Exploring Countermarketing Messages to Reduce Youth Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in The Bronx, NY

Background Racial and ethnic targeted marketing of junk foods, particularly sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs), is a health concern for communities already disproportionately suffering from obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Focus of the Article The article is a report on qualitative research which explored attitudes and message testing intended to dissuade youth from drinking SSBs. Research Question Can the incorporation of countermarketing messages improve the effectiveness of a curriculum and/or social marketing campaign to reduce SSB consumption among youth in The Bronx, NY? Design and Approach Eight focus groups (N = 66) with youth 12–15 to explore ideas and messages to reduce SSB consumption. Youth were recruited from a coalition of afterschool programs dedicated to eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities. The focus groups explored product (formulation), price (low), place (ubiquity), and promotion (racial and ethnic targeting), and focused on messages that can be used to counter existing industry messaging. Importance to Social Marketing Countermarketing, a sub-field of social marketing, has been effective in tobacco control, but its effectiveness has been less understood with ultra-processed foods and beverages. We wanted to learn how participants would respond to information about the product manipulation and racial targeted marketing that underlies much of the poor nutritional choices in underserved communities. We were seeking to determine if incorporating this information into a comprehensive social marketing plan could positively influence consumption habits. Methods Eight focus groups with 66 students. The focus group guide was informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior and the literature on youth consumption of SSBs, and employed a semi-structured interview design. Using an inductive modified grounded theory approach, the team identified relevant themes and insights for social marketing practice. Recommendations for Research or Practice The results of this study can assist in the development of a social marketing strategy to reduce SSB consumption among populations targeted by food and beverage companies. The study reinforces prior research that countermarketing messaging may be effective in such a campaign. Potentially effective messaging topics include racial/ethnic targeting, product formulation, and the health effects of processed foods. Limitations While this research project covered messaging and broad strategy, it did not explore specific tactics to activate the concepts discussed in the focus groups. Also, while the study may be considered generalizable to other large cities in the U.S., broader applicability should be met with caution.