumer next spring. Maybe then they can strike the right balance between exclusivity and authentic consumer engagement.

--Kimberly Litchfield, Account Supervisor

“Generation Z,” or children born between the years of 1994 and 2004, have likely never known life without the Internet, cell phones or YouTube. That makes them the most digitally connected generation ever. Although children aren’t permitted to register for an account on social networking sites such as Twitter, Youtube and Facebook until the age of 13, that’s not stopping them from embracing the digital age.

Social Media
Teens ages 13-17 make up 10 percent of total Facebook users, but let’s not discount those younger than 13 who are using social networking sites. Togetherville, also known as “Facebook for kids,” allows children 10 years and younger to play games, acquire virtual gifts and watch YouTube videos with their friends. The site requires parents to sign up their kids and even allows them to monitor their children’s use in real-time. A separate social network called Scuttlepad, or “Twitter for kids,” asserts that it lets children “tell your friends what you're doing (...just like the older kids do!).”

Brands seem to be taking notice of Generation Z’s online interests. Mattel recently launched the Barbie Video Girl, a toy that makes it easy for girls to create and edit their own video and post it on YouTube. They’re also asking consumers to follow them on Foursquare and Twitter as Barbie travels the US for a chance to win a Video Girl doll. Other YouTube channels, such as Sesame Street and Fred, have racked up thousands of views and prove that even pre-schoolers are familiar with social media.

Gaming & Web
Children are spending about 17 minutes per day playing online games – that includes even the tiniest of tykes. To meet the growing demand, toy company Fischer-Price offers a collection of educational games for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers, while PBS’s Sid the Science Kid game teaches children all about antibodies, weather and vocabulary.

Going Mobile
In 2009, the average child was given his own cell phone at 9.7 years old; that’s actually down from 10.1 years in 2008. Children are spending this time sending thousands of text messages a month, playing pre-installed games, taking pictures and listening to music. And although Leapfrog’s “baby Blackberry” isn’t actually a phone, it certainly teaches tiny tots how to type on a Qwerty keyboard at a surprisingly young age.

Parents are Adapting, Too
It seems that parents are becoming more and more comfortable with their children being active in the digital space and are especially comfortable with it being used as an educational tool. In fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, only three-in-10 children have restrictions on media use, and Retrevo.com reports that 31 percent of parents think children under nine are ready to own their first computer.

At this point, it seems there’s no turning back for Generation Z. Whether kids are addicted or just more social, it’s clear that they’re spending more and more time consuming digital media.

-- Christa Keizer, New Media Intern