RUDD REPORT

Targeted food and beverage advertising to

Black and Hispanic consumers: 2022 update

November 2022

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AUTHORS

Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health, University of Connecticut

Jennifer L. Harris, PhD, MBA

Senior Research Advisor

Frances Fleming-Milici, PhD

Director of Marketing Initiatives

Sally Mancini, MPH

Director of Advocacy Resources

Council on Black Health, Drexel University

Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH

Founding Chair, Council on Black Health

Research Professor, Community Health and Prevention

Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology, University of Perelman Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Salud America!, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, MPH

Director, Institute for Health Promotion Research

Chair and Professor, Department of Population Health Sciences

UT Health San Antonio

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank our colleagues at the Rudd Center for their assistance with data

collection and report preparation and review, especially Hanako Agresta, Haley Gershman,

Melissa Jensen, and Melissa McCann. Special thanks to Carson Hardee, Rudd Center

Communications Director. We also thank Burness Communications for their communications

support, and Elements for designing the report. Finally, we thank the leadership and staff at the

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with special thanks to Katherine Hempstead.

This work was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton,

NJ. The views expressed here do not necessarily reect the views of the Foundation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

RESULTS

∑ CHANGES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE ADVERTISING: 2017 VS. 2021

∑ TARGETED ADVERTISING BY COMPANY

∑ TARGETED ADVERTISING BY PRODUCT CATEGORY

∑ TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

DISCUSSION

METHODS

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A. SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES

1. COMPANIES: AD SPENDING

2. COMPANIES: EXPOSURE

3. BRANDS: HISPANIC-TARGETED

4. BRANDS: BLACK-TARGETED

5. BRANDS: NON-TARGETED BRANDS

6. CATEGORIES: AD SPENDING

7. CATEGORIES: EXPOSURE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)

APPENDIX B. COMPANY PROFILES

APPENDIX C. TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

APPENDIX D. SOCIAL MEDIA TARGETED MARKETING EXAMPLES

All appendices are available on the report website.

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Executive

Summary

U.S. food com

panies disproportionately

target Black and Hispanic consumers

with marketing for high-calorie, low-

nutrient products including candy, sugary

drinks, snacks, and fast food. The more

than one billion spent on this targeted

marketing exacerbates inequities in

poor diet and diet-related diseases in

communities of color, including heart

disease, obesity, and diabetes.

This report updates the Rudd Center’s previous

report on ethnically targeted advertising of packaged

foods and beverages that examined 2017 data. Since

then, TV viewing habits and advertising trends have

changed dramatically. This report examines how these

broader viewing and advertising trends have impacted

ethnically targeted food advertising is unknown.

METHODS

This report uses the same methods and definitions

as our previous targeted marketing reports to

identify TV advertising targeted to Black and Hispanic

consumers in 2021. Our analyses focus on the 19 food

and beverage companies with the highest advertising

spending, as well as additional companies that

participate in the Children’s Food and Beverage

Advertising Initiative (CFBAI). Nielsen syndicated

market research data measured total TV and

targeted TV advertising spending on Spanish-

language and Black-targeted TV networks, as well as

TV ads viewed by Hispanic and Black children, teens,

and adults. We report changes from 2017 to 2021. In

addition, we

examined companies’ public statements about their targeted marketing

campaigns. This report excludes targeted advertising by fast-food and

other restaurants, which was previously reported in our Fast Food

FACTS 2021 report.

KEY FINDINGS

Changes in food and beverage advertising: 2017 to 2021

Overall positive trends reect major shifts in TV viewing habits and

advertising in the U.S.

• TV food ad spending totaled $4.0 billion in 2021, a decline of 25%

from 2017, while ad spending on Spanish-language and Black-

targeted TV declined by 18% and 63%, totaling $411.5 and $86

million, respectively, in 2021.

• TV ads viewed by all demographic groups also declined during the

same

period, including 38% fewer ads viewed by Hispanic teens on

Spanish-language TV and 58% to 62% fewer TV ads viewed by

children and teens overall.

• Disparities in TV advertising exposure for Black versus White youth

also decreased due to greater declines in TV ads viewed by Black

youth (66-70%) than by White youth (56-58%).

• These positive trends in TV food ad exposure mirrored declines in

amount of time spent watching TV, including by Black and White

youth, and do not appear to reflect a change in ethnically targeted

marketing strategies by food companies.

Despite overall declines in ad spending and TV ad exposure, food and

beverage TV advertising continued to target Black and Hispanic consumers.

• In 2021, Black youth and adults viewed 9% to 21% more food and

beverage TV ads compared to their White peers, after accounting for

differences in amount of time spent watching TV.

• Companies increased their focus on advertising to Spanish-speaking

TV viewers, evidenced by greater ad spending on Spanish-language

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TV as a proportion of total TV ad spending. As

a result, reductions in ads viewed by Hispanic

youth on Spanish-language TV were lower than

reductions in ads viewed by youth on TV overall.

Targeted advertising by company

Amount of ethnically targeted advertising varied

widely by company.

• Mars, Hershey, and Keurig Dr Pepper, the

companies with the most targeted advertising in

2017, reduced both their Spanish-language and

Black-targeted TV advertising spending by 70% or

more in 2021.

• Red Bull (+835%), Ferrero (+139%), Kellogg

(+63%), and Mondelez (+54) increased total TV

advertising spending, as well as TV ads targeting

Hispanic and Black consumers, in sharp contrast

to overall declines for food and beverage

advertising in total.

Targeted advertising by category

Targeted TV ads continued to primarily promote

unhealthy food and beverage categories.

• Candy and gum/mints, sugary drinks, savory

snacks, cereal, and sweet snacks represented

three-quarters of Spanish-language and Black-

targeted TV ad spending in 2021, up from

approximately one-half of each in 2017.

• There was no advertising for fruits or vegetables

on Spanish-language or Black-targeted TV in

2021, and companies spent just $5,000 in total

TV advertising for these categories.

• A small number of brands in healthier categories

had ethnically targeted TV ads in 2021, including

two nut brands that advertised on Spanish-

language TV and two plain water brands on

Black-targeted TV programming.

• Black teens no longer viewed disproportionately

more TV ads for sugary drinks or diet drinks compared to White

teens in 2021, in contrast with 2017.

Targeted marketing campaigns

Numerous marketing campaigns, including in social media,

targeted multicultural youth.

• Many campaigns incorporated hip-hop and Latinx music celebrities

and other youth-oriented themes. Others utilized cause-related

marketing, such as donations and collaborations with non-profits

to benefit communities of color, to foster goodwill for food and

beverage brands.

• Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brands were responsible for the majority of

marketing campaigns identified that targeted multicultural youth

and communities of color.

• Ethnically targeted marketing campaigns almost exclusively

promoted unhealthy products.

DISCUSSION

The social, political, and economic context in which we analyze these

findings has changed markedly since the Rudd Center’s last examination

of ethnically targeted marketing. The disproportionate negative

impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color in the U.S.

has intensified the need to monitor contributors to health disparities,

including the targeted marketing of unhealthy foods to Black and

Hispanic consumers.

There have also been major shifts in media viewing habits and TV

advertising by U.S. companies across all product categories, not just the

food and beverage industry. Young people have increased their media

viewing on mobile devices and non-commercial streaming services, which

are not measured in these data. As a result, companies have increased

the proportion of advertising budgets allocated to digital versus TV

advertising.

Targeted marketing designed to appeal specifically to Hispanic and Black

consumers acknowledges their value as customers and is not problematic

in and of itself. Companies are responsible to their investors to continually

increase sales and profits, and it appears that they are attempting to

broaden their appeal to an increasingly diverse customer base. Yet nearly

all ethnically targeted brands in our analysis consist of primarily unhealthy

Executive Summary

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product categories. Therefore, the ethnically targeted

marketing to Black and Hispanic consumers identified

in this report presents a significant barrier to

improved public health and health equity.

Limitations

This research provides an extensive but not

exhaustive evaluation of television advertising

for packaged foods and beverages targeted to

Hispanic and Black consumers. Nielsen data are not

available to systematically examine targeting that

occurred outside of TV advertising, including digital

marketing, sponsorships, and retail promotions. We

did not conduct a nutritional analysis of products

sold by targeted brands, but previous research has

demonstrated the poor nutritional quality of the

majority of products in highly targeted categories,

including cereals, beverages, and snacks.

Recommendations

Key actors within industry, the public health

community, and policy makers must take

responsibility for reducing unhealthy marketing

that targets and disproportionately impacts

Hispanic and Black consumers. Making healthier

choices the easiest, most affordable, and most

socially acceptable options would advance racial

equity and mitigate the harms of structural racism.

• Food and beverage companies should devote

their enormous resources to culturally relevant

and cause-related marketing campaigns for

nutritious products that would contribute

positively to public health and reduce

preventable diet related chronic disease.

• Media companies that own programming with large audiences of

Hispanic and/or Black youth can establish nutrition standards to limit

unhealthy food advertising and/or provide incentives to advertise

healthier products (e.g., plain water, fruits, and vegetables).

• Public health advocates, researchers, and community and grassroots

organizations can increase public awareness and call for improvements

to the vast amounts of unhealthy food and beverage marketing that

disproportionately targets communities of color.

• Policy makers and advocates can pursue or support legislation or

regulation to address unhealthy food and beverage marketing, such

as sweetened beverage taxes and restricting marketing in schools.

Conclusion

This report documents that food and beverage companies continue

to dis

proportionately target Black and Hispanic consumers with TV

advertising for almost exclusively unhealthy packaged food and beverage

categories. Most companies in this analysis have healthier brands in their

portfolios, including plain water, low-sugar cereals, yogurt, plain dairy,

fruits, and vegetables that could be promoted. Therefore, choosing

to disproportionately advertise their least nutritious brands, including

sugary drinks, candy, chips, and high-sugar cereals, to Black and Hispanic

consumers, must be weighed against the resulting costs to communities.

Executive Summary

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Introduction

As described in the Rudd Center’s

previous reports, U.S. food companies

disproportionately target Black and

Hispanic consumers (i.e., ethnically

targeted marketing) with marketing

for high-calorie, low-nutrient

products, including candy, sugary

drinks, snacks, and fast food.

2, 3

The billions spent in total to market primarily unhealthy

foods and beverages contribute significantly to poor

diets and diet-related diseases.

However, targeted

marketing of such foods to Black and Hispanic

consumers is especially deleterious as it exacerbates

the persistent disparities in diet-related disease

communities of color experience, including obesity,

5,6

heart disease

and diabetes.

Researchers, advocates,

and Black and Hispanic community members have

identified the harms of ethnically targeted marketing,

with particular concerns about targeting youth of

color.

9-12

Thus, the food industry business model, in which

company profits derive mainly from the production

and marketing of unhealthy foods, including through

ethnically targeted marketing, does not align

with public health efforts to encourage healthier

consumption patterns.

However, food marketers

present their ethnically targeted marketing in a

positive light. For example, they tout their efforts

to recognize and “connect with multicultural

consumers.”

14,15

Black celebrities and cultural themes

convey a “cool factor,” so this marketing has the

added benefit of appealing to young consumers more

broadly.

Ethnically targeted marketing aimed at

Black and Hispanic audiences also presents a business

growth opportunity

17-19

due to the buying power of these consumer

segments. More recently, companies have begun to promote ethnically

targeted marketing, especially sponsorship of cultural events, support of

youth-oriented causes in communities of color, and donations to social

justice organizations, as their contribution to greater diversity, equity,

and inclusion initiatives.

In 2021, we updated our previous targeted marketing report to document

fast-food advertising targeted to Black and Hispanic consumers. This

report found that fast-food advertising on Black-targeted TV channels and

Spanish-language TV almost exclusively promoted restaurants’ least healthy

products. Moreover, from 2017 to 2019, there was a 33% increase in fast-

food ad spending on Spanish-language TV, and disparities in exposure to

ads between Black and White youth persisted.

We last examined ethnically targeted advertising of packaged foods and

beverages in 2017, but TV viewing and advertising trends have changed

dramatically since then. Viewing habits have shifted from traditional TV

programming to streaming services (many of which are ad-free), and

time spent on mobile devices has increased, in particular time spent on

social media by young people.

21,22

Moreover, overall TV ad spending

in the United States declined in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19

pandemic.

Yet, the impact of these broader viewing and advertising

trends on ethnically targeted food advertising is unknown. In past

analyses, reductions in TV viewing were greater among White compared

to Black consumers, leading to increased disparities in TV ad exposure

for Black versus White youth, and company expenditures on ethnically

targeted advertising also increased.

24,25

SCOPE OF REPORT

In this report, we present the results for TV advertising of food and

beverages targeted to Black and Hispanic consumers in 2021 and

compare them to 2017 data from our previous report

on ethnically

targeted advertising. The present report excludes targeted advertising by

fast-food and other restaurants, which we previously reported in our Fast

Food FACTS 2021 report.

To determine whether companies continued to target Black and

Hispanic consumers, in particular youth, with primarily unhealthy

brands and food and beverage categories, we present the following

analyses:

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• Changes in food and beverage advertising:

2017 vs. 2021

discusses targeted TV advertising

in the context of overall changes in food and

beverage advertising and TV viewing habits.

•

Targeted advertising by company presents

individual results for the nineteen top food and

beverage companies detailed in this report,

including total corporate investments in ethnically

targeted TV advertising, changes from 2017 to

2021, and individual brands targeted to Hispanic

and Black consumers.

•

Targeted advertising by product category

assesses systematic differences in the types

of products targeted to Hispanic and Black

consumers. It reports categories with the most

targeted brands and TV ad spending and exposure by category for

the top food and beverage companies detailed in this report.

•

Targeted marketing campaigns summarizes press releases and

company statements in the marketing press regarding campaigns

and other marketing targeted to Hispanic and Black consumers,

including multicultural youth.

The Appendix includes detailed advertising data by company,

category, and brand, including brands with advertising targeted

to Hispanic and/or Black consumers (see

Appendix A) as well as

company profiles detailing ethnically targeted marketing for each of

the companies analyzed in this report (see

Appendix B). In addition,

we include a list of targeted marketing campaigns (see

Appendix C) and

examples of social media marketing targeted to Black and Hispanic

youth (see

Appendix D).

Introduction

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DEFINITIONS OF TARGETED MARKETING INDICATORS

The analyses in this report utilize Nielsen syndicated data to identify TV advertising targeted to Hispanic and/or Black consumers.

Analyses were conducted at the company, brand, and product category levels.

Targeted marketing data and indicators Definition

Food and beverage advertising (food

advertising)

Any paid announcement or persuasive message placed in the mass media by a

food or beverage company (excludes fast-food and other restaurants).

Children’s Food and Beverage

Advertising Initiative (CFBAI)

The voluntary industry self-regulatory program through which participating food

and beverage companies pledge to only advertise products that meet nutrition

criteria in media primarily directed to children under age 12.

Advertising spending

Total amount spent to purchase advertising in all media, including television,

digital, print, radio, cinema, and outdoor.

TV advertising spending

Total amount spent to purchase advertising on national (network, cable,

and syndicated) and local (spot) TV and on Spanish-language cable and

broadcast networks.

TV viewing time

Average time (hrs:min per day) spent watching TV by viewers in a specific age

group, including TV programming on broadcast, cable, syndicated, and spot

TV. Viewing times do not include time spent watching streaming services (e.g.,

Netflix, Hulu) or time spent watching TV programming on mobile devices.

Spanish-language TV

TV programming presented on Spanish-language cable and broadcast networks

(e.g., Telemundo). Exposure for Spanish-language TV advertising is calculated

based on the number of persons living in Hispanic households as projected by

Nielsen.

Black-targeted TV

TV networks with an audience consisting of 50% or more Black viewers, including

BET, VH1, NBA TV, and TV1, measured by Nielsen in 2017 (as identified in our

previous report).

Denitions

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Advertising exposure – all persons

The average number of TV advertisements viewed by all preschoolers (2-5 y),

children (6-11 y), teens (12-17 y), and adults (18-49 y) on all television

programming, measured by Nielsen.

Advertising exposure – Black and

White viewers

The average number of TV advertisements viewed by Black and White

preschoolers, children, teens, and adults on national TV programming only (data

not available for local/spot TV), measured by Nielsen.

Advertising exposure – Hispanic viewers

The average number of TV advertisements viewed by Hispanic preschoolers,

children, teens, and adults on Spanish-language TV programming, measured by

Nielsen. Exposure to TV advertisements by Hispanic viewers on other types of TV

is not available.

Criteria used to identify companies and brands for analysis

Food and beverage companies

All companies in Nielsen’s “Food and Food Products” and “Confectionary,

Snacks and Soft Drinks” categories.

Top food and beverage companies

Companies that spent $100 million or more in total advertising spending

and/or participated in the CFBAI in 2017 (reported in our previous report)

and any additional companies that met those criteria in 2021.

Highly advertised brands

Individual brands from the top companies that spent $500,000 or more in

TV advertising in 2021.

Criteria used to identify targeted advertising

Spanish-language TV

advertising allocation

Measures Spanish-language TV advertising spending relative to total TV

advertising for a company or brand, calculated by dividing a company/

brand’s TV advertising spending on Spanish-language TV by its total TV

advertising spending.

Denitions

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Hispanic-targeted brands

Brands that spent $100,000 or more in advertising on Spanish-language

TV in 2021.

Black-targeted TV advertising allocation

Measures Black-targeted TV advertising spending relative to total TV advertising

for a company or brand, calculated by dividing a company/brand’s advertising

spending on Black-targeted TV by its total TV advertising spending.

Black:White targeted ratios

Measures ads viewed by Black versus White viewers in the same age group,

calculated as ads viewed by Black preschoolers, children, teens, and adults

divided by ads viewed by White individuals in the same age group.

Black:White targeted index

Measures disproportionate exposure to TV advertising for Black versus White

viewers in the same age group, after accounting for differences in time spent

watching TV. Calculated by dividing Black:White targeted ratios by Black:White

ratios of TV viewing times for preschoolers, children, teens, and adults.

Black-targeted brands

Brands that spent $100,000 or more in advertising on Black-targeted TV in

2021 and had Black:White targeted indices > 100 (i.e., Black:White teen-

targeted ratios > 1.61 and/or Black:White adult-targeted ratios >1.70).

Youth:adult targeted ratios

Measures ads viewed by preschoolers, children, and teens versus adults,

calculated by dividing ads viewed by youth (in each age group) by adults.

Youth-targeted brands

Brands with child:adult targeted ratios > 0.52 and/or teen:adult targeted

ratios > 0.40, the ratios of TV viewing times versus adults for these age

groups (i.e., a child:adult or teen:adult targeted index > 100).

Denitions

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Results

We present the results for food and

beverage advertising targeted to Black

and Hispanic consumers in 2021,

including ad spending and TV ad

exposure, and assess changes versus 2017.

CHANGES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE

ADVERTISING: 2017 TO 2021

The amount of food and beverage advertising was

substantially lower in 2021 compared to 2017. Total

advertising spending declined by 30%, from $7.0

billion in 2017 to $4.9 billion in 2021. Spending on

television advertising also declined, but at a lower

rate (down 25%) compared to all other media (down

45%) (see

Figure 1).

Exposure to food and beverage ads on television

declined even more. Children and teens viewed

approximately 60% fewer ads in 2021 than in 2017,

while adults viewed 45% fewer (see

Figure 2).

These declines were nearly identical to reductions

in the amount of time that children, teens, and

adults spent watching traditional television

programming (see

Figure 3).

Changes in advertising targeted to Hispanic

and Black consumers

Total food and beverage advertising spending on

targeted TV channels also declined substantially from

2017 to 2021. Spanish-language TV advertising went

from $411.5 million in 2017 to $336.5 million in 2021.

This 18% decline was somewhat less than the 25%

FIGURE 1. CHANGES IN TOTAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE

AD SPENDING: 2017 VS. 2021

*Ads in other media includes digital, print, radio, cinema, and outdoor

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

In 2020, Nielsen changed its methodology to capture additional forms of digital advertising, so a direct comparison of spending on digital

advertising in 2017 vs. 2021 is not available. These total ad spending numbers include $2.7 million in internet advertising in 2017 and $654.4

million in digital advertising in 2021. Therefore, these declines in ad spending on other media are likely understated.

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Results

FIGURE 2. CHANGES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE TV ADS VIEWED BY AGE GROUP: 2017 VS. 2021

FIGURE 3. CHANGES IN AVERAGE DAILY TV VIEWING BY AGE GROUP: 2017 VS. 2021

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

*TV viewing time data not available for 2-5 y and 6-11 y separately in 2017. We averaged TV viewing times for the two age groups in 2021

to calculate 2017 vs. 2021 change.

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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decline in total TV advertising spending (see Table 1).

As a result, food and beverage companies allocated

a higher share of their TV advertising budgets

to Spanish-language advertising in 2021 (8.5%)

compared to 2017 (7.8%).

In contrast, food and beverage advertising spending

on Black-targeted TV declined at a greater rate (-63%)

compared to total TV advertising, from $235.3 million

in 2017 to $86.0 million in 2021. Accordingly, food and

beverage companies allocated a lower proportion of

their total TV advertising budgets to Black-targeted TV

channels in 2021 (2.2%) than in 2017 (4.5%).

Exposure to TV food ads

On Spanish-language TV, food and beverage ads

viewed declined by 41% for Hispanic preschoolers

and children, 38% for Hispanic teens, and 43% for

Hispanic adults (see

Table 2). Consistent with lower

rates of decline in ad spending on Spanish-language

TV from 2017 to 2021, reductions in ads viewed

were also lower than reductions in food ads viewed

on other TV programming.

As found in changes in overall exposure to food and

beverage TV ads, declines in food ads viewed by Black

and White viewers also mirrored declines in time spent watching TV (see

Figures 4 and 5). Black children and teens viewed 66% to 70% fewer

food ads in 2021 than in 2017, and they spent 65% to 68% less time

watching TV. Declines in ads viewed by White children and teens were

somewhat lower (-56% to -58%), which was also comparable to declines

in time spent watching TV (-56% to -57%). As a result, disparities in ads

viewed by Black versus White youth declined slightly from 2021 to 2017.

However, Black youth and adults continued to view substantially more

food and beverage TV ads compared to their White peers. Ratios of

ads viewed by Black versus White viewers in all age groups declined

from 2017 to 2021, but differences in TV viewing times declined at

approximately equal or greater rates. As a result, targeting indices

stayed the same or increased for ads viewed by Black children, teens,

and adults relative to White viewers. Black preschoolers were the only

age group to experience a decline in ads that was greater than declines

in viewing times. In 2021, Black viewers continued to view 9% to 21%

more food ads than would be expected after adjusting for differences in

time spent watching TV.

TARGETED ADVERTISING BY COMPANY

Nineteen companies are included for additional analyses in this

report (see

Table 3). Eighteen had been included in the 2019 report

(which analyzed 2017 data), consisting of 16 CFBAI participants and

2 additional companies that spent more than $100 million in total

Results

TABLE 1. CHANGES IN KEY MEASURES OF TARGETED FOOD AND BEVERAGE TV ADVERTISING

SPENDING: 2017 VS. 2021

Key measures 2017 2021

Spanish-language TV advertising spending $411.5 mill $336.5 mill

- Proportion of total TV advertising 7.8% 8.5%

Black-targeted TV advertising spending $235.3 mill $86.0 mill

- Proportion of total TV advertising 4.5% 2.2%

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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Results

FIGURE 4. CHANGES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE TV ADS VIEWED BY BLACK AND WHITE VIEWERS: 2017 TO 2021

FIGURE 5. CHANGES IN TIME SPENT WATCHING TV BY BLACK AND WHITE VIEWERS: 2017 TO 2021

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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Results

TABLE 2. CHANGES IN KEY MEASURES OF TARGETED FOOD AND BEVERAGE TV ADVERTISING

EXPOSURE: 2017 VS. 2021

2017 2021

Ads viewed on Spanish-language TV by Hispanic viewers

- Preschoolers (2-5 y)

510.4

344.0

- Children (6-11 y) 256.5

- Teens (12-17 y) 366.5 226.9

- Adults (18-49 y) 794.8 451.2

Ratio of ads viewed (Black:White viewers)

- Preschoolers (2-5 y) 1.82 1.33

- Children (6-11 y) 1.87 1.51

- Teens (12-17 y) 2.23 1.61

- Adults (18-49 y) 1.84 1.70

Targeting index (ratio of ads viewed/ratio of TV viewing times* for Black:White viewers

- Preschoolers (2-5 y) 124 113

- Children (6-11 y) 108 109

- Teens (12-17 y) 121 121

- Adults (18-49 y) 115 118

*Black:White TV viewing ratios = 1.18 (ages 2-5 y), 1.38 (ages 6-11 y), 1.33 (ages 12-17 y), 1.44 (ages 18-49 y)

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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ad spending 2017. Of note, these two companies

(Tyson and Wonderful) spent less than $100 million

in 2021. One company was added to the list (Red

Bull) because it spent more than $100 million in

total advertising in 2021. Together, these companies

spent $3.65 billion in total advertising in 2021

and represented 74% of all food and beverage

advertising spending.

TV advertising spending by company

TV advertising spending by these 19 companies in

2021 totaled $2.98 billion, contributing 82% of their

total advertising spending in all media. Compared

to 2017, these companies’ TV advertising declined

by 24%, which was comparable to the 25% decline

in TV advertising spending by all food and beverage

companies (see

Appendix Tables A1 and A2).

However, changes varied widely by company (see

Appendix B for company profiles summarizing each

company’s ethnically targeted advertising). Four

companies increased their total TV advertising,

including Red Bull (+835%), Ferrero (+139%), Kellogg

(+63%), and Mondelez (+54%), while Campbell Soup

and PepsiCo advertising declined at a lower-than-

average rate (12-13%). In contrast, TV ad spending

declined by 50% or more for four companies: Mars,

General Mills, Wonderful, and Conagra.

Spanish-language TV advertising

The companies in our analysis spent a total of

$264.6 million to advertise on Spanish-language

TV in 2021, but investments in Spanish-language

TV varied widely by company (see

Table 4).

Thirteen of these nineteen companies advertised

on Spanish-language TV in 2021. On average,

these companies allocated 10.1% of their total

TV advertising spending to Spanish-language TV.

Mondelez invested the highest proportion to

Spanish-language TV (23%), followed by Nestle

and Kellogg (over 18%). Kellogg also spent more

than any other company on Spanish-language

TV (almost $60 million), followed by PepsiCo and

Mondelez (each spent more than $40 million).

However, PepsiCo invested a relatively low 8.2%

of its TV ads to Spanish-language.

Results

TABLE 3. TOP FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANIES

AND TOTAL AD SPENDING: 2021

Company

CFBAI

participant*

Included in

2019 report

(2017 data)

2021 total ad

spending ($000)

PepsiCo

$581,800

Kellogg Company

$391,866

The Coca-Cola Company

$366,034

The Hershey Company

$302,449

General Mills

$239,584

Mondelez International

$199,945

The Kraft Heinz Company

$276,265

Mars

$202,853

Ferrero USA

$151,588

Nestle USA

$169,699

Keurig Dr Pepper**

$118,755

Red Bull $113,064

Campbell Soup Company

$116,524

Unilever United States

$143,540

Tyson Foods

$125,063

Danone North America

$52,595

The Wonderful Company

$67,596

Post Foods

$29,239

Conagra Brands, Inc. $1,967

*American Licorice Company also participated in CFBAI in 2021, but the company had

no advertising spending.

**Formerly, Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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TABLE 4. SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV ADVERTISING SPENDING IN 2021 BY COMPANY

Company

2021 Spanish-

language TV ad

spending ($000)

% of total TV

ad spend

Change

vs. 2017 Targeted brands*

Kellogg $59,985 18.1% +71%

Special K, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Eggo Wafes,

Pop-Tarts, Sunshine Cheez-It, Pringles Cheddar Cheese

PepsiCo $42,834 8.2% +86%

Lays Potato Chips, Cheetos, Pepsi (regular soda), Rockstar

Energy, Tostitos Scoops!, Quaker Oatmeal, Diet Pepsi

Mondelez $41,673 22.9% +355%

Oreo, Ritz Crackers, Trident Gum, Belvita Cookies, Sour

Patch Kids, Chips Ahoy!

Coca-Cola $26,559 9.1% -44% Coca-Cola Classic, Coca-Cola Zero

Nestle $26,085 19.7% -52%

Nescafe, Nido, Coffee-Mate Creamer, Nestle Cream,

Hot Pockets, La Lechera, Maggi Foods, Nestle Cocoa

General Mills $25,119 12.1% -25%

Yoplait Yogurt, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, Lucky

Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios Oat Crunch

Mars $23,093 14.4% -72% M&Ms, Snickers, Wrigley’s Extra, Skittles, Twix

Red Bull $9,911 9.5% ** Red Bull

Unilever $3,780 4.2% -80% Hellmanns Mayonaise

Ferrero $3,031 2.1% ** Nutella, Kinder Joy

Kraft Heinz $2,325 1.4% -79% Planters Nuts, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Lunchables

Hershey $218 0.1% -99%

Wonderful $22 0.1% -12%

*Excludes company-level ads

**Company did not advertise on Spanish-language TV in 2017

Bold indicates brands targeting children and/or teens

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Results

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Results

In contrast to the overall 29% decline from 2017 to

2021, some companies increased their ad spending on

Spanish-language TV. Red Bull and Ferrero advertised

on Spanish-language TV in 2021, but not in 2017, and

three additional companies (Mondelez, Kellogg, and

PepsiCo) increased their Spanish-language

TV advertising.

In contrast, five companies with Spanish-language

TV ads in 2017 had no Spanish-language ads in

2021 (Keurig Dr Pepper, Post Foods, Campbell

Soup, Dannon, and Conagra), and five additional

companies reduced their Spanish-language TV

advertising by more than 50% (Nestle, Mars,

Unilever, Kraft Heinz, and Hershey).

Black-targeted TV advertising

The companies in our analyses spent $70.6 million

to advertise on Black-targeted TV in 2021 (see

Table

). These companies invested on average just 2.4%

of their TV advertising budgets to Black-targeted channels, but only one

company (Conagra) did not advertise at all on Black-targeted channels.

Post, Ferrero, and Red Bull each allocated more than 5% of their TV ad

budgets to Black-targeted TV, and three additional companies (Dannon,

Unilever, and Kellogg) allocated an above-average amount (3.6% or

3.7%). PepsiCo spent the most on Black-targeted TV channels ($12.1

million), followed by Kellogg (almost $12 million) and Ferrero ($8.5

million).

In contrast to the 63% decline in all food and beverage advertising

spending on Black-targeted TV, nine companies increased their spending

from 2017 to 2021. Red Bull ranked fourth in Black-targeted TV ad

spending in 2021 but did not advertise there in 2017, while Dannon’s

spending increased from $74,000 to $1.8 million. Three additional

companies more than tripled their Black-targeted ad spending from 2017

to 2021 (Post, Ferrero, and Campbell Soup), and spending by Kellogg,

Kraft Heinz, Nestle, and Wonderful also increased. On the other hand,

three of the top spenders in 2021 (Mars, Hershey, and Keurig Dr Pepper)

reduced their Black-targeted TV ad spending by more than 70%.

TABLE 5. BLACK-TARGETED TV ADVERTISING SPENDING IN 2021 BY COMPANY

Company

2021 Black-

targeted TV ad

spending ($000)

% of total TV

ad spend

Change

vs. 2017 Targeted brands*

PepsiCo $12,072 2.3% -33%

Frito-Lay Snacks, Gatorade, Tostitos Dips, Mtn Dew

(regular), Lays, Rufes Potato Chips, Cheetos Crunch

Pop Mix, Naked Juices, Doritos, Cheetos, Lipton Iced

Tea, Propel, Pepsi (regular), Diet Mtn Dew, Tropicana

Fruit Juices, Gatorade Zero

Kellogg $11,788 3.6% +15%

Rice Krispies Treats, Pop-Tarts, Sunshine Cheez-It, Club

Crackers, Tiger Paws, Eggo Wafes, Frosted Flakes,

Froot Loops, Pringles Potato Chips, Morningstar Farms,

Bear Naked Granola, Special K, Keebler Town House,

Nutri-Grain Snack Bars, Apple Jacks

Ferrero $8,525 5.8% +344%

Butternger, Crunch, Kinder, Keebler Cookies, Trolli,

Nutella, Sweetarts, Famous Amos

*Excludes company-level ads **Company did not advertise on Black-targeted TV in 2017

Bold indicates brands targeting children and/or teens

Continued on next page

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Results

TABLE 5. BLACK-TARGETED TV ADVERTISING SPENDING IN 2021 BY COMPANY (CONTINUED)

Company

2021 Black-

targeted TV ad

spending ($000)

% of total TV

ad spend

Change

vs. 2017 Targeted brands*

Red Bull $5,339 5.1% ** Red Bull

General Mills $5,028 2.4% -32%

Pillsbury Dough, Nature Valley Granola Bar, Cinnamon

Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Old El Paso Taco Shells,

Chex Mix, Cheerios Oat Crunch

Hershey $4,780 1.8% -79% Cadbury

Coca-Cola $3,553 1.2% -32% Sprite, AHA Bottled Water

Unilever $3,196 3.6% -34%

Hellmanns Mayonnaise, Breyers Ice Cream, Klondike Ice

Cream, Lipton Iced Tea, Knorr Rice Sides, Talenti, Pure

Life Iced Tea (diet)

Mars $3,141 2.0% -72% M&Ms, Snickers, Wrigley’s Extra, Skittles, Twix

Kraft Heinz $2,759 1.7% +20% Lunchables, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

Mondelez $1,924 1.1% -44% Ritz Crackers, Triscuits, Oreo Thins, Sour Patch Kids

Dannon $1,817 3.7% +2345%

Silk Plant Milk, Evian, Oikos, Two Good Yogurt, Dannon

Light & Fit, Activia

Post $1,785 6.3% +501% Honey Bunches of Oats, Dunkin Cereal, Pebbles

Campbell Soup $1,743 1.7% +287% Pepperidge Farm Goldﬁsh, Snyders of Hanover Pretzels

Nestle $1,494 1.1% +33%

Hot Pockets, Stouffers Entrees, Carnation Breakfast, Toll

House Chocolate Morsels

Tyson $1,299 2.3% -67% Jimmy Dean Entrees, Hillshire Farms

Wonderful $226 0.8% ** Fiji Bottled Water

Keurig Dr Pepper $163 0.2% -97%

*Excludes company-level ads **Company did not advertise on Black-targeted TV in 2017

Bold indicates brands targeting children and/or teens

Source: Analysis of 2017 and 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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FIGURE 6. TARGETING BY HIGHLY ADVERTISED BRANDS IN 2021: TOTAL AND YOUTH-TARGETED BRANDS

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Results

Targeted brands

We identified 228 highly advertised brands in 2021

(i.e., $500,000 or more in TV advertising) offered

by the 19 companies in our analysis. More than

one-half of these brands (n=128, 56%) targeted

Hispanic and/or Black consumers (see

Figure 6). This

proportion was lower than in 2017, when two-thirds

of highly advertised brands (66%) targeted Hispanic

and/or Black consumers.

Appendix Tables A3 to A5

provide all data on Hispanic-targeted, Black-targeted,

and non-targeted highly advertised brands.

In 2021, 27 highly advertised brands (12%)

targeted children and/or teens, which was similar

to the proportion of youth-targeted brands in

2017 (14%). Compared to other highly advertised

brands, youth-targeted brands were less likely to target only Black or

Hispanic consumers, but more likely to target both. However, in 2021

youth-targeted brands were less likely to target Hispanic and/or Black

consumers (n=16, 59%) than in 2017 (85%).

Of the 228 highly advertised brands, 61 (27%) targeted Hispanic consumers

in 2021 (defined as brands that spent more than $100,000 on Spanish-

language TV advertising in 2021, see

Appendix Table A3). Five brands

spent more than $10 million: Coca-Cola Classic and Coca-Cola Zero, Lays

and Cheetos (PepsiCo), and Special K cereal (Kellogg). Five of these brands

also targeted children and teens (Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Cinnamon

Toast Crunch, and Lucky Charms cereals and Lunchables).

In addition, 152 brands spent more than $100 million in advertising

on Black-targeted TV in 2021, including 97 brands (43%) that were

highly targeted to Black consumers (included brands with Black:White

targeted indices of 100 or higher for teens and/or adults, see

Return to contents >

Appendix Table A4). Nine brands spent more than

$1 million in advertising on Black-targeted TV, led

by Red Bull ($5.3 million), Butterfinger candy bar

(Mars, $1.7 million), and Sprite regular soda (Coca-

Cola, $1.6 million). Brands with the highest ratios

of ads viewed by Black versus White teens included

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish (Campbells, 2.53),

Frosted Flakes (Kellogg, 2.33), Evian (Dannon,

2.32), and Froot Loops (Kellogg, 2.26).

TARGETED ADVERTISING BY PRODUCT CATEGORY

This section provides category-level analyses of

Hispanic- and Black-targeted advertising by highly

advertised brands, as well as targeted TV ad

spending and ad exposure. In 2021, as in 2017,

targeting varied widely by food and beverage

category, but some highly targeted categories

changed during this time.

Appendix Table A6

provides all ad spending data by product category.

Highly advertised brands

Table 6 lists the food and beverage categories

examined in this report. Due to small numbers and

similar targeting strategies, we combined some

categories in the highly advertised brand analysis.

More than one-half of highly advertised brands

(n=128, 55%) belonged to just five categories:

savory snacks, candy, cereal, prepared meals,

and sweet snacks/desserts, while just 20 highly

advertised brands (9%) belonged to the healthiest

categories (unsweetened drinks and nuts). There

were no highly advertised fruit or vegetable brands

in 2021.

As noted previously, 56% of highly advertised

brands in 2021 targeted Hispanic and/or Black

consumers. Eight categories had a higher-than-

average proportion of targeted brands, ranging

from 82% of yogurt and sweetened milk drinks

(e.g., Nesquik, Carnation breakfast) to 62% of

regular soda and energy drinks (see

Figure 7).

Results

TABLE 6. HIGHLY ADVERTISED BRANDS BY

PRODUCT CATEGORY

Combined category Category

# of highly

advertised

brands*

Savory snacks Savory snacks 31

Candy and gum/mints

Candy 25

Gum/mints 4

Cereal

Cereal 25

Prepared meals Prepared meals 25

Sweet snacks/desserts Sweet snacks/desserts 20

Diet soda and other diet drinks

Diet soda 7

Other diet drinks 7

Juice and plain water

Juice 7

Plain water 7

Condiments/food prep Condiments/food prep 12

Regular soda and energy drinks

Regular soda 8

Soda brands 2

Energy drinks 3

Yogurt and milk drinks

Yogurt 6

Sweetened milk drinks 5

*Brands with >$500,000 in TV advertising in 2021

Continued on next page

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As in 2017, sweet and savory snack brands and

some types of sugary drinks (regular soda and

energy drinks) were more likely to target Hispanic

and/or Black consumers. However, some of these

highly targeted categories in 2021, including

cereals, yogurt and sweetened milk drinks,

condiments/food prep, and nuts, had been less

likely to target them in 2017.

Brands in another seven categories were less likely

to target Hispanic and/or Black consumers in 2021,

ranging from 29% of juice and plain water brands

to 52% of candy and gum/mint brands (see

Figure

). Some of these categories were also less likely to

target these groups in 2017, including juice and

plain water and prepared meals.

However, brands in some highly targeted

categories in 2017 no longer disproportionately

targeted these consumers in 2021. Most notably,

33 of 35 candy and gum/mint brands targeted

Black and/or Hispanic consumers in 2017 compared

to 15 of 29 brands in 2021. Diet soda and other

sugary drink brands (sports drinks and flavored

waters) were also less likely to target Black and/or

Hispanic consumers in 2021 than in 2017.

TV advertising spending by category

Consistent with overall declines in TV food and

beverage advertising spending from 2017 to 2021,

spending declined for most categories (see

Table 7).

However, candy and gum/mints remained the most

highly advertised food category on TV, despite a

31% decline in ad spending.

In contrast to overall declines in TV ad spending,

advertising increased for three categories: sugary

drinks increased by almost 50%, cereal ad spending

more than doubled, and spending on diet drinks

more than tripled. These three categories moved

up to second, fourth, and fifth in TV ad spending in

2021. TV ad spending on savory snacks declined by

9% from 2017 to 2021, but the category moved up

from fourth in spending in 2017 to third in 2021.

TABLE 6. HIGHLY ADVERTISED BRANDS BY

PRODUCT CATEGORY (CONTINUED)

Combined category Category

# of highly

advertised

brands*

Other sugary drinks Other sugary drinks 9

Other dairy Other dairy 6

Company-level ads Company-level ads 5

Nuts Nuts 3

All other

Meat 7

Coffee/tea

unsweetened 3

Baby food 1

*Brands with >$500,000 in TV advertising in 2021

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Results

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Results

FIGURE 7. CATEGORIES WITH BRANDS* THAT WERE MORE LIKELY TO TARGET HISPANIC AND/OR BLACK CONSUMERS

FIGURE 8. CATEGORIES WITH BRANDS* THAT WERE LESS LIKELY TO TARGET HISPANIC AND/OR BLACK CONSUMERS

*Includes highly advertised brands

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

*Includes highly advertised brands

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Return to contents >

TABLE 7. CHANGES IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE ADVERTISING SPENDING ON TV BY CATEGORY:

2017 TO 2021

Total TV ad spending ($000) Spanish-language TV ads ($000) Black-targeted TV ads

Category 2017* 2021 % change 2017* 2021

change 2017* 2021

change

Candy, gum, mints $776,533 $536,822 -31% $55,336 $34,385 -38% $21,517 $14,250 -34%

Sugary drinks $332,900 $490,899 +47% $38,854 $37,807 -3% $9,462 $11,407 +21%

Savory snacks $403,446 $366,027 -9% $44,439 $44,416 0% $7,216 $10,639 +47%

Cereal $133,175 $329,782 +148% $9,701 $50,003 +415% $767 $8,644 +1027%

Diet drinks $76,429 $256,562 +236% $14,417 $10,838 -25% $1,059 $2,058 +94%

Sweet snacks/

desserts $457,690 $254,077 -44% $16,099 $34,706 +116% $7,850 $8,281 +5%

Prepared meals $491,440 $227,552 -54% $99,307 $12,631 -87% $14,031 $4,748 -66%

Yogurt, other dairy,

sweet milks $205,639 $156,724 -24% $16,137 $18,221 +13% $11,634 $3,141 -73%

Condiments,

food prep $392,311 $137,089 -65% $10,466 $7,840 -25% $10,515 $3,679 -65%

Water, juice $101,925 $85,937 -16% $6,773 $0 -100% $3,666 $2,093 -43%

All other $251,362 $135,255 -46% $14,633 $13,789 -6% $9,463 $1,693 -82%

Total $3,622,849 $2,976,726 -18% $326,163 $264,635 -19% $97,180 $70,633 -27%

*2017 data reported for highly advertised brands only

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Results

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Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Results

Ad spending on sweet snacks and prepared meals

declined by approximately 50%, and these two

categories moved down to numbers six and seven

in 2021, from two and three in 2017.

In 2021 as in 2017, a small number of categories

were responsible for the majority of TV food and

beverage advertising spending, including in Spanish-

language and Black-targeted TV (see

Figure 9).

Candy and gum/mints, sugary drinks, savory snacks,

cereal, and sweet snacks contributed 66% of total

TV advertising spending in 2021, compared to 58%

in 2017. However, these five categories increased

from 51% of Spanish-language TV advertising

in 2017 to 76% in 2021 and from 48% of Black-

targeted TV advertising to 75% in 2021.

Some changes in category-level ad spending on Spanish-language and

Black-targeted TV channels were notable. For example, despite large

increases in total TV advertising for sugary drinks and diet drinks,

ad spending for these categories declined on Spanish-language TV

and increased at lower rates on Black-targeted TV. In contrast, some

categories with declines in total TV ad spending increased or maintained

their spending on Hispanic and/or Black-targeted TV, including savory

snacks (no change on Spanish-language TV, 47% increase on Black-

targeted TV), sweet snacks (more than double on Spanish-language

TV, increased by 5% on Black-targeted TV), and yogurt and sweetened

milk (13% increase on Spanish-language TV). Moreover, there was no

advertising for juice and plain water on Spanish-language TV in 2021 and

Black-targeted TV ads for this category declined at a much greater rate

than total TV advertising (82% vs. 16%).

FIGURE 9. PROPORTION OF TV ADVERTISING SPENDING BY CATEGORY: 2021

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TV AD EXPOSURE BY CATEGORY

In this section, we examine the categories of foods

and beverages in TV ads viewed in 2021 by Hispanic

viewers on Spanish-language TV and differences in

ads viewed by Black and White viewers. Data are

reported by age group, including preschoolers (2-5

y), children (6-11 y), teens (12-17 y), and adults (18-

49 y).

Appendix Table A7 provides all ad exposure

data by category.

Hispanic exposure to TV ads on Spanish-language TV

The distribution of TV food ads viewed by Hispanic

youth and adults by category (see

Figure 10) largely

mirrored the distribution of Spanish-language TV

ad spending by category. Cereals was the most

advertised food category, followed by savory snacks, sweet snacks, and

candy and gum/mints. Together, these four categories represented 63%

of TV food ads viewed by Hispanic viewers in all age groups and 62% of

Spanish-language TV food ad spending.

Yogurt, sweetened milks, and other dairy ranked fifth in number of ads

viewed by Hispanic individuals in all age groups (9-10% of ads viewed),

compared to sixth in ad spending (7% of ad spending). In contrast,

sugary drinks represented a smaller proportion of food ads viewed by

Hispanic individuals (7-8% for all age groups) compared to its proportion

of ad spending on Spanish-language TV (14%).

Exposure to TV ads by Black versus White viewers

Cereal was the most widely viewed food and beverage ad category for

Black and White youth in all age groups in 2021, followed by candy

and gum/mints, prepared meals, savory snacks, sweet snacks, and

Results

FIGURE 10. PROPORTION OF TV ADS VIEWED BY HISPANIC CHILDREN* ON SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV BY CATEGORY: 2021

*Ads viewed by Hispanic children (6-11 y) on Spanish-language TV only. Proportions of ads viewed did not differ significantly by age group (±1% or less).

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

Return to contents >

sugary drinks (see Figure 11). These six categories

contributed approximately 79% of TV ads viewed

across all groups.

The proportion of food and beverage ads viewed

by category were similar to the proportions of TV

ad spending by category, with a few exceptions.

Prepared meals ranked third in ads viewed by youth

compared to seventh in TV ad spending, whereas

sugary drinks ranked second in TV ad spending, but

sixth in ads viewed by Black and White youth. Diet

drinks also ranked lower than expected in ads viewed

by youth (4% of TV food ads viewed) compared to

the amount spent to advertise these products (9% of

total TV ad spending).

As noted earlier, Black preschoolers, children, and

teens continued to view more food and beverage ads

than their White peers (32%, 50% and 60% more,

respectively). In addition, these differences were higher than would be

expected after accounting for the greater amount of time that Black

youth spend watching TV, indicated by Black:White targeted indices of

113, 109, and 121, respectively.

However, differences in ads viewed by Black and White youth varied by

category. In 2021, as in 2017, categories with the highest Black:White

targeted indices for preschoolers and children included candy and

gum/mints, savory snacks, and sweet snacks (targeted indices > 115).

Categories that did not appear to disproportionately target Black

preschoolers and children in 2021 included cereal, juice and water, and

diet drinks (all targeted indices ≤ 103).

In 2021, cereals, savory snacks, and sweet snacks had Black:White

targeted indices higher than 120 for teens, similar to differences found in

2017. Black teens also saw disproportionately more ads for juice and plain

water and prepared meals in 2021; whereas sugary drinks and diet drinks

appeared to no longer target Black teens (targeted indices ≤ 103).

Results

FIGURE 11. ADS VIEWED BY BLACK VS. WHITE YOUTH BY CATEGORY: 2021

*[Numbers in brackets] = targeted indices (ratio of ads viewed/ratio of TV viewing times for Black:White viewers*100)

Source: Analysis of 2021 Nielsen data (Nielsen Global Media)

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TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Our review of targeted marketing campaigns (see

Appendix C) identified numerous examples of

marketing that appeared to target Hispanic and

Black consumers, including multicultural youth.

A small number of companies explicitly stated a

business opportunity for their ethnically targeted

marketing. For example, Mars joined the National

Hispanic Corporate Council to “effectively serve the

growing Hispanic market.”

PepsiCo noted that 14%

of Rockstar consumers are Hispanic, more than 50%

of Cheetos’ sales “are in the Hispanic base,”

29,30

and

that Lipton “has a high skew of African American

consumption.”

The company also noted that Pepsi’s

all-Black sales force in the Jim Crow South laid the

foundation for engaging with the trillion-dollar Black

consumer market.

Culturally relevant campaigns

Although not stated explicitly, many companies

also appeared to follow the guidance of marketing

experts that, “The path for growth is towards the

multicultural youth.”

We found many campaigns

designed to appeal to multicultural youth through

music, sports, “extreme” flavors, and other youth-

oriented themes. Many of these campaigns also

appeared to recognize that multicultural youth

should not be treated as one homogeneous group.

As noted by marketing experts, Black youth have

traditionally shaped American pop culture, but are

now looking for new ways to celebrate their “African

roots,” and Hispanic youth also want to connect with

their Latino culture.

In our analysis, music was the most common

technique used by food and beverage brands to

appeal to multicultural youth, with campaigns

incorporating hip-hop (Gold Peak, VitaminWater,

Sprite, Cheez-It, Pepsi, and Lipton) and Latinx

(Cheetos, Pepsi, Rockstar, and Red Bull) music

celebrities. Mtn Dew/Ruffles, Gatorade, and Tyson

also promoted sports-related sponsorships supporting

Black colleges, while LifeWtr sponsored a Black Art Rising Initiative to

“immortalize Black protest art.” Notably, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brands

represented two-thirds of the ethnically targeted music and sports

campaigns identified.

Many product introductions also exhibited multicultural appeal,

including Minute Maid Aguas Frescas, Fanta Dragon Fruit Zero Sugar,

Sprite Extra Spice and Hit of Ginger flavors, Cheez-It X Pandora

“sonically aged cheese snack using music from iconic hip-hop artists,”

Old El Paso Takis Fuegos taco shells, and Rockstar Punched Aguas

Frescas flavors. Pop-Tarts and Perrier both offered limited-time Dia de

Los Muertos packaging, while Kit Kat packages featured black female

music artists, and Sprite introduced a streetwear collection tied to its Hit

of Ginger flavor.

A few brands also introduced campaigns to appeal to multicultural

women and/or moms, such as Coca-Cola’s partnership with Essence

Festival of Culture, Kellogg’s “On Moms’ Tables Aquí y Allá” to “capture

bicultural Latina moms’ emotional relationship with cereal brands”, and

Special K’s partnership with La La Anthony, a Black health and wellness

celebrity, and Black Girls RUN!

Corporate social responsibility initiatives

Companies and brands also promoted numerous cause-related initiatives

to support communities of color. Cause-related campaigns often

featured youth-oriented giving, such as scholarships to Hispanic and/

or Black youth (Mtn Dew/Ruffles, PepsiCo), and support of youth

sports (Frosted Flakes), minority youth hiring (Ben & Jerry’s, PepsiCo),

and food insecurity causes (Coca Cola company, Old El Paso, Special K).

Campaigns also supported Black and Hispanic cultural causes, including

the National Museum of the American Latino (Coca-Cola), Memphis

Music Initiative (Hershey), Hispanic Heritage Foundation (Perrier), Black

Art Rising (LifeWtr), mentorship for Black filmmakers (M&Ms), and the

Pepsi Music Lab to support future hip-hop artists.

PepsiCo brands often supported a cause in connection with its youth-

oriented promotions. For example, the company established a fund

to support Hispanic communities together with its “Deja tu Huella”

Cheetos Flamin’ Hot campaign to inspire Latinos to leave their mark on

the world, both literally and figuratively” featuring Bad Bunny (Latino

music celebrity).

According to a PepsiCo spokesperson, “By embedding

the brand into the Hispanic cultural conversation, Cheetos re-ignited its

relationship and effectively reversed penetration erosion.”

Results

Return to contents >

Approximately two-thirds of company and brand

corporate responsibility initiatives were campaigns

centered on social justice and/or diversity, equity,

and inclusion (DEI). These initiatives also represent

a form of ethnically targeted marketing. In the

wake of increased public attention to issues of DEI,

consumers are asking brands to demonstrate their

commitment to these values. In a 2021 consumer poll,

75% agreed that they’re more likely to purchase from

a brand “when people like them are represented in

their ads.”

They also considered “diverse imagery”

and “inclusive language” to be the most essential

components of a marketing message. Inclusivity in

advertising increases short-term sales and long-term

brand equity, and young people are even more

sensitive about the topic.

A few food and beverage marketing campaigns

directly supported social justice causes. For example,

Coca-Cola Company sponsored a “Together We

Must” Virtual Dinner Series with resources for

families to have social justice conversations over the

holiday season, challenged state voter suppression

laws, and made grants to the NAACP, National

Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Equal Justice

Initiative. Its Sprite brand also launched a campaign

to “Inspire multicultural youth to make their voices

heard via inclusive voter education program with

help from cultural tastemakers.” PepsiCo brands,

Doritos and Bubly, supported “Black Nonprofit Changemakers” and

the Center for Black Equity; while Mars’ Kind brand partnered with the

National Collaborative for Health Equity.

The most common type of corporate responsibility campaign

supported DEI in multiple domains. Some specifically focused on diverse

representation in media and marketing communications. For example,

20 companies (including Dannon, Ferrara, General Mills, Mars, Nestle,

and Tyson) pledged to spend at least 20% of the annual media budgets

with Black-owned media companies; Mondelez joined the Unstereotype

Alliance to “eradicate harmful stereotypes in media and advertising

content”; and Tyson announced that it would utilize Mindshare’s

Impact Index to “ferret out social media content that is toxic to minority

consumers.” Pearl Milling Company (formerly Aunt Jemima) and Ben’s

Original (formerly Uncle Ben) changed their names and brand characters

to foster more inclusive brand images; while Kind KIDS promised more

diverse and inclusive representation on its product packages.

Companies’ DEI campaigns also frequently supported minority-owned

suppliers (Mars), Black-owned restaurants (Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo), and

retailers and other businesses in multicultural communities (PepsiCo).

Describing its Juntos Crecemos grants to minority-owned businesses,

a Pepsi representative noted, “If your brand is in a position to extend

special deeds like offers, discounts or contributions, those actions

contribute enormously in ensuring consumers will remember your brand

for being there and doing good.” Thus, food and beverage companies

incorporate cause-related initiatives benefiting communities of color into

their ethnically targeted marketing plan. However, as with traditional

advertising, few of these brands offer nutritious products that would

contribute positively to the health of people of color.

Results

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Discussion

The social, poli

tical, and economic

context in which we analyze these

ﬁndings has changed markedly since

the Rudd Center released its previous

report on targeted marketing to Black

and Hispanic youth in 2019.

The

disproportionate negative impacts of

the COVID-19 pandemic on

communities of color in the U.S. has

intensiﬁed the need to monitor

contributors to health disparities,

including targeted marketing of

unhealthy foods to Black and

Hispanic consumers.

There have also been major shifts in media viewing

habits and TV advertising by U.S. companies across

all product categories, not just the food and

beverage industry.

In addition, young people

have increased their media viewing on mobile

devices and non-commercial streaming services,

which are not measured in these data.

42-45

As a

result, companies have increased the proportion of

advertising budgets allocated to digital versus TV

advertising.

Market researchers have suggested

that the pandemic accelerated viewers’ shift from

traditional TV viewing to other screens, and predict

that ad spending will continue to move to non-

traditional media to follow viewers.

Targeted marketing designed to appeal specifically to

Hispanic and Black consumers acknowledges their

value as customers and is not problematic in and of itself. Companies

are responsible to their investors to continually increase sales and

profits. It appears from our analysis of public statements about targeted

marketing campaigns that they are trying to appeal to an increasingly

diverse customer base, including Hispanic and Black consumers. Hispanic

consumers contributed more than one-half of total U.S. population

growth from 2010 to 2020 and have a projected $2.6 trillion in buying

power.

Black households represent another estimated $1.4 trillion in

spending, and according to research by Nielsen, “Black consumer choices

have a ‘cool factor’ that has created a halo effect, influencing not just

consumers of color but the mainstream as well.”

According to 2020

census data, individuals who identify as non-Hispanic White now comprise

less than 50% of youth under age 18.

However, nearly all brands targeted to Black and/or Hispanic consumers

in this report promote unhealthy products. Underlying food and

beverage targeted marketing practices are business models in which

companies profit from marketing of nutritionally poor foods and

beverages, reinforced by processes and outcomes of structural racism

(e.g., residential segregation and income and wealth inequities)

that shape the food environment in which people live.

This food

environment contributes to greater exposure to unhealthy food

marketing by Black and Hispanic consumers and the resulting negative

health effects. Therefore, the ethnically targeted marketing to Black and

Hispanic consumers identified in this report presents a significant barrier

to improved public health and health equity.

Advertising spending and TV ad exposure trends

Our findings revealed positive trends in food and beverage advertising

as a whole. Food and beverage TV ad spending totaled $4.0 billion,

a decline of 25% from 2017, while ad spending on Spanish-language

and Black-targeted TV declined by 18% and 63%, totaling $411.5 and

$86 million, respectively, in 2021. The number of TV ads viewed by all

demographic groups also declined during the same period, including

38% fewer ads viewed by Hispanic teens on Spanish-language TV and

58% to 62% fewer TV ads viewed by children and teens overall. In

addition, disparities in TV advertising exposure for Black versus White

youth decreased due to greater declines in TV ads viewed by Black

Return to contents >

youth (66-70%) than by White youth (56-58%).

While these food and beverage advertising trends

are noteworthy, they cannot not be interpretated

as a change in targeted marketing strategies by

food companies. For example, declines in TV food

ad exposure mirrored declines in amount of time

spent watching TV, including by Black and White

youth. Thus, they do not represent a reduction in the

frequency of food advertising on TV programming nor

reduced advertising targeted directly to Black youth.

We also found evidence of continued disparities in

exposure for Black compared to White youth and

relative increases in advertising targeted to target

Hispanic consumers. In 2021, Black youth and adults

viewed 9% to 21% more food and beverage TV ads

compared to their White peers, after accounting

for amount of time spent watching TV. In addition,

food and beverage companies increased their

focus on advertising to their Spanish-speaking TV

audiences, evidenced by greater ad spending on

Spanish-language TV as a proportion of total TV ad

spending and less of a reduction in ads viewed by

Hispanic youth on Spanish-language TV compared to

ads viewed by youth on TV overall.

Targeted advertising by company

Consistent with overall declines in food and beverage

advertising, a few of the companies with the most

targeted advertising in 2017 had big declines in

ethnically targeted ads in 2021. Mars, Hershey, and

Keurig Dr Pepper reduced both Spanish-language and

Black-targeted TV advertising spending by 70% or

more. General Mills reduced its spending on Spanish-

language and Black-targeted TV ads, but at a lower

rate than the approximately 50% decline in its total

TV advertising.

In contrast, some companies increased their

advertising budgets, including targeted advertising,

from 2017 to 2021. Red Bull (+835%), Ferrero

(+139%), Kellogg (+63%), and Mondelez (+54%)

increased total TV advertising spending, as well as TV ads targeting

Hispanic and Black consumers. PepsiCo reduced its total advertising

and Black-targeted TV ad spending but increased Spanish-language

advertising; whereas Dannon, Post, Campbell Soup, Nestle, and Kraft

Heinz reduced total ad spending and Spanish-language advertising but

increased their Black-targeted TV advertising.

Targeted advertising by category

Brands in unhealthy food and beverage categories continued to

disproportionately target Hispanic and Black consumers, and some

trends worsened from 2017 to 2021. Five categories (candy and

gum/mints, sugary drinks, savory snacks, cereal, and sweet snacks)

represented three-quarters of Spanish-language and Black-targeted TV

ad spending in 2021, up from approximately one-half of each in 2017.

In 2021 as in 2017, highly advertised sweet and savory snack brands

and some types of sugary drinks (regular soda and energy drinks)

were more likely to target Hispanic and/or Black consumers. Highly

advertised brands in the cereal (primarily high-sugar varieties), yogurt,

and sweetened milk categories were more likely to target these groups

in 2021 than in 2017. Relative to White youth, Black children and teens

viewed disproportionately more ads for savory snacks and sweet snacks,

Black children viewed more ads for candy and gum/mints, and Black

teens viewed more cereal ads.

In contrast, healthier drink brands (100% juice and plain water brands)

continued to be less likely to target Hispanic and/or Black consumers.

These categories had no Spanish-language TV advertising in 2021, and

ad spending declined by 82% on Black-targeted TV (compared to a

16% decline in total TV ads for the category). Moreover, there were

no highly advertised fruit or vegetable brands in 2021, compared to

just one fruit brand in 2017, and there was no advertising for these

categories on Spanish-language or Black-targeted TV.

We did identify some positive findings in targeted advertising spending

by category. In 2021, highly advertised brands in the candy and gum/

mints, diet soda, and other sugary drink categories (sports drinks,

flavored waters) were less likely to target Hispanic and/or Black

consumers than in 2017. Brands in the nut category were more likely

to target these groups in 2021. Despite large increases in total TV

advertising spending for sugary drinks and diet drinks, ad spending

for these categories declined on Spanish-language TV and increased at

lower rates on Black-targeted TV. Moreover, in total (across all brands)

Black teens no longer viewed disproportionately more total TV ads for

Discussion

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sugary drinks or diet drinks compared to White teens

in 2021, as they had in 2017. In addition, although

water brands overall were less likely to target Black

and Hispanic consumers, two individual unsweetened

water brands (Evian and AHA) advertised on

Black-targeted TV programming in 2021. This

finding contrasts with 2017, when no water brands

advertised Black-targeted or Spanish-language TV.

Targeted marketing campaigns

We identified numerous examples of marketing

campaigns targeted to multicultural youth

incorporating hip-hop and Latinx music celebrities

and other youth-oriented themes, as well as

cause-related marketing with donations and

collaborations with non-profits to benefit

communities of color and foster goodwill for food

and beverage brands. Notably, Coca-Cola and

PepsiCo brands were responsible for the majority

of targeted marketing campaigns we identified.

The large number of such marketing campaigns

indicates that food and beverage companies

recognize the growing importance of these

consumers. Although this increased focus on

diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing

and cause-related marketing campaigns,

demonstrate companies’ commitment to

benefiting communities of color, these

campaigns almost exclusively promoted

unhealthy products that may negatively impact

the health of young people of color.

LIMITATIONS

This analysis provides a comprehensive picture of

TV advertising expenditures and exposure data

available from Nielsen, the most widely used industry

source to monitor companies’ media plans. However,

we did not have access to food industry proprietary

documents, such as privately commissioned market

research, media and marketing plans, and other

strategic documents. Therefore, we do not attempt

to interpret companies’ goals or objectives for their

targeted marketing.

Our company and brand-level analyses detail advertising by 19 food

and beverage companies, which represented 75% of all food TV

advertising spending, 79% of Spanish-language TV ad spending, and

82% of Black-targeted TV ad spending. Moreover, these companies

contributed more than 75% of TV ads viewed by all children and teens,

as well as by Black children and teens, and approximately 80% of

food ads viewed by Hispanic children and teens on Spanish-language

TV. Therefore, the companies in our analysis were responsible for the

majority of TV advertising for food and beverages, including targeted

advertising, in 2021.

A related limitation is that we only analyzed targeted TV advertising.

TV represented 81% of food and beverage company advertising

expenditures in 2021, but children and teens are watching less TV

and increasing their use of other types of media, such as streaming

video and mobile devices.

52,53

In addition, food companies frequently

target youth with other types of marketing, including sponsorships,

social media, and retail promotions.

We document examples of other

types of targeted marketing campaigns in public statements made by

company spokespeople (see Appendix C). Furthermore, we provide

social media targeted marketing examples (see Appendix D) from

companies in our analysis.

Finally, we did not conduct a nutrition analysis of products offered

by targeted brands. However, previous analyses of the most highly

advertised food and beverage categories have demonstrated the poor

nutritional quality of the majority of advertised products in the snacks

and cereal

categories. Further, nutrition experts consistently counsel

against overconsumption of sugary drinks and candy. Yogurt, milk,

and nuts were the only generally healthy categories with any brands

targeted to Hispanic and/or Black consumers, although advertised

yogurts tend to be high in added sugar and the targeted milk brands

were all sweetened products (e.g., Nesquik, Nido, Carnation Breakfast).

RECOMMENDATIONS

This report highlights the need for concerted action to reduce ethnically

targeted marketing of unhealthy food and beverages and to encourage

companies to promote culturally appealing, healthy foods. Companies

with diverse portfolios of both healthy and unhealthy brands continue

to disproportionately target Black and Hispanic consumers with ads for

unhealthy sweet and savory snacks, regular soda, and energy drinks.

Remarkably, out of the 19 companies in this analysis, just one advertised

a fruit or vegetable brand in 2021 (Dannon Earthbound Farms salad)

and only $5,000 was spent to advertise it (out of $3.4 billion in total ad

Discussion

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spending). Moreover, we found no advertising for

fruits or vegetables on Spanish-language or Black-

targeted TV.

Key actors within industry, the public health

community, and policy makers must take

responsibility for reducing unhealthy marketing that

targets and disproportionately impacts Hispanic

and Black consumers. Making healthier choices

the easiest, most affordable, and most socially

acceptable options would advance racial equity

and mitigate the harms of structural racism.

Industry, including food and beverage manufacturers

and media companies, must reduce unhealthy food

marketing to children and youth.

Due to greater exposure to media and unhealthy

food marketing, improvements in food advertising

targeted to all children and teens would have the

greatest benefit for Black and Hispanic youth.

• Food and beverage manufacturers have

pledged to reduce unhealthy food advertising

to children through the CFBAI industry self-

regulatory program. However, improvements

are needed to address documented loopholes

that allow participating companies to continue

to advertise nutritionally poor products to

children.

59-62

For example, CFBAI should cover

advertising to children up to age 14, and ideally

age 17, and expand the definition of “child-

directed marketing” to include the broad range

of marketing aimed at children.

63,64

• CFBAI participants should strengthen nutrition

standards to identify healthier products that may

be advertised to children,

including:

Utilize standards established by independent

experts, such as nutrient profiling systems

used to regulate food marketing in the United

Kingdom,

Chile,

and Mexico.

Replace separate nutrition criteria for 19

different categories with standardized criteria

for all foods and all drinks.

Increase the number of categories that should not be advertised

to children at all, including all drinks sweetened with added

sugar and/or non-nutritive sweeteners and sweet snacks.

• Candy and nutritionally poor snack food brands - food categories

that have been shown to directly contribute to obesity and

other diet-related diseases among youth – should stop targeting

advertising to all young people under 18, including multicultural

youth.

• Me

dia companies that own programming with large audiences of

children and/or teens should take action to improve the nutritional

quality of foods advertised during child and tween programming.

There is precedent for media companies to take action. The Walt

Disney Company sets nutrition standards for products that can

be advertised on its child-targeted media that are stricter than

the CFBAI food-industry program standards.

Other children’s media companies, such as Viacom (Nickelodeon,

Nick-at-Nite) and Warner Bros (Cartoon Network), could require

that all companies advertising on their children’s programming

follow CFBAI nutrition criteria.

Food and beverage and media companies must also address

unhealthy food marketing disproportionately targeted to Black

and Hispanic consumers.

• Food and beverage companies should demonstrate their

commitment to Black and Hispanic communities by devoting

their enormous resources to culturally relevant and cause-

related marketing campaigns for nutritious products that would

contribute positively to public health.

• Industry commitments to increase sales and marketing of healthier

products – such as the Partnership for a Healthier America

and

the American Beverage Association’s Balance Calories Initiative

– should address marketing of nutritionally poor products in Black-

and Hispanic targeted media and in communities of color.

• Media companies that own programming with large audiences

of Hispanic and/or Black youth should also take action to improve

the nutritional quality of foods advertised during targeted

programming.

For example, companies could establish standards for the

amount of healthy versus unhealthy foods advertised or provide

Discussion

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lower rates to advertise the healthiest

products that do not currently advertise there

(e.g., fruits and vegetables).

Public health advocates, researchers, and community

and grassroots organizations can increase public

awareness of the vast amounts of unhealthy food and

beverage marketing that disproportionately targets

communities of color and call for change.

• Youth-led initiatives should be encouraged, such

as Ope

ration Good Food and Beverages, a

campaign by and for Black youth, launched an

initiative in July 2022 to promote healthier food

and beverage options and counteract widespread

unhealthy food marketing. In a petition to the

National Restaurant Association, the Initiative

encouraged the Association to promote healthier

menu options in Black communities.

• Shareholder organizations can also influence

corporate behavior by organizing shareholder

actions and participating in shareholder meetings

to demand that corporate leadership address

targeted marketing practices.

74,75

• Countermarketing campaigns to expose

corporate motives and undermine ethnically

targeted marketing practices of companies can

help reduce the demand for unhealthy products

and increase corporate accountability.

• Additional monitoring is also needed to

examine ethnically targeted marketing in

communities and in digital media, which cannot

be measured using traditional syndicated

market research data.

Policymakers and advocates can pursue or support

legislation or regulation to address unhealthy food

and beverage marketing for all consumers.

Policy options at the local and state level:

•

Sweetened beverage taxes. Municipalities,

including Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, and San

Francisco, CA; Boulder, CO; Philadelphia, PA; and

Seattle, WA have enacted excise taxes on sweetened drinks, which

offset manufacturers’ and retailers’ ability to set low prices for these

products and allow tax revenues to be invested in communities

disproportionately impacted by sugary drinks.

• Laws and policies to further restrict marketing of unhealthy

products in schools including digital marketing.

79,80

California,

Maine, and Rhode Island passed laws to further restrict marketing

of unhealthy products in schools (going beyond the USDA

requirements), and local school districts have implemented stricter

requirements through their local wellness policies.

•

Address marketing targeting children. The 2021 New York

State Predatory Marketing Prevention Act expands New York

States’ definition of misleading or deceptive advertising to include

unhealthy food marketed to children.

Policy options at the federal level:

• Eliminate unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children as a

tax-deductible corporate expense.

• Require the Federal Trade Commission to publish an updated report

on food marketing expenditures aimed at children and adolescents

(previously published in 2008 and 2012) and focus on three new

priorities: targeted marketing, digital food marketing, and data

practices targeting children regardless of platform type.

CONCLUSION

This report documents that food and beverage companies continue

to disproportionately target Black and Hispanic consumers with TV

advertising of almost exclusively unhealthy packaged food and beverage

categories. Most companies in this analysis have healthier brands in

their portfolios, including plain water, low-sugar cereals, yogurt and

plain dairy, fruits and vegetables that could be promoted. Therefore,

choosing to disproportionately advertise their least nutritious brands,

including sugary drinks, candy, chips, and high-sugar cereals, to Black

and Hispanic consumers, must be weighed against the resulting costs

to communities, especially considering the impact of the COVID-19

pandemic and structural racism that limits access to healthy, affordable,

and culturally appealing food in many communities.

Discussion

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Methods

Targeted marketing is the practice

of designing marketing programs

that appeal specifically to a group

of consumers whom a company

has identified as particularly

attractive for their business,

also known as “culturally-specific”

content or marketing.

Methods developed by consumer behavior

researchers to identify targeted marketing include

measuring differences in the concentration of ad

placements across different types of media (e.g.,

Spanish-language or Black-targeted media) and

differences in exposure by viewers in different

demographic groups, as well as identification

of customized advertising content (e.g., cultural

themes, actors).

In this report, we detail marketing by food and

beverage companies targeted to Black and Hispanic

consumers, focusing on TV advertising spending

and TV advertising viewed by preschoolers (2-5

years), children (6-11 years), and teens (12-17

years) in 2021. We utilized the same methods and

Nielsen syndicated market research data as our

previous targeted advertising report

to examine

changes from 2017 to 2021. We also include an

examination of company statements about their

targeted marketing campaigns.

SCOPE OF ANALYSES

We analyzed Nielsen data for all food and beverage

companies listed in Nielsen’s “Food and Food

Products” and “Confectionary, Snacks and Soft Drinks” categories.

Restaurants were excluded from this report, as we previously reported

results for the category in our Fast Food FACTS 2021 report.

We conducted additional analyses of 19 food and beverage

companies that spent $100 million or more on total advertising in

2021 (n=15), as well as members of the Children’s Food and Beverage

Advertising Initiative (CFBAI)

that did not meet this spending

threshold (n=3) and one additional company that was included in our

2019 targeted marketing report.

We also identified highly advertised

brands from the above companies that spent $500,000 or more on

television advertising in 2021 (n=228) for further analyses.

We assigned all brands to one of the following categories: 1) food

products (baby food, candy, cereal, coffee/tea, company, condiments/

food preparation, fruits, gum/mints, meat, milk – plant-based, milk-

sweetened, nuts, other dairy, prepared meals, savory snacks, sweet

snacks/desserts, vegetables, and yogurt); and 2) beverages (diet soda,

energy drinks, juice, other diet drinks, other sugary drinks, regular

soda, soda brands, and water).

ANALYSES OF SYNDICATED MARKET RESEARCH DATA

As companies rarely disclose their marketing strategies publicly,

we utilized methods developed by consumer behavior researchers

to identify ethnically targeted advertising using syndicated

market research data from Nielsen. Targeted advertising can be

identified by the amount of advertising placed in targeted media

(e.g., Spanish-language TV, Black-targeted TV programming) and

differences in the concentration of ad placements across different

types of media and viewers.

Measures

The Nielsen data quantified media spending by company and brand,

including amount spent to advertise on targeted TV networks (i.e.,

Spanish-language and Black-targeted TV). Nielsen data also provided

the number of TV advertisements viewed (i.e., exposure) by Black,

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White, and all preschoolers, children, teens, and

adults; and exposure to advertising on Spanish-

language TV by Hispanic preschoolers, children,

teens, and adults. All data were collected for

advertising in 2021.

Targeted television networks

All advertising on Spanish-language TV was

considered to be targeted to Hispanic audiences.

Spanish-language TV distributors included Azteca,

Discovery en Español, Disovery Familia, ESPN

Deportes, Estrella TV, FOX Deportes, Galavisión,

Universo, Telemundo, UniMás, Univisión, and

Univisión Deportes.

Networks were categorized as

Black-targeted

if more than 50% of a network’s audience

self-identified as Black according to Nielsen

MarketBreaks in 2017. Black-targeted TV distributors

included BET, NBA TV, TV One, and VH1.

Advertising spending

Nielsen tracks amount spent to purchase advertising

in a variety of media. These data provide a measure

advertising spending. We licensed advertising

spending data for all food and beverage categories

for 2021 and report these numbers by brand,

company, and category. When available, we

compare results to 2017 results reported in our

previous targeted marketing report.

We report the following advertising

spending measures:

•

Total ad spending includes the amount spent

on all media tracked by Nielsen including TV

(including Spanish-language TV), digital, radio,

magazines, newspaper, and outdoor advertising.

• Total TV ad spending includes advertising

expenditures on network, cable, syndicated, and

spot (local) TV.

•

Spanish-language TV spending includes

advertising expenditures on all Spanish-language

TV networks.

•

Black-targeted TV spending includes advertising expenditures

on all Black-targeted TV networks (i.e., those with an audience

comprised of more than 50% Black viewers).

In addition, we calculated the percentage of total TV advertising

spending devoted to Spanish-language and Black-targeted TV

programming for companies and brands.

• Spanish-language % of T

V spending was calculated by dividing

Spanish-language TV spending by total TV spending.

• Black-targeted % of TV spending was calculated by dividing Black-

targeted TV spending by total TV spending.

TV viewing times

We licensed TV viewing data from Nielsen to calculate average

TV viewing times for preschoolers (ages 2-5), children (ages

6-11), teens (ages 12-17), and adults (ages 18-49). This measure

provides the average hours of TV viewed by individuals in each

age group, which includes TV programming viewed on broadcast,

cable, syndicated, and spot networks. We used TV viewing time

data to measure relative TV viewing between youth age groups

versus adults and between Black and White youth in the same age

group. These numbers were calculated by dividing TV viewing time

for preschoolers (2-15 years), children (6-11 years), or teens (12-17

years) by TV viewing time for adults (18-49 years); and by dividing

TV viewing times for Black preschoolers, children, and teens by TV

viewing times for White preschoolers, children, and teens.

TV advertising exposure

To measure exposure to TV advertising, we also licensed gross

rating points (GRP)

data from Nielsen for the same time period

and companies. GRPs measure the total audience delivered by a

company or brand’s media schedule. It is expressed as a percent

of the population that was exposed to each commercial over a

specified period of time across all types of TV programming. It is the

advertising industry’s standard measure to assess audience exposure

to advertising campaigns, and Nielsen Global Research is the most

widely used source for these data.

GRPs, therefore, provide an

objective assessment of advertising exposure.

In addition, GRPs can be used to measure advertisements delivered

to a specific audience, such as an age or other demographic group

(also known as target rating points or TRPs), which provides a per

capita measure to examine relative exposure between groups. For

Methods

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example, if a brand had 2,000 GRPs in 2021 for 6-

to 11-year-olds and 1,000 GRPs for 18- to 49-year-

olds, then we can conclude that children saw twice

as many ads for that brand in 2021 compared with

adults.

In the exposure analyses, we obtained 2021 GRP

data by age group and race. We first obtained total

GRPs for the following age groups: preschoolers

(2-5 years), children (6-11 years), teens (12-17

years), and adults (18-49 years). These data provide

total exposure to national (network, cable, and

syndicated) and local (spot market) TV combined.

We also obtained GRPs for advertising viewed by

Black and White viewers in the same age groups

on national TV only, as Nielsen does not provide

spot market GRPs by race and age group. To assess

exposure by Hispanic viewers to Spanish-language

advertising, we use GRP data for advertising that

occurred on Spanish-language TV.

Nielsen calculates GRPs as the sum of all advertising

exposures for all individuals within a demographic

group, including multiple exposures for individuals

(i.e.,gross impressions), divided by the size of the

population, and multiplied by 100. GRPs can be

difficult to interpret. Therefore, we also use GRP data

to calculate the following TV advertising measures:

Average ads viewed is calculated by dividing total

GRPs for a demographic group during a specific

time period by 100. It provides a measure of the

average number of TV ads viewed by all individuals

in that demographic group during the time period

measured. For example, if Nielsen reports 2,000

GRPs for 6- to 11-year-olds for a brand in 2021, we

can conclude that on average all 6- to 11-year-olds

viewed 20 ads for that brand in 2021.

We report average number of ads viewed in 2021

for the following groups:

•

Preschoolers (2-5) for all viewers ages 2-5 years

(combined national and spot TV)

•

Children (6-11) for all viewers ages 6-11 years

(combined national and spot TV)

•

Teens (12-17) for all viewers aged 12-17 years (combined national

and spot TV)

•

Black preschoolers (2-5) for all Black viewers ages 2-5 years

(national cable, network, and syndicated TV)

•

Black children (6-11) for all Black viewers ages 6-11 years

(national cable, network, and syndicated TV)

•

Black teens (12-17) for Black viewers ages 12-17 (national cable,

network, and syndicated TV)

•

Hispanic preschoolers (2-5) for all Hispanic viewers ages 2-5 years

on Spanish-language networks

•

Hispanic children (6-11) for all Hispanic viewers ages 6-11 years

on Spanish-language networks

•

Hispanic teens (12-17) for Hispanic viewers ages 12-17 on

Spanish-language networks

Relative advertisi

ng exposure

As GRPs provide a per capita measure of advertising exposure

for specific demographic groups, we also used GRPs and TV

viewing time to measure relative exposure to advertising between

different age groups and between Black and White youth within

the same age group.

We first calculated targeted GRP ratios as follows:

•

Preschoolers:adult targeted ratio = GRPs for preschoolers (2-

5) / GRPs for adults (18-49)

•

Child:adult targeted ratio = GRPs for children (6-11) / GRPs

for adults (18-49)

•

Teen:adult targeted ratio = GRPs for teens (12-17) / GRPs for

adults (18-49)

•

Black:White preschooler targeted ratio = GRPs for Black

preschoolers (2-5) /GRPs for White preschoolers (2-5). This

measure only uses national GRPs.

•

Black:White child targeted ratio = GRPs for Black children

(6-11) /GRPs for White children (6-11). This measure only

uses national GRPs.

•

Black:White teen targeted ratio = GRPs for Black teens (12-

17) / GRPs for White teens (12-17). This measure only uses

national GRPs.

Methods

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A targeted ratio greater than 1.0 indicates that

on average persons in the group of interest (i.e.,

children in the child:adult ratio) viewed more

advertisements than persons in the comparison

group (i.e., adults). A targeted ratio of less than 1.0

indicates that the person in the group of interest

viewed fewer ads. For example, a child:adult

targeted ratio of 2.0 indicates that children

viewed twice as many ads as adults viewed.

We then compared these targeted ratios to

differences in time spent watching TV for the two

groups. The average weekly amount of time spent

viewing TV in 2021 was obtained from Nielsen

Market Breaks for each age and demographic

group in the analysis. The resulting

targeted

indices

provide a measure of disproportionate

exposure to TV advertising between the two

groups, after controlling for TV viewing time.

We report the following targeted indices:

•

Preschooler:adult targeted index = [GRPs for all

preschoolers (2-5) / GRPs for all adults (18-49)] /

[TV viewing time for children / TV viewing time

for adults] * 100

• Child:adult targeted index = [GRPs for all

children (6-11) / GRPs for all adults (18-49)] / [TV

viewing time for children / TV viewing time for

adults] * 100

• Teen:adult targeted index = [GRPs for all

teens (12-17) / GRPs for all adults (18-49)] / [TV

viewing time for teens / TV viewing time for

adults)] * 100

• Black:White preschooler targeted index = [GRPs

for Black preschoolers (2-5) / GRPs for White

children (2-5)] / [TV viewing time for Black children

/ TV viewing time for White children)] * 100

• Black:White child targeted index = [GRPs for Black children (6-

11) / GRPs for White children (6-11)] / [TV viewing time for Black

children / TV viewing time for White children)] * 100

•

Black:White teen targeted index = [GRPs for Teens (12-17) / GRPs

for adults (18-49)] / [TV viewing time for teens / TV viewing time

for adults)] * 100

A targeted index greater than 100 indicates that on average persons

in the group of interest (i.e., children in the child:adult targeted

index) viewed more advertisements than persons in the comparison

group (i.e., adults) after accounting for differences in TV viewing.

A targeted index of less than 100 indicates that the person in the

group of interest viewed fewer ads after accounting for differences

in TV viewing. For example, a child:adult targeted index of 150

indicates that children viewed 50% more TV ads as adults viewed,

after controlling for differences in TV viewing times. If this index is

greater than 100, we can conclude that the advertiser likely designed

a media plan to reach persons in the group of interest more often

than would occur naturally.

Identifying targeted brands

We identified targeted brands as brands that spent a significant

amount to advertise on targeted television programming, as well as

those with advertising that reached disproportionately more of the

target audience.

The following criteria identified highly advertised brands with TV

advertising targeted to Black and/or Hispanic consumers:

• Brands that spent $100,000 or more to advertise on Spanish-

language television were considered to be

Hispanic-targeted.

• Brands that spent $100,000 or more to advertise on Black-

targeted networks and had a targeted index

of 100 or higher

for Black versus White teens and/or adults were considered to

Black-targeted.

We also identified brands that appeared to target their advertising

to children and/or teens:

• Brands with a child:adult targeted ratio of .52 or greater and/or

Methods

On average, in 2021, Black teens watched 61% more hours of television compared with White teens and Black adults watched 70% more

television than White adults.

Return to contents >

a teen:adult targeted ratio of 0.40 or greater

(i.e., a targeted

index of 100 or higher) were

considered to be

youth-targeted.

TARGETED MARKETI

NG CAMPAIGNS

We analyzed company statements about promotional

campaigns targeted to Black or Hispanic consumers

and/or multicultural youth gathered from press

releases on company websites and statements

made by corporate representatives in the marketing

press from January 2020 to September 2022.

We coded targeted marketing campaigns as follows:

1) Cultural relevance includes references

to unique product offerings or marketing campaigns that aimed to

appeal to Black or Hispanic consumers by connecting to their cultures

(e.g., through recipes and ethnic product flavors, sports, music);

and 2)

Corporate social responsibility discusses companies’

commitment to social justice and/or diversity and inclusion, and

philanthropic efforts to provide support (usually financial) to Black

or Hispanic communities (e.g., educational resources, scholarships,

food assistance). Examples of marketing campaigns that appeared to

target minority consumers included the presence of Black or Hispanic

actors/spokespersons and/or use of ethnic cues (cultural symbols and

vernacular, support of cultural institutions).

Methods

In 2021, children watched 48% fewer hours of television than adults watched and teens watched 60% fewer.

Return to contents >

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