Via television and mobile phones, billboards, newspapers and magazines, companies everywhere are spending enormous sums of
money to entice the young to buy their products – that range from fast food (burgers, pizzas and fries), soft drinks and ice creams to fairness creams and shampoo.
The underlying strategy is to get them while they are young – the younger the better… (Some ads are even aimed at three-year old infants!) The reasons are not far to seek: it is not the buying power of the children per se, but that the children influence billions worth of parental spending. In other words, children have an important say in the buying decision and process. But that is not the only reason - for children are the consumers of the future…
Interestingly, this is not a phenomenon limited to the west – but is increasingly to be found in the emerging economies of China and India.
Nowhere is the competition more intense for hearts and minds than in the growing food (and soft drinks) segment. Food
advertisements comprise roughly half of the total advertisements! Unfortunately, most of the food being advertised is high-fat, high-calorie junk food.
These advertisements should not be regarded as a harmless activity; they contain misleading statements and half truths; and the net (and cumulative) result of all these advertisements is that obesity – or fatness – afflicts millions of children and young adults in the United States.
Diet is closely linked to obesity. But, if this widely known, why does it not modify (or moderate) the buying habits of the consumers? The reason is that junk food is widely regarded as not only being fashionable, but modern as well! Indeed, such is the power of these commercials that they are beginning to affect the eating habits of young Indians across the length and breadth of this country; affecting both urban and rural households. Children now prefer to eat packaged and processed foods (chips, cookies and salties) rather than wholesome foods such as cereals; and to drink soft drinks rather than drink milk.
Movie stars – and cricketers – who are popular throughout India must share part of the blame in promoting these products.
The irony of the situation is that India has yet to overcome poverty related diseases such as malnutrition and child mortality; and it has now been saddled with the phenomenon of young Indians (many of whom lead a sedentary lifestyle) eating themselves sick!