Food Advergames Targeting Children:Types of Brand Identifiers, Nutritional Content, and Ad Breaks

This study investigated the content of U.S. food advergames presented on food company websites targeting children, in terms of types of brand identifiers, nutritional content of the food products, and ad breaks. Among 53 websites that have advergames, a total of 387 food advergames were examined. Results of this study found that about 90 percent of foods advertised in advergames were low-nutrition and/or high-calorie foods. In particular, when a product package was shown in the game or branded food items or product packages were related to the game scoring, those foods were more likely to be foods high in sugar. Moreover, foods advertised in advergames that did not have ad breaks were foods that were higher in calories, fat and sugar, except for sodium. This study highlights the fact that more scholarly attention is needed regarding the content of advergames.