Analysing celebrity and influencer marketing of food and beverages to adolescents on Instagram.

Abstract

To assess the nutritional quality of foods and beverages (F&B) advertised to adolescents and analyse marketing techniques and persuasive appeals used by celebrities and influencers on Instagram. A content analysis study was conducted using the WHO's CLICK Monitoring Framework and Nutrient Profile Model. Instagram, a popular social media platform among adolescents with frequent F&B advertisements by celebrities and influencers. The top forty-eight Instagram accounts of celebrities and influencers posting F&B advertisements were selected based on follower count and engagement metrics. Nutrient profiling of advertised F&B (n 344) and content analysis of posts featuring F&B (n 326) between January 2021 and May 2023 were performed. Data collected included characteristics of celebrities and influencers, marketing techniques, online engagement and persuasive appeals in the posts. Carbonated beverages and flavored waters (28·5 %), energy drinks (20·6 %) and ready-made foods (15·4 %) were most frequently advertised, with the majority (89·2 %) of products not permitted for advertisement to adolescents, according to WHO. Common marketing techniques included tagging brand (96·9 %) and using brand logo (94·2 %). The most frequently used persuasive appeals were taste (20·9 %), energy (10·7 %), link to sports events (10·7 %), new product (9·5 %) and fun (7·4 %). Most F&B advertised on Instagram by celebrities and influencers are prohibited from being advertised to adolescents by the WHO. This highlights the need for stricter regulation of user-generated content and for users and parents to be better educated about persuasive techniques used on social media to make them less vulnerable to the influence of marketing.