Role of Media in Informing Consumers and Shaping Consumer Behavior - Coursework Example

Name Institution Name Course Name and Code Date Introduction The media plays an important role in informing consumers and shape consumer behavior. The media employs different strategies from marketing to reviewing the food and beverages. The paper discusses the contribution of media in the food and beverage industry through highlighting some important influencing strategies. The aspects that are discussed include healthiness, social categorization and cultural dimension. Healthiness The media utilizes health value of the food and beverages to communicate about a product and service. For example, the fast food outlets such as the French fries are illustrated as unhealthy. The pictures of French Food are associated with obesity and other diseases (Hebden, King and Kelly, 2011). Images and associations of the food also influence the decisions of the consumers in acquiring the food. Drinks have also continuously have been associated with different diseases (Andreyeva, Long and Brownell, 2010). For example, the frizzy drinks such as Coca Cola have been associated with obesity and disease. For example, excessive consumption of alcohol has been associated with liver cancer (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). Unhealthy consumption and excessive eating has been associated with different eating disorders, which may result in diseases and complications. The media with the help of different stakeholders have continued to highlight concerns on unhealthy eating and consequences of unhealthy eating (Gollust, Eboh and Barry, 2012). French fries and fizzy drinks have been linked with diseases, and the media continuous to start that the foods are unhealthy. These decisions and advices have been embraced by some individuals but the conclusive embracement is limited by the convenience associated with the food (Powell, Szczypka and Chaloupka, 2010). The French fries are easy to move around and an individual can consume at different locations. Therefore, the role of media in informing on the consequences of unhealthy food plays a greater role but the same media advocates for the same unhealthy food. The healthy diet has also been advocated. Consumers continue seek for healthy food and beverages, and the media continuously advocate for healthy food. For example, consumers are requested to consumer vegetables and fruits. The media also advocates for drinking eight glasses of water and after each meal, an individual is advised to eat a fruit (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). In addition, the media associates vegetables and fruits with healthy individual. Pictures of “physically healthy” individuals are associated with the fruits and vegetables, and also the people are showing participating in exercises (Gollust, Eboh and Barry, 2012). It can be stated that people eating vegetables and fruits frequently exercise because of the numerous images of individuals participating in exercises. Vegetables and fruits have been shown to prevent certain diseases such as lung cancer. Such communications influences the behavior of consumers resulting in continued consumption of vegetables and fruits. Social Categorization Socialization and groupings are common in advertisement and showcasing of certain foods. For example, Pizza is commonly consumed in groups and associate with take away. In parties, alcohol and different beverages are also indicated as an important component. It is rare in the Western countries to arrange for ceremonies or parties without incorporating a component of alcohol. The society defines the nature of the food and beverages, and associates the foods to occasions and ceremonies (Andreyeva, Long and Brownell, 2010). The media continuously advocates for beverages and foods to parties/ceremonies drives out people to include the food to their eating arrangements (Castonguay et al. 2013). It is like accreditation in which specific aspects of consumption are identified and food is incorporated into the function. In the Western countries, for example, the food and beverages defines aspects of relation and the conducive of the gathering (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). Pizza and fizzy drinks have continued to define the eating patterns of the teens and in any function involving teens, pizza delivery is important. The easiness of transportation of the food also plays a major role (Brady et al., 2010). For example, pizza can be order and transported easily (Powell, Szczypka and Chaloupka, 2010). In ordering, the consumer just defines some aspects of the pizza, which is different when it comes to “healthy” food in which numerous ingredients are included. The easiness of ordering and delivering engages the customer towards acquiring the food and beverages. The social setting also advocates for the age segment categorization. Nutrition during adolescence and childhood is important for development, growth, well being and health. The media targets the youth and adolescent because the desire to build and develop brand recognition/awareness, brand loyalty and brand preference. The media employs brand reference, which the children target the parents to like the brand and also to create positive experiences of the brand (Andreyeva, Long and Brownell, 2010). The media also showcases the entrainment industry and associate it with certain foods and beverages. For example, birth days are associated with cakes and children foods such as candies and soft drinks (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). The adult parties and company parties are associated with alcohol and similar offerings while weddings also have certain food and beverages. The aspect of demographic and differentiation of consumers defines the type of food offered and impact of the food (Sutherland et al., 2010). Specific food and beverages are allocate to functions, and exempting certain foods such as cake from weddings or birthday parties reduces the “value” and “appropriateness” of the function. Hence, provision of specific food that symbolizes the function is important and the media continuously advocates for the requirement. Cultural Dimension The cultural dimension is used as a basis of communicating about food and marketing strategies. Each location across the world has a delicacy or sometimes called cuisines. Hotels and restaurants are marketed based on the food and beverage offerings (Andreyeva, Long and Brownell, 2010). The media informs the public on Chinese Restaurant, Indian Restaurant and even Lebanese on which these restaurants offer food and beverages from the highlighted regions. It is difficult to go to Chinese restaurant and order for a Lebanese food (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). Hence, the Chinese restaurant will mostly serve Chinese delicacies. The presentation of the food through styles and utensils also incorporate the cultural dimension. For example, the food can be served while been prepared on the table which is common in the Chinese food. That aspect of preparation including “knives and fire plays” influences the perception of thinking of the consumer. The consumer behavior cannot be shaped by a single component and numerous aspects are involved before a consumer decides to eat or visit a restaurant. The major influence is the media because of presenting an establishment in a positive way and also presents the silent information about the restaurant. The cultural dimension of identity and ethnicity is incorporated in the marketing regime. For example n most Chinese restaurants, the persons making and sometimes serving the food have Chinese roots (Powell, Szczypka and Chaloupka, 2010). The component of ethnicity and identity is integral to the success of these regional based restaurants. The consumer behavior sometimes employs perception in determining the “authenticity” of food and beverages (Gilmore and Jordan, 2012). For instance, in entering a restaurant, an individual bases the first decision on cleanliness and presentation of the waiters. If the customer thinks the establishment is not clean, it may translate into the quality of the offerings (Andreyeva, Long and Brownell, 2010). Therefore, the solution in the case of providing regional based food is creating a positive perception of the food and beverages through employing people with the same identity with the food. Conclusion In conclusion, the media employs different approaches in ensuring the consumer behavior is influenced. Through highlighting healthy food, the consumers decide to consume food and beverages depending on their perception and expectation of the food. French fries and fizzy drinks are seen as unhealthy while vegetables and fruits are healthy. The social aspect influences the consumer behavior in which consumers tend to acquire food and beverages based on their respective requirements and easiness of consumption. The culture dictates the type of restaurant and influences the purchasing behavior of consumers. Hence, the media employs different approaches in making consumers to purchase the products and services. The media is also used to rate the effectiveness of restaurants and the quality of food and beverages. References Andreyeva, T., Long, M.W. and Brownell, K.D., 2010. The impact of food prices on consumption: a systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), pp. 216-222. Brady, J., Mendelson, R., Farrell, A. and Wong, S., 2010. Online marketing of food and beverages to children: a content analysis. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 71(4), pp. 166-171. Brown, J.D. and Bobkowski, P.S., 2011. Older and Newer Media: Patterns of Use and Effects on Adolescents' Health and Well‐Being. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), pp.95-113. Castonguay, J., Kunkel, D., Wright, P. and Duff, C., 2013. Healthy characters? An investigation of marketing practices in children's food advertising. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 45(6), pp.571-577. Gilmore, J.S. and Jordan, A., 2012. Burgers and basketball: Race and stereotypes in food and beverage advertising aimed at children in the US. Journal of Children and Media, 6(3), pp. 317-332. Gollust, S.E., Eboh, I. and Barry, C.L., 2012. Picturing obesity: Analyzing the social epidemiology of obesity conveyed through US news media images. Social Science & Medicine, 74(10), pp. 1544-1551. Hebden, L., King, L. and Kelly, B., 2011. Art of persuasion: an analysis of techniques used to market foods to children. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47(11), pp. 776-782. Powell, L.M., Szczypka, G. and Chaloupka, F.J., 2010. Trends in exposure to television food advertisements among children and adolescents in the United States. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 164(9), pp. 794-802. Sutherland, L.A., MacKenzie, T., Purvis, L.A. and Dalton, M., 2010. Prevalence of food and beverage brands in movies: 1996–2005. Pediatrics, 125(3), pp. 468-474. Read More