Children's reactivity to embedded food cues in advergames

Food cues of palatable food are omnipresent. These cues influence what, when, and how we eat. Food companies' marketing strategies target determinants why people choose to eat one food rather than another, or more instead of less. In a globalizing and capitalistic economic system, these food cues are intentionally manufactured to sell products from a particular brand. Recently, food marketers are using new techniques to advertise their brand. One new technique food marketers use are online games, so called advergames, that attract children subconsciously, to persuade them to consume the advertised food. Because children are paying attention to play the game itself, the processing of the advertisement is automatic, without any form of skepticism. The processing of the food cues in this form of advertising is automatic and has a strong effect on children's snack intake. In this book, the reactivity of children to the food cues embedded in advergames is described and analyzed.