Marketing Health Nutrition to Children

Marketing to Children

A changing market is creating new opportunities for health nutrition brands

Remember when children’s television revolved around ads for sugary cereals, sweet drinks, and the newest, most outrageous candy on the block? Well, according to a recent article written by Nanci Hellmich of USA Today, those days are swiftly coming to an end. The Walt Disney Co.—one of the most influential major media companies in America—is setting health standards for all food and beverage products advertised on its networks.

This is a huge win for health food and beverage brands that market to kids. We’re finally up to bat, but are we ready? Here are 3 things I think health food and beverage brands can learn from decades of junk food advertising:

1. Make it fun:

If there’s one thing junk food has over health food, it is that they know how to turn up the volume, and it has very little to do with what’s actually inside of the package. In these ads, kids who use the product literally go crazy with joy. They make funny faces, dance around, and run through walls (this is fun to a kid). Naturally sweetened foods aren’t any less fun than those swimming in corn syrup.

The fact is, the ads and the packaging are better. Animal shaped macaroni is not what I’m talking about. Kids expect to see characters they can relate to. They want jokes, games, and prizes. Kids want their food to make them laugh, and if your brand isn’t doing that, you’re marketing to moms.

2. Make it “normal”:

Kids can spot health foods and beverages a mile away. Why? Because health brands practically scream out how different they are. Post-consumer packaging makes the box a weird shade of brown. Things that are normally in boxes are served up in bags. Beverages are covered in long stories about how Earth-friendly the company is versus starbursts and exclamation points that emphasize the great taste. Kids don’t want to be the dork with the off-brand goods. When marketing to kids, health isn’t your selling point. Taste and fun are what kids want. Period.

3. Make it just for kids:

You may make the very same product for adults, but if you are going to sell it to kids, the package design should be unique. Yogurt brands are great at this. They simply package their product in squeeze tubes for on-the-go consumption, which tells kids it is for them. Why should they have to sit at the table with a spoon? They are kids, and they want to eat like kids. From juice boxes to lunch-bag sized servings, smaller and cooler packages are cues that it’s for kids. Even a built-in bendy straw can change the whole feeling.

For more about Disney, click on the following link to read the whole article: Disney to quit taking ads for junk food aimed at kids. You may also enjoy these other articles on marketing healthy choices:

Leading Children To Good Habits With Health Nutrition Marketing

Marketing Your Health Nutrition Product as Non-GMO

Marketing Health Nutrition Products to People with Allergies

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