Jan LeBlanc Wicks

Dual-Modality Disclaimers, Emotional Appeals, and Production Techniques in Food Advertising Airing During Programs Rated for Children

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) directed advertisers to present disclaimers in the dual-modality format more easily understood by children. A content analysis of the emotional appeals, production techniques, and types of disclaimers appearing in over 3,800 food television advertisements was conducted. Ads appearing in child-rated programs present significantly more of the emotional appeals and production techniques that research suggests capture the attention of younger children. Most disclaimers in child-rated programs were not dual modality. Future research should examine whether food advertising presents a potentially distracting mix of production techniques and emotional appeals that may divert childrens attention from disclaimers.

Internal Agency Relationships: Account Services and Creative Personnel

Abstract A mail survey was conducted among a sample of account and creative services personnel working in advertising agencies nationwide to determine areas of conflict in working relationships between these two groups. Additionally, respondents were asked to perform the same critical analysis of their colleagues within their own departments. Analysis of responses from 256 agency employees indicate that some disagreement between account management and creative services exists. Creative services personnel tended to be more critical of account management than account managers were of creative people. Results are explained by the differing perspectives of the generalist (i.e., account managers) and specialist (i.e., creative services) that must be brought together in an agency to produce effective advertising.

Food and Beverage Advertising to Children on US. Television: Did National Food Advertisers Respond?

In 2005, after criticism of the U.S. food industry for advertisings role in childhood obesity, national advertisers announced new policies to reduce childrens exposure to ads for unhealthy foods. However, limits on these policies suggested that the food advertisements viewed by children would not change significantly. Content analysis was conducted on television food advertisements aired just before and one year after these announcements. The advertisements were coded for product type, persuasive appeals, and production techniques. The results suggest few changes in food advertising seen by children.

Correlates of Political and Civic Engagement Among Youth During the 2012 Presidential Campaign

A national mail survey of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 (n = 876) was conducted immediately before the U.S. presidential election (October 2012) to investigate socialization agents that may correlate with political and civic engagement. The relative importance of potential correlates of engagement including demographics, parents, peers, schools, religion, traditional media, social networks, and digital communication were evaluated. Regression analysis revealed that civically engaged youth identify with a religion, participate in civic education activities at school and extracurricular activities, take action (e.g., boycotting or buycotting), develop attitudes about citizenship, and engage in online/social media political activities. Politically engaged youth come from higher income households, discuss news and politics, take action, and are very prone to engage in online/social media political activities. While a wider range of activities appear to be related to civic engagement, those who are politically engaged appear to have a strong interest in online media usage. Implications are discussed.

Youth Political Consumerism and the 2012 Presidential Election What Influences Youth Boycotting and Buycotting

The authors examine whether predictors of adult political consumerism (i.e., boycotting and buycotting) and factors associated with youth civic and political participation also predict youth political consumerism. Data from a national mail survey of adolescents ages 12 to 17 years and their parents (n = 876) conducted in October 2012 are used to examine predictors of youth political consumerism. Factors analyzed include youth political and civic participation, parental modeling of boycotting and buycotting, and parental encouragement of following news and politics. Other factors examined include youth civic education, extracurricular participation, and youth social or civic attitudes. In addition, the authors assess differences between youth who boycott and those who buycott. The findings show that parental modeling is the most important predictor of youth political consumerism, and young political consumers also engage in civic and political activities. Moreover, youth boycotters and buycotters appear to exhibit differences in political ideology and motivations for political consumerism.

Self-regulation and Television Advertising: A Replication and Extension

ABSTRACT Although television stations have the right to reject almost any advertisement submitted for broadcast, exercising that power to protect consumers from potentially false or misleading claims can directly lower station revenues. We replicate a 1986 survey of television station advertising review decisions finding that both requests for substantiation of advertising claims and rejection of commercial submissions fell. Unlike previous research, we find that the stringency of advertising review standards varied sharply by daypart. We also identify factors influencing the stringency of clearance decisions and give practical suggestions for improving advertising review procedures at television stations.

Partisan Media Selective Exposure During the 2012 Presidential Election

This report explores the variables related to partisan selective media exposure, a process by which people select media outlets and content consistent with their political predispositions. This study employs national survey data (N = 876) during the month of October 2012 immediately prior to the U.S. presidential election. Political orientation (i.e., liberal, moderate, or conservative) served as the dependent variable. The analysis revealed that political orientation was related to gender, race, and religion. The civic engagement variables of participation in a church project and participation in volunteer work within one’s community were also related. Finally, the results suggest that conservatives were most prone to use conservative talk radio, Christian radio and TV, and Fox News. Liberals were more prone to use PBS and Facebook. As such, the data indicate that audience members appear to seek out partisan media and messages consistent with their political leanings. The implications of partisan selective media exposure concerning the development of political knowledge are discussed.

An Exploratory Study of Television Advertising Practices: Do Profitability and Organization Size Affect Clearance Formality?

Abstract The Federal Communications Commission relaxed commercial television licensee obligations regarding deceptive advertising in 1985. Local broadcasters may now decide which clearance policies to use to determine if advertisements are deceptive. A national mail survey of commercial television station sales managers was conducted to determine whether advertising clearance policies vary by station profitability or organization size. The proposition that clearance policies may be used to make a stations airtime more attractive to viewers was also given a preliminary test. Results suggest that clearance policies are affected by profitability level and organization size. The implications of study findings are discussed.

Effective Consumer Protection or Benign Neglect? kA Model of Television Infomercial Clearance

Abstract Although infomercials are becoming a much more common type of television advertising with gross sales of products exceeding one billion dollars in 1996, there have been no studies examining the interactive influences of different station policies, market environments and management beliefs on infomercial clearance decisions. A national survey of television stations with responses from over 350 stations was used to build and assess a model of infomercial clearance decision making. Results suggest there is great variation in the infomercial review process and clearance outcomes between stations. Some stations routinely accept ads that could harm consumers. Thus, policy recommendations based on these results are made.

What's on the menu? Disclaimers, emotional appeals and production techniques in food advertising on child-rated programs in the united states

This study examined disclaimers, production techniques, and emotional appeals in ads directed toward children. A content analysis of nearly 2,500 food advertisements on 10 broadcast and cable networks was conducted in the United States in 2008. Results revealed that most disclaimers were not presented in dual modality or simultaneously in the ads audio and video content, as recommended by industry and government regulators. In addition, ads in child-rated shows had more emotional appeals and productions techniques that might distract young children from processing disclaimers. Future research should examine whether the potential to distract children from disclaimers exists in food and beverage advertising worldwide.