Comunicar 39-ingles - Revista Comunicar

178Comunicar, 39, XX, 20121. IntroductionChildren have become an attractive segment formanufacturers and advertisers, as they have more disposableincome than previous generations and influ -ence the buying decisions of their families. Companieshave discovered that by developing brand loyalty at anearly age they can obtain substantial profits, a situationwhich has led to an international debate on the harmfuleffects that advertising can have on children. Thismedia study attempts to analyse the existence of a relationshipbetween television advertising and the consumptionof the food products advertised, togetherwith the repercussions on health of such consumption.Television socialises and teaches and is present inmost homes. Children are quick to pick up what isshown on television, making it a powerful factor intheir environment, which influences behaviour, attitudesand values. When considering the cognitive field,the youngest children are more vulnerable to advertisingand it is easier to persuade them to buy a particularfood item. The studies by Mardomingo (1984: 24)concluded that publicity messages, especially those ontelevision, were clearly the influential factor in children’seating habits. According to Morón (1995) television,publicity and consumption are different sides ofthe same coin, as television advertising favours familiaritywith new food items and their acceptance. Todaywe can see in the population as a whole a new wayof eating. It has little to do with people’s gastronomictraditions and has developed via the consumption ofitems like fast food and «junk food», promoted worldwidethrough publicity and marketing strategies.Certain television programmes tacitly or implicitly promoteconcepts which are a risk to health and modelswhich are contrary to a proper quality of life. Theanalysis of advertisements reveals practices and valueswhich are not healthy. For Robinson (1993), publicityfor food tends to emphasise food rich in calories andpoor in nutritional value and can lead to erroneousbeliefs. Contreras (1995: 78) supports this analysis,indicating the existence of a food culture in whichpowerful, complex social and cultural factors conditioneating. From an early age children learn the eatinghabits of their elders, notice what food is served at partiesand progressively develop their own food culture.There is a kind of furtive marketing, in which brandsbecome part of popular culture and consumers areencouraged to spread the message. Television advertisingbecomes a powerful element which can easilyposition a product in a child’s mind. As children makebuying decisions indirectly through their parents ordirectly with their pocket money, their role as indirectcustomers should not be underestimated. Sometimespressure by children determines decisions by adults topurchase products advertised on television. This phenomenonhas been analysed for some time, showingthe influence of food advertising and the negativeeating habits of children who display nutritional disorders(Olivares, Yáñez & Díaz, 2003: 30).From the cultural viewpoint Sauri (2003: 54) hasshown that cultural patterns determine behaviour patternsthrough communication processes which directlyinfluence concepts of food and health. Broadening theanalysis, the author points out that the messages transmittedin television advertisements occupy an importantplace in the construction of cultural identity andplay a part in the development of behavioural conceptsand models that contribute to the collective memory ofthe population, displacing values and customs whichhave no place in the new lifestyles transmitted by thesemessages. Elsewhere (2003: 238), at the same time,she points out that in the current urban context, televisionconstitutes one of the most important institutionsthrough which culture is constructed.In Chile, Olivares, Yánez and Díaz (2003) carriedout research into food advertising and eating habits inschoolchildren, administering a survey to a sample of274 children in public schools. The results confirmedthe hypotheses, showing the influence of publicity onconsumption.The US Institute of Medicine (2005) demonstrated,via empirical studies, that publicity aimed at childrenencourages bad eating habits. The FAO and theWorld Health Organization (WHO) have declaredthat publicity has a direct effect on children’s purchasingpreferences. These in turn influence their parents,which leads to bad eating habits that can be harmful tohealth. It is recognised that publicity has been playinga negative role in eating habits, contributing to anincrease in chronic problems among schoolchildren.In Ecuador, González, Quizhpe, Armijos and Ál -va rez (2006) studied the influence of television on thenutrition and academic performance of the pupils atthe «Abelardo Tamariz Crespo» centre. The sampleconsisted of 288 children aged 8 to13. The results ofthe study show that 21.1% of pupils were overweightor obese.The Eroski Consumer Foundation (2007) reportsthe results of research carried out in the United States,in which the influence of food publicity was studied,evaluating the preferences of a group of 63 children inCalifornia aged three to five. They were offered theMcDonald’s brand hamburgers, chicken, nuggets andchips, as well as milk and carrots bought from a super-© ISSN: 1134-3478 • e-ISSN: 1988-3293• Pages 177-183