Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Sep 29, 2023
Date Accepted: Oct 28, 2024
Latinx and White Adolescents’ Preferences for Latinx-Targeted Celebrity and Non-Celebrity Food Ads: Experimental Survey Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Exposure to food advertisements is a major driver of childhood obesity, and food companies disproportionately target Latinx youth with their least healthy products.
Objective:
This study assessed the effects of food/beverage ads featuring Latinx celebrities versus Latinx non-celebrities on Latinx and non-Latinx adolescents.
Methods:
Latinx (n=436) and non-Latinx White (n=467) adolescents (13–17 years) participated in an online experiment. They rated four ads for novel food/beverage brands featuring a Latinx celebrity and the same ads featuring a Latinx non-celebrity. Multilevel linear regression models compared effects of celebrities and differences between Latinx and non-Latinx participants on attitudes (ad-likeability; positive affect; brand perceptions) and behavioral intentions (consumption; social media engagement).
Results:
Latinx and non-Latinx participants rated ads featuring Latinx celebrities more positively than ads featuring non-celebrities on all attitude measures except negative affect (p’s≤.002), whereas only negative affect differed between Latinx and non-Latinx participants. Two of five behavioral intention measures differed by celebrity ad status (p’s<.05) and participant ethnicity (p’s <.001). However, the interaction between celebrity and participant ethnicity was significant for four behavioral intentions; Latinx, but not non-Latinx, adolescents reported higher willingness to consume the product (p<.02), follow brands (p<.01), tag friends (p<.02), and “like” ads (p<.01) on social media endorsed by Latinx celebrities versus non-celebrities.
Conclusions:
This experiment demonstrates the power of Latinx celebrities in appealing to both Latinx and non-Latinx adolescents, but potentially greater impact on behavior for Latinx adolescents. Policies should address the disproportionate marketing of unhealthy food to Latinx youth and celebrity endorsements for unhealthy products. Clinical Trial: DP5OD021373-01
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