"Food Advertising in Black and Hispanic Targeted Media"

For my poster presentation I focused on Food Advertising on television in Black and Hispanic targeted media. One of the artifacts I chose for the poster presentation was the article: "Black, Hispanic Kids Targeted by Ads for Soda and High-Calorie Foods, “by Maggie Foxx found on NBC (2015). According to Maggie Foxx (2015) in NBC News, "Black children and teens saw at least twice as many ads for gum/mints, soda, and other sugary drinks compared with white children and teens." This information was mind blowing because I had no idea of how food corporations and television Ads focused on a specific race, ethnicity and income characteristics. The article "Black, Hispanic Kids Targeted by Ads for Soda and High-Calorie Foods (2015), brings awareness of how food corporations partners up with television programming to advertise sugary Ads to minority children such as Blacks and Hispanics. This article represents minority children by educating the viewers of the tactics used by food advertisements in order to advertise their products. 

Another quote I used was: "Studies have shown that African-American and Hispanic children see 70 percent more (junk) food-related TV advertisements than white children do." (Foxx 1). This quote was important for me to use because it shows a high percentage of junk food advertisements being targeted to Black and Hispanic children. Foxx did an excellent job representing African American and Hispanic children/families by educating the readers the truth about food Advertisements. The article shares information of how food corporations don't care for children but only care to make profit.

Another artifact I used was the video "Fighting Junk Food Marketing to Kids," by Berkeley Media Study Groups, uploaded on April 29, 2011. This video shares important information about the food corporations and junk food Ads that are targeting African American and Hispanic children every day. These food Advertisements are not only being advertised on television but they are also being advertised on supermarkets. The video also shares how minority children are at greater risk from suffering from obesity, heart disease and other related diseases more than white children. This video shows the sad reality of how food corporations do what it takes in order to sell their products. Unfortunately, these products being advertised on television focus on junk food, fast food and sugary drinks. Another important point that the video points out is the use of endorsements in order to attract children. According to the video "Fighting Junk Food Marketing to Kids," food companies uses aggressive marketing by using athletes, celebrities, cartoons and movies in order to relate with consumers. These endorsements relate and connect with minority children and become heroes to them. Once a child sees their favorite cartoon character, celebrity, athlete and movie adverting junk food products, the child would want to consume that product.

Shiriki Kumanyika Chair of the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network quotes:

"This is a clear case of tactics that must be profitable from the business perspective but at the cost of fostering an environment that promotes poor health in black and Hispanic youth in particular."

Another artifact I used to support my poster board was the video called: "Do junk food ads disproportionately target minorities," by Fox News uploaded on November 4, 2015. This video answers questions that schools and parents have in regards to food advertisements on television and other media. The video shares valuable information that supports my topic by asking and answering the question: why is the media/television targeting minority children with junk food advertisements compared to white children? The video also shares "that 13.3% of candy related Ads are showcased in Spanish television, and 18.3% candy related Ads on television shows target African American children. These percentages are very high compared to what white children are watching on television.

Another artifact I used was the article and video "We are Not Buying It," found on the Prevention Institute web site. The article and video "We are not buying it," shares valuable information of the billions of dollars that food corporations spend each year on television Ads in order to sell and promote junk food and unhealthy foods. "We are Not Buying It," does an excellent job representing minority children and families such as Black and Hispanics. The article and video points out how Black and Hispanic children are being underrepresented because the dominant code is to associate junk food and unhealthy foods with minority children. The video and article also shares possible solutions that can be made in order to make a change. "We are Not Buying It," also showcases how families are starting to become more aware of junk food Advertisements and are not giving into buying junk food products advertised on television. I used this specific video to represent the "Oppositional Code." The video shares how families oppose the advertisement of junk food Ads on television. Unfortunately, majority of the families who are taking action are predominantly white because they have the knowledge and money to purchase organic and healthier options. 

Another artifact I used to support my poster presentation was the article-analysis: "Obesity Prevention in Black Communities,"by the state of obesity web site. This article analyses the factors why African American families/children suffer from poverty and obesity due to junk food marketing and advertising. The analysis goes into detail about junk food advertisements and how these advertisements are affecting the African american community compared to white families. The article also touches on the topic of less affordable markets and the low availability of health food markets in low income communities. This artifact showcased important charts and information that supported my poster presentation. One of the charts I used was: 

 

This image showcases percentages of children living in poverty as well as the low percentage of supermarkets in African American communities, compared to white communities. As we can see, the percentage of supermarkets available in low income African American communities is very low compared to the high and middle class white communities. The article quotes: 

"The products most frequently marketed to African Americans are high-calorie, low-nutrition foods and beverages. Billboards and other forms of outdoor advertisements, which often promote foods of low nutritional value, are 13 times denser in predominantly African American neighborhoods than White neighborhoods." 

The State of obesity web site shows the sad truth of how food advertisements target low income communities and minorities in order to make money. Sadly the majority of low income communities are Black and Hispanic communities. 

Another article-analysis I used as an article was the article: "Obesity Prevention in Latino Communities." This article is similar to the previous article but it focuses on Latino communities. One of the artifacts I used to support my poster presentation was the Latino rates that live below the poverty line compared to whites. This chart shows how food marketers are able to target to Latino families and advertise food products that are cheap and unhealthy due to their status and income. 

Another chart I used the obesity rate between Latino and white adults/children. As we can see Latinos are suffering from higher percentages of obesity due to the high percentage of food Ads advertised on television. These Ads targeted minorities groups such as African American and Hispanics. 

Another important chart I used as an artifact was the "Fast-Food Ads Aimed at Kids Aired on four channels." This chart shows 79% in total of the junk food Ads being shown in different children television programming. 

Overall, this assignment has thought me to be more aware of how television Ads can affect our children and society. As a future educator my goal is to educate and bring awareness to my future students about important issues such as gender roles, media representation and human rights so that they can make better decision in life. Taking this class has thought me to question what is being presented in front of me and to educate myself of important issues that affect my community and society. I had an amazing experience and surprised myself of how passionate and aware I am now about media representation, dominant codes, gender roles, and more. I am very excited to learn more as I move forward and cannot wait to share all of my knowledge to my future students.