Proyectos De Inversion

Research Brief March 2012

Exterior Marketing Practices of Fast-Food Restaurants

This brief provides an overview of exterior advertising by fast-food restaurants in a nationally representative sample of public middle and high school enrollment areas. Data were collected from 2,442 fast-food restaurants in 154 communities across the United States in the spring and summer of 2010. Trained datacollectors used validated instruments to observe and code outdoor advertising on the building and property of fast-food restaurants. Exterior advertising includes any signs, posters, banners, flags or stickers on the building exterior and/or property of the fast-food restaurant that are at least 8 ½ x 11 inches in size and visible from the parking lot or street bordering the restaurant. Signageon vending machines, on the drive-thru menu board, and those signs bearing only the name or logo of the business and/or hours of operation are excluded. This study shows that the majority of fast-food restaurants use exterior advertising, particularly signage with price promotions, to advertise their products. It also finds that exterior advertising is more prevalent among chain fast-foodrestaurants and is used to a greater extent in lowincome and Black and Latino neighborhoods.

Introduction
Improving the dietary intake of children and adolescents is an important strategy for reducing obesity in the United States. In the last few decades, consumption of food away from home, particularly fast food, has risen in parallel with the increase in obesity rates.1, 2 In 2007–08, 17 percent ofchildren and adolescents ages 2 to 19 were obese.3 Recent evidence shows that, for children and teenagers ages 2 to 18, fast food contributed 13 percent of daily energy intake in 2003-06, up from 10 percent in 1994-98.4 If considering just teenagers ages 13 to 18, 17 percent of energy intake came from fast food in 2003-06.4 Consumption of food away from home, particularly fast food, has beenassociated with higher overall caloric intake, higher intake of fat, carbohydrates, sugar, carbonated soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages, and lower intake of micronutrients, fruits and vegetables.5-10 Fastfood advertisements are pervasive on television, websites, banner ads, social and mobile media, and through signage.11 Fast-food advertisements also are the most prevalent food ads seen ontelevision by children and adolescents.12 Additionally, fast-food restaurants are more likely to locate around schools.13, 14 Previous research has found that greater exposure to fast-food advertising and lower fast-food prices are associated with greater fast-food consumption and higher body weight among children and adolescents.15, 16 Evidence

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suggests that Black and Latino as well as low-income populations are more likely to be exposed to ads in print and outdoor advertising for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods17, 18 and ads on television for fast food.11, 19 However, the extent and content of targeted exterior marketing by fast-food restaurants has not been examined. Giventhe prevalence of fast-food consumption among children and adolescents, evaluating the placement, promotion and pricing of fast food is key to understanding how best to improve the nutritional landscape for all children. This brief assesses overall marketing, price promotions and the promotion of dollar/value menus on the exterior of fastfood restaurants in communities surrounding public middleand high schools. It also examines how exterior marketing practices differ in communities by income, race and ethnicity.

Key Findings
The vast majority of fast-food restaurants promote their products through exterior marketing and such ads are more prevalent in low-income and Black and Latino neighborhoods. • Among all fast-food restaurants, approximately 80 percent use exterior signage on...