Research - Influence of food companies’ brand mascots and entertainment companies’ cartoon media characters on children’s diet and health

Influence of food companies’ brand mascots and entertainment companies’ cartoon media characters on children’s diet and health: a systematic review and research needs

V. I. Kraak1 and M. Story
december 2014 

The 1950s Baby Boom era brought television to house- holds and food companies marketed their products directly to children through mascots and characters to differentiate their company’s products from the competition (52–54).

Children learn about mascots and characters through social, media and marketing environments including their parents, television, movies, the Internet and food packaging (81).

Children develop ‘parasocial relationships’ with favourite characters, representing emotionally infused friendships based on characters ‘attractiveness and the mes- sages they convey (82) that can influence their diet-related outcomes.

Mascots and characters are associated with

memorable slogans, jingles, taglines, musical themes and stories (49,50,83,84); and market nostalgia through trans- generational, parent–child interactions that generate fun, humour, emotional appeals and positive feelings towards company brands and products (49,51,52,83).