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Differentiation and Marketing Policy

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Collected claim data for health & nutrition-related claims in magazine ads ... Limiting health claims to best' foods did not increase advertising for those foods. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Differentiation and Marketing Policy


1
Differentiation and Marketing Policy
  • Pauline M. Ippolito
  • Federal Trade Commission
  • Speaking only for myself and not the FTC.
    Advertising report available from author at
    pippolito_at_ftc.gov.

2
Background
  • FTC ad policy FDA label policy USDA meat
    labels.
  • Policy has changed markedly in 25 years.
  • Policy deals with content of ads.
  • Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA)
    proposals for claims in 1991 final in 1994.
  • Focus Potential consumer deception not
    incentives.

3
Differentiation Claims
  • Do firms highlight differences that are not
    differences?
  • Under NLEA rules
  • Processed foods NO CHOLESTEROL
  • Natural foods
  • A CHOLESTEROL-FREE FOOD
  • Not Sunkist oranges have no cholesterol.

4
Differentiation Claims
  • Do firms highlight differences that are too
    small?
  • NLEA Comparative claims only if 25 or more
    difference more info required comparisons
    restricted.
  • Less fat becomes 25 less fat than our regular
    brand 8 grams of fat per ounce versus 11 grams
    per ounce.
  • More complete claims but fewer?

5
Differentiation Claims
  • Do claims about good features do harm? Does
    competition fill in?
  • NLEA Positive claim triggers reference to bad
    features
  • Less sat fat can trigger See nutrition
    information for fat content.
  • More nutrients in ads?

6
Differentiation Claims
  • Why is so much advertising for processed foods
    and not for natural foods?
  • Appropriable advertising versus nonappropriable
    ads
  • NLEA restricts health claims to good foods
  • More good food ads post NLEA?
  • OR did commodities ride the tail wind of the big
    budget brands?

7
Some Evidence
  • Collected claim data for health
    nutrition-related claims in magazine ads
  • Do NLEA requirements affect ad claims?
  • Less potential for misleading consumers BUT less
    information?

8
Advertising Sample
  • Womens Magazines General Magazines
  • Better Homes and Gardens Readers Digest
  • Good Housekeeping Time
  • Ladies Home Journal Newsweek
  • McCalls
  • Womens Day
  • Months and Years February, June, October
    1977-97
  • Foods Covered All foods but baby food, alcohol.
  • Sample has 11,647 advertisements.

9
Nutrient Content Claims
  • Post NLEA, claims fall for most major nutrients
    except fat
  • Comparative claims fall for all major nutrients
    but fat

10
Fat, Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Claims
11
Comparative Calorie Claims / All Calorie Claims
12
Comparative Claims Post-NLEA
  • Change
  • Fat
  • Sat Fat -
  • Cholesterol -
  • Sodium -
  • Fiber -
  • Calcium -
  • Vitamin/Mineral -
  • Calorie -

13
More Nutrients After NLEA?
  • Number of
  • Nutrients in Ad 1977 1983 1991 1997
    __________________________________________________
    _
  • 4 1.8 1.0 10.0 3.4
  • 3 2.9 3.0 9.9 5.1
  • 2 2.6 7.3 12.5 14.2
  • 1 9.9 21.9 14.5 28.5
  • 0 82.3 66.8 53.1 48.9
  • __________________________________________________
    _

14
More good food ads?
  • Looked at various broad food categories
  • Fruits, vegetables, and juice?

15
Number of Ads for the Fruit/Veg/Juice Category
16
Conclusions
  • Many ads contain nutrition and health claims.
  • Important source of info and competitive
    pressure.
  • Rules seem to matter. Content shifts a lot.
  • Important to get policy right.

17
Conclusions
  • Comparative claims fell post-NLEA
  • Lesson on triggered disclosures?
  • Limiting health claims to best foods did not
    increase advertising for those foods.
  • Best approach for consumers?

18
Conclusions
  • Are we worrying too much about claims that might
    mislead someone and not enough about
  • the incentives to compete on nutrition?
  • the loss of information to most consumers?
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