Digital food marketing to children and young people and its awareness among parents - A study in Hyderabad

In an age when people use Twitter rather than the newspaper for the latest updates, digital media is overpowering traditional media in many ways. Things are no different when it comes to marketing, where businesses are leveraging the advantage of new-age media solutions to enhance business impact and build their brand. Today, paid media (e.g. TV, radio or print commercials) are not seen as being on par with earned media (e.g. third-party blog posts, etc.) or owned media (e.g. company websites). Given the success of digital and social media platforms, these media are no longer considered ‘path-breaking’; rather, they are now seen as ‘standard’ marketing channels. Although eating habits and the causes of obesity are complex and are affected by many factors. This research identifies that the cause of obesity in children and young people is their attraction towards HFSS food advertised through digital marketing tools.