Childhood Obesity:Technology and the Advertiser's Edge

February 28, 2006 (Press Release) -- Advertising of junk food and sugar laden sodas plays a powerful force in the epidemic of childhood obesity in America. But why is advertising today so powerful to children? According to Robert Reiher, PhD., president of E-Smart Choice and Enrichment Marketing, "One answer lies in the interaction that occurs between media technology and media techniques. The reason the advertiser has the edge over the educator is that we are witnessing a synthesis of compelling media tech and media techniques that have the potential to "immerse" children in highly entertaining but often age inappropriate and unhealthy commercial messages. The hidden power of how children are learning these messages resides in the formal features of media techniques. The formal features are the delivery system, the process that accompanies the advertiser's message."

The Super Bowl is a perfect example to showcase the latest and greatest advances each year in combining creativity, technology, techniques and messages that are capable of both entertainment and influence, delivering the advertiser's message in innovative, amusing and compelling ways.

Dr. Reiher says "When a child is up against the combined efforts of a brilliant and experienced advertising team, using humor, fantasy, music, sound effect, celebrities, morphing, zooms, instant replay and cartoon characters, supported by almost unlimited corporate financial resources, the combination of these elements has the power to drive advertising and marketing messages to new levels of attention, the first step in the learning process."

Is the technology that drives the changing entertainment landscape going to diminish? Of course not! In fact, just the opposite is occurring. The growth of entertainment technologies is continuing to explode. Children and families are experiencing higher and more attractive ways to interact with and become immersed in these new and compelling technologies. High definition big screen TV's are becoming commonplace and affordable. Internet capabilities are increasing the demands for video and musical downloads that are both personalized and affordable. As entertainment technologies and techniques continue to increase, their use for marketing and advertising to children will increase along with them. Combine these factors with increasingly irresponsible marketers of high fat, high sugar junk foods and the implications for childhood obesity are clear.

"At E-Smart Choice we believe that if technology and techniques can be used to drive negative learning experiences, they can also be used to help children learn exciting and entertaining age appropriate food and beverage messages. It's not the tech or the technique that are the culprits, it's the accompanying message that either supports or disregards enriching the child".

For more information on Enrichment Marketing, please visit www.esmartchoice.com and contact Tony Wallace, Director of Communication and Marketing.