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TOTAL: 35 MARKS

Read the following article and answer ALL the questions that follow.

Regulating advertising directed at children

I Michelle Obama’s fight against childhood obesity has several fronts with marketing
being an important one. In September 2013, she convened the first White House
meeting with marketing executives of food companies to discuss the marketing of
food to children. She believes that children’s preferences are being shaped by the
marketing campaigns of these companies and this has led to the problem of 5
childhood obesity.

II Advertising exploits children’s naivety and thus deceives them. It entices children to
drink and smoke, and makes them fat as well as sexualises them early. Nestle and
McDonalds promote their food products by claiming that their products are nutritious
and wholesome for the family. Kellog’s markets Fruity Loops cereal to children even 10
though each serving has four times the sugar content of a bowl of Corn Flakes.This
led crusaders like Michelle Obama to criticise these companies for exploiting
children.

III In May 2013, Coca-Cola said that it would not advertise to children younger than 12
anywhere in the world. In 2012, Disney promised not to promote junk food in 15
television programmes for children. Some of the many self-imposed restrictions on
the marketing of tobacco and alcohol were also imposed with youngsters in mind.
Such gestures make the best of increasingly stricter controls imposed on food
advertisement by countries. Britain banned the advertisement of food high in fat, salt
and sugar to children under 16. Sweden and Norway outlawed all television 20
advertising to youngsters. Quebec prohibited advertising of any sort directed at
children. It is important to note, however, any system of control that solely depends
on companies policing themselves is doomed to fail. Industries tend to set the bar
too low, exploit loopholes and find ways to broadcast their toxic messages. “Self-
regulation simply does not work in a highly competitive marketplace”, contends the 25
International Association for the Study of Obesity.

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IV Will Gilroy of the World Federation of Advertisers notes a “surge” in regulatory

activity since 2011, when the United Nations held a conference on non-
communicable diseases in New York. A government commission reports that
Mexican children see 12,000 junk food adverts on television a year, more than in any 30
other country. Having slapped taxes on junk food and sugary drinks, Mexico now
plans to ban advertisements for them in the afternoons and evenings and at
weekends. Taiwan gave regulators the authority to restrict the marketing and even
the sale of food they deemed unhealthy for children.

V As regulations on food advertising tighten, more debates seem to mount. Is too 35

much marketing still getting through to children? Are companies like Coca-Cola and
McDonald’s which had earlier promised to stop putting carbonated drinks on its
“Happy Meals” menus, secretly determined to lure children in other ways? Should
more jurisdictions impose Quebec-like bans or extend protection to children older
than 12 or 13? 40

VI Studies have shown different results on how advertising might harm children. One
experiment suggests that children eat more in response to food promotion. British
children who saw footage of Gary Lineker advertising Walkers crisps, ate more
crisps than a control group. Other studies have tried to capture the effects of
marketing on whole societies. A study conducted in America found that young 45
people who saw one additional alcohol advertisement per month (beyond the
average age of 23) drank 1% more alcohol. Some research connects media
consumption and weight. In 2005, a study of teenagers found a correlation between
their body mass index and the amount of television they watched in 22 out of 34
countries involved in the study. 50

VII Such correlations do not prove that advertising causes obesity. If you want to
combat obesity, you need to tackle all the causes of obesity. Food and beverage
producers claim that food is only one factor among many. Therefore, dealing with
food intake alone will not be enough to solve the problem of obesity. This is
supported by Emma Boyland, a psychologist at the University of Liverpool, UK, that 55
we should be tackling all the causes of obesity, no matter how minor they are.

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VIII Any sort of marketing aimed at children can harm them. It is wrong to treat children
as “economic objects”, opines Bill Jeffery of the Centre for Science in the Public
Interest, a group that campaigns for good nutrition in America and Canada. Young
children do not grasp that they are being advertised to; marketing to them is thus 60
inherently deceptive. Digital marketing offers new ways of reaching children for less
money. According to João Breda, who was involved in a study conducted by the
World Health Organisation, brand-boosting “advergames” were found to be more
compelling than conventional commercials. However, he feels that techniques
using advergames have to be explored further in relation to food regulation. 65

IX In America, 18 companies are involved in the Children’s Food and Beverage

Advertising Initiative (CFBAI). They account for 80% of food advertisements on
children’s television and promise to advertise “healthier or better-for-you” foods to
children younger than 12, or not to market to them at all in some cases. The “EU
Pledge” is a similar European commitment by 20 big firms. However, this gives rise 70
to the problem with the definition of children being under 12 years old. Thirteen-
year-olds are treated as being grown up enough to sensibly respond to
advertisements. Another concern is raised when companies define “healthier” more
liberally than public health experts deem appropriate.

X Most governments would rather co-operate with businesses in regulating 75

advertisements rather than confront them. However, Taiwan’s new law and the one
proposed in Mexico give governments more say in food regulations. Likewise,
Singapore’s health ministry has laid down strict guidelines for a code of conduct to
be followed by firms. On the other hand, Norway backed away from a proposal to
ban advertising of unhealthy food to people younger than 18. Instead, it has given 80
the industry two years to enforce a ban on marketing to children under 13, or be
prepared to face legal action if the industry fails to comply. It appears that
governments do not adopt the same approach to regulating food advertisements
directed at children.

XI The pressure on the industry to self-regulate may be having an effect. The 85

companies behind the EU pledge say that children’s exposure to junk-food

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marketing on television was 48% lower in 2012 than in 2005. In America,

expenditure on food-marketing to the young fell by 19.5% amounting to $1.79 billion
from 2006 to 2009, according to the Federal Trade Commission. This happened
despite a 50% surge on spending as a result of online and “viral” marketing. Self- 90
regulation is tightening. The EU pledge has covered company-owned websites since
the end of 2011, and will introduce uniform nutritional standards for its members
from next year. The Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI)
planned to establish such common standards at the end of 2013.

XII Packaged foods are becoming more wholesome, in part because consumers 95
demand for them. American cereal-makers, for example, have cut sugar and added
whole grains. From 2007 to 2011 sales of better-for-you food and drinks produced by
15 big companies accounted for 72% of sales growth, according to a study by the
Hudson Institute. The profit motive will do more to raise nutritional standards than
threats of draconian regulation, suggests Hank Cardello of the institute’s Obesity 100
Solutions Initiative.

XIII Activists believe that protecting children should be the main concern of rule makers.
On the other hand, marketers feel that other interests like competition and profits
should also be considered. In most countries, giving due importance to both children
and other interests seems to be winning. That is probably a good thing. 105

Retrieved and adapted from

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21590489-are-children-fair-game-
ophisticated-and-relentless-marketing-techniques-many

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QUESTION 1

For each of the following items in the question, indicate your answer by circling the
appropriate option.

a) The word ‘convened’ in line 2 can best be replaced by the word

i. started
ii. chaired
iii. assembled
iv. managed

b) In line 16 ‘restrictions’ can be best interpreted as

i. problems
ii. limitations
iii. preventions
iv. challenges

c) The word ‘contends’ in line 25 can contextually mean

i. complains
ii. competes
iii. confronts
iv. argues

d) Based on the context, the most suitable meaning of the word ‘non-communicable’ in
lines 28-29 is

i. non-infectious
ii. non-interactive
iii. non-restrictive
iv. non-transferable

e) The most suitable meaning of the word ‘compelling’ in line 64 is

i. interesting
ii. forceful
iii. convincing
iv. appealing

(5 marks)

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QUESTION 2

Formulate the implied main idea of paragraph IV.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

QUESTION 3

Identify the stated main idea of paragraph II and provide ONE MAJOR and MINOR
supporting detail.

a) Stated main idea

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

b) Major supporting detail

_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

c) Minor supporting detail

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(3 marks)

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QUESTION 4

In America, 18 companies are involved in the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising
Initiative (CFBAI). They account for 80% of food advertisements on children’s television and
promise to advertise “healthier or better-for-you” foods to children younger than 12 or, in
some cases, not to market to them at all. The “EU Pledge” is a similar European
commitment by 20 big firms. (Paragraph IX)

Make an inference based on the above statements.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

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QUESTION 5

Identify the type of support for each of the supporting details based on the following options.
Use each option only ONCE.

Example Expert opinion Research finding

Expert testimony Statistics Explanation

No. Supporting Detail Type of Support

a) Britain banned the advertisement of food high in fat, salt
and sugar to children under 16. Sweden and Norway
outlawed all television advertising to youngsters. Quebec
prohibited advertising of any sort directed at children.
(Paragraph III)

b) A study conducted in America found that young people

who saw one additional alcohol advertisement per month
(beyond the average age of 23) drank 1% more alcohol.
(Paragraph VI)

c) This is supported by Emma Boyland, a psychologist at the

University of Liverpool, UK, that we should be tackling all
the causes of obesity, no matter how minor they are.
(Paragraph VII)

d) In America, 18 companies are involved in the Children’s

Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI). They
account for 80% of food advertisements on children’s
television and promise to advertise “healthier or better-for-
you” foods to children younger than 12, or not to market to
them at all in some cases. (Paragraph IX)

(4 marks)
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QUESTION 6

Packaged foods are becoming more wholesome, in part because consumers demand for
them. American cereal-makers, for example, have cut sugar and added whole grains. From
2007 to 2011 sales of better-for-you food and drinks produced by 15 big companies
accounted for 72% of sales growth, according to a study by the Hudson Institute. The profit
motive will do more to raise nutritional standards than threats of draconian regulation,
suggests Hank Cardello of the institute’s Obesity Solutions Initiative.

Identify two (2) underlying assumptions that can be made in paragraph XII by circling the
appropriate options.
a. As long as packaged foods are made healthy, it can help solve the problem of
obesity among children.
b. Consumer demands are forcing food manufacturers to provide healthy options.
c. Food manufacturers will do whatever it takes to gain profit.
d. Findings from research indicate improvement in sales growth of packaged foods.
(2 marks)

QUESTION 7

A government commission reports that Mexican children see 12,000 junk-food adverts on
television a year, more than in any other country. Having slapped taxes on junk food and
sugary drinks, Mexico now plans to ban advertisements for them in the afternoons and
evenings and at weekends. (paragraph IV)

Make an inference based on the above statement.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

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1 QUESTION 8

Do you think advertisements on television have a very strong effect on determining

children’s diet? Provide two reasons to support your opinion.
_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

(3 marks)

QUESTION 9

Indicate the topic that is most suitable for the content of paragraph XI by circling
the appropriate option from the following list.

a. The positive impact of self-regulation on marketing

b. Minimising influence of advertisements through prohibitions
c. Promoting nutritional standards through self-regulating practices
d. The effectiveness of self-regulating advertisements by the industry
(1 mark)

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QUESTION 10

List 2 types of support given by the writer in paragraph VIII, to strengthen the author’s
argument that marketing aimed at children needs to be regulated.

Provide one example for each type of support

a) Type of support: _______________________________________________

Example: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

b) Type of support: _______________________________________________

Example: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

(4 marks)

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QUESTION 11

Study the statements below. Write I for inductive reasoning and D for deductive reasoning
in the boxes provided.

No. Statements Type of

Reasoning
a) Advertising exploits children’s naivety and thus deceives them. It
entices children to drink and smoke, and makes them fat as well as
sexualises them early. Nestle and McDonalds promote their food
products by claiming that their products are nutritious and
wholesome for the family. Kellog’s markets Fruity Loops cereal to
children even though each serving has four times the sugar content
of a bowl of Corn Flakes. This led crusaders like Michelle Obama to
criticise these companies for exploiting children.
(Paragraph II)
b) Studies have shown different results on how advertising might harm
children. One experiment suggests that children eat more in
response to food promotion. British children who saw footage of
Gary Lineker advertising Walkers crisps, ate more crisps than a
control group. Other studies have tried to capture the effects of
marketing on whole societies. A study conducted in America found
that young people who saw one additional alcohol advertisement per
month (beyond the average age of 23) drank 1% more
alcohol.(Paragraph VI)
Most governments would rather co-operate with businesses in
c)
regulating advertisements rather than confront them. However,
Taiwan’s new law and the one proposed in Mexico give
governments more say in food regulations. Likewise, Singapore
health ministry has laid down strict guidelines for a code of conduct
to be followed by firms. On the other hand, Norway backed away
from a proposal to ban advertising of unhealthy food to people
younger than 18. Instead, it has given the industry two years to
enforce a ban on marketing to children under 13, or be prepared to

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face legal action if the industry fails to comply. It appears that

governments do not adopt the same approach to regulating food
advertisements directed at children. (Paragraph X)

(3 marks)

QUESTION 12

Write T for a statement that is TRUE and F for a statement that is FALSE.

a) Regulating advertisements on junk food and drinks on television is

undertaken effectively by American food companies to solve the problem
of childhood obesity.

b) Studies on advertising food for children seem to agree that it does more
harm than good.

c) Food companies seem to have their own interpretation of healthy food for
children.

d) According to research, there is no relationship between advertising of food

for children and obesity.

(4 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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