Kids don’t often eat healthy foods. They give in to the powerful temptation of snacks and sweets. The tactics major food companies use to promote their products exacerbates the problem. What if social marketers apply those same tactics for advertising healthy eating?
A recent case study from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) describes using cartoon characters to advertise healthy eating to kids. They treat vegetables the same way characters like Tony the Tiger are used to promote breakfast cereals.
Here’s how the AAP tested using cartoon characters to promote vegetables:
In a large urban school district, 10 elementary schools agreed to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to a control condition or 1 of 3 treatment conditions: (1) a vinyl banner displaying vegetable characters that was fastened around the base of the salad bar; (2) short television segments with health education delivered by vegetable characters; or (3) a combination of the vinyl banner and television segments. We collected 22,206 student-day observations over a 6-week period by tallying the number of boys and girls taking vegetables from the school’s salad bar.
This test of advertising healthy eating yielded stunning results:
- 90 percent more kids took vegetables from the salad bar when exposed to the banner
- 240 percent more kids took vegetables from the salad bar when exposed to both the banner and the television segments
- Girls and boys were equally impacted by the campaign
Do Your Market Research
Many big consumer products companies, including food companies, do this sort of market research before committing large dollars to advertising campaigns. In my opinion and experience, many smaller companies, non-profits, and social agencies don’t do this sort of testing on their promotions.
This AAP case study shows it’s possible to conduct research on promotional methods and show great benefits. You’ll know what works before you seek or commit funding for projects. Having hard data helps convince funders that you’ve done your homework and are ready to make a measurable impact.
Social and public organizations often face hug obstacles to proving that their approach works. Funders sometimes expect a burden of statistical proof that private sector projects don’t need to meet. This goes double for promotional efforts at social and public organizations. The good news is, you can do it.
(Image courtesy of Super Sprowtz)