OUIL501 Summative Evaluation

OUIL501 Summative Evaluation 

Throughout this module, I haven’t only developed on my researching skills and methods, but I’ve tried to be more selective, cutting down a mass of collected information into manageable chunks to analyse and incorporate into my essay. I tried to include insights into social, cultural, political and technological contexts throughout my research, some of which I feel I’ve incorporated well in my writing. 

I feel like my writing techniques may have improved slightly, as I’ve tried to triangulate and back up my points more with quotes and examples. I was also more conscious of the structure of my essay. I tried to ensure I avoided huge chunks of writing like I had in my interim submission. 

I battled with this module a lot; especially with the selection of the essay question. Being specific and really honing in on one question was a struggle for me, which may have been due to the fact that I’d researched quite a general topic in a fair amount of depth. I think through perseverance with the written element, I managed to come up with a more successful final submission that has more of an argumentative element and less of a walkthrough structure.

I’m pleased with the practical aspect of my work as I feel it reflects the research that I’ve done, and branches off from the essay topic appropriately, instead of just illustrating the research question. Usually, I avoid colour like the plague because I don’t feel that confident using it successfully. However, choosing children as my target audience and attempting to take elements of junk food marketing techniques to apply to an activity book for the promotion of healthy foods meant that I was working in unfamiliar territory, using bright colours and designing characters. The practical element was a good experience because it showed me that I can produce a successful publication outside of my comfort zone.

Before creating the final publication, the use of a sketchbook was really valuable throughout the module. Last year, the two parts of the module felt quite disjointed, and I think that the practical side for me was sadly a bit of an afterthought. However, the concept of ‘synthesis’ and working practically and academically alongside each other helped to bring the project together, ensuring all elements felt cohesive and informed each other.

My sketchbook work is relatively in depth and experimental. Using collage is another thing that I don’t often do, but I found it to be really helpful in getting concepts and ideas down quickly that I might have struggled to draw out of my head. The idea of subverting the images worked well with the subject matter, although these ideas developed and changed before I designed my final publication. 

It might sound silly but I actually struggled with having all of the information on a computer. I’d bookmark things that I’d found and forget to go back to them until I had a ridiculously long list of links. Often, I’d print out articles or pieces of writing in order to read through them and highlight points by hand, which I think helped me to organise my thoughts better. In fact, this whole problem is probably more of an issue of my organisation and self management, because if I’d made a note of the specific quotes and references at the time I might not have had as much of a problem trying to filter through the information later.

My motivation and time management have definitely been challenged with this module, as quite late on, I didn’t have much in the way of a final essay. I think it’s mainly due to anxieties over writing it, especially as I feel that my submission last year was so poor. I was worried about making the same mistakes as last year so I put off the essay writing quite a lot this module, and in hindsight, would have benefitted more from getting it done early so that I could look back over it and edit it in good time.

I think that my essay is relatively successful, although I don’t have a very good idea of what I’m aiming for in terms of standard. I’ve found that through this whole module I’ve never really been sure if what I’ve been doing has been good enough, but I can say that I’ve tried my best and I’m hoping that this is reflected in my submission.

One of my major downfalls with this module has been that I haven’t kept on top of my blogging as much as I would have liked. This has resulted in a fair bit of last minute catching up, and finishing off posts that had been half written and saved as drafts. I’m disappointed that I haven’t been as organised in regards to this 

In regards to my dissertation in Level 6, I know that I really need to work on my organisation and time management. I need to write lists and set out action plans, giving myself mini deadlines in order to keep on top of the work. Also, I’ve learnt that starting with something a bit general is okay as long as I give myself the time to cut down and end up with a specific question. I need to start researching early on, and stay true to my genuine interests in order to maintain enthusiasm and motivation.

Final Essay

Finished Publication

Evaluation

I'm really happy with the way that the final book has turned out, especially as I've been working more out of my comfort zone than I have in a long time. I don't like to work with colour often, and usually stick to black and white imagery. The nature of this publication and the things which it is trying to achieve forced me to work with colour, consider design and layout thoroughly and appeal to an audience I don't often work towards. 

I think the book reflects my research into junk food marketing relatively well as it imitates the concept of advergames - gaming with hidden adverts / messages in an attempt to influence the dietary choices of the child. 

I'm not sure how effective it would be in real life application, but if it's good enough and if the studies I've looked into for my essay are accurate, it could get kids snacking on some healthier foods after filling in the activity book... maybe? Hopefully.

CoP3 Proposal

Creating Publication

Linos:

Mock up:

Final Book:

I've really enjoyed the process of making the publication - it's something very different to what I usually do

CoP3 Initial Ideas

- Potentially looking further into the topic that I researched this year? 

- Who is responsible in regards to dietary choices & lifestyle of young children?

- Buidling upon the research that I already have to answer another specific question branching off from this topic

- Or looking into a completely different topic inspired by the given questions?

- Not sure how the food topic would link to the questions we've been given

- Maybe ETHICS in the production of advertisements promoting HFSS foods etc

- Could then link to the personal politics or social responsibility questions

Finalising Publication Idea

I got very little feedback from the last crit session which I found disappointing. It wasn't helpful, and the annoying thing was my sketchbook was there, screenshots of my blog, my publication ideas and proposal..
However, it gave me an opportunity to take a break and look at the project again with fresh eyes.

Considering there is a global obesity crisis, the issue is that something needs to be done about it. Change needs to come about through the introduction of strict and consistent regulations. Instead of just producing a publication as a commentary about the issue of junk food marketers targeting children, I've decided on idea of making a publication to promote health, favouring change. 


Proposal:
A childrens activity book based on my research into junk food marketing techniques and advergames which helps to promote healthy foods and educate children about fruits and vegetables in a fun, interactive way.

Target Audience:
Children aged 4 to 8

Exploring themes of:

Healthy eating

Marketing to children

Use of brand mascots / characters

Theories:

Children's colour preferences

Brand awareness 

Parasocial relationships

Specific subjects:

Promotion of fruits and vegetables

Children's puzzles and games

Methods:

Lino cut for hand made texture

Photoshop to manipulate colours and layout

Printed publication on cartridge paper for relatively cheap reproduction for children e.g. in classrooms etc

Question Alteration

When writing my essay I've realised that the question I've been trying to answer is actually in two parts, and so my research and answers are still sounding too general. Trying to answer two questions in one is meaning that the essay isn't achieving much depth and I think I'm missing out on creating a more focused piece of writing.

How are children still being targeted by junk food marketing in the UK, despite regulations being introduced in order to limit this, and what more could potentially be done to reverse the current childhood obesity crisis?

Changed to :

In the current childhood obesity crisis, how have food companies, despite regulations, adapted their marketing strategies to continue to sell junk food to children?

This is more focused and I think my essay writing will be more successful if I'm answering this question only in depth, backing up with quotes and research.

New Essay Structure

My last essay attempt was again, just a walkthrough. It was more descriptive than argumentative. I really struggled with writing it because I lost the point I guess. I feel like I'm no good at academic writing but I'm really wanting to do better and develop the essay into a more substantial piece of writing.

I've rethought the angle in order to make sure I'm actually arguing a point and not just stating the obvious.

I know it's pretty late to be changing things but I'm hoping to still be able to use elements of my previous essay and really get stuck into writing this one. I don't want to hand in something that I'm so unhappy with and have a rubbish grade to reflect it. I'm not even sure whether the previous essay would have passed at all so I'm determined to improve it.

Through the research I've done, I've come across the fact that actually, things have changed a fair bit. Regulations have been put into place to limit TV ads aimed at kids. Some foods have changed their recipes in an attempt to offer 'healthier options'. Some of the websites that used to host advergames actually don't anymore, and in some cases the kids areas of the sites have been limited quite a lot. 

To push my essay further I want to focus on how junk food is marketed to children in terms of the techniques, but then also whether regulations are doing enough to limit children's exposure to the company's advertising.

---------------------------

Question:

Is enough being done to protect children against being targeted by junk food companies, and how are these companies reaching them?

How is the food industry targeting children with the promotion of HSSF foods, and is enough being done to control this?

Regulations have been introduced in order to limit the marketing of junk food to children, but to what extent are companies still targeting children

Intro = 

1. Fast food advertising in the UK. How much is spent? 

2. Where do ads exist? TV and internet - digital billboards, posters, etc - printed matter. Advergames

3. Why is this a problem? Childhood obesity, leading to health risks in later life. The next generation being set up to fail or struggle

4. How is it being controlled? What has been introduced as a way of combatting or controlling children’s exposure?

5. What else can we do? The idea of ‘don’t like don’t look’ and whether this actually works? Why are children such easy targets? Brain development and the understanding of adverts. Is it the parents responsibility? When will industry accept any responsibility? When will control be good enough? Where’s the line - advertising to children to show them all options, allowing them to form their own opinions, but not being completely transparent about nutritional values of foods etc. 

WHAT

WHY

WHERE

HOW

WHEN

Part 1: Whats the problem

Kids are being targeted specifically by the food industry 

Fast food and junk food advertising is ridiculously appealing to children 

EXAMPLE of advertising and really quick analysis to explain why it is appealing

Maybe some psychological points about why kids are attracted to bright colours 

Parents are being undermined by the industry?

Part 2: Why is it a problem

This leads to poor understanding of what to eat or what not to

Forms brand loyalty from an early age

Increases the likelihood of pestering parents - pester power

Ultimately leads to poor diets in kids which have health implications in later life 

Examples of health issues: Diabetes, kids having gastric bands / weight loss surgery, tooth decay, fatty liver, high blood pressure and heart problems

Part 3: Where do the ads exist?

TV, internet, billboards, posters, in USA on school report cards! In schools in the UK??

'Kids spending so much time watching TV' stats, now spending more time on the internet than ever

Advergames

EXAMPLE of an advergame and an explanation of how it works

Kids cognitive development and lack of understanding of what an advert is

Example: How many mcdonalds restaurants in the UK and how much it spends on advertising?

Part 4: How is it being controlled?

Government laws and regulations for television adverts

But children still see them - how? Family tv programmes and ads

Regulations put in place for labelling of foods

But not necessarily clear enough to help children understand - all based on a female adult GDA as well

Advergames and what regulations there? Have to state that they are an advert, but many children still don’t actually understand this.

Many websites have restricted their ‘kids zones’ or whatever in recent years to comply with regulations

Part 5: What else could be done?

Removing characters and mascots from adverts and packaging? 

EXAMPLE of character on packaging (Psych?- The way that children form relationships or maybe the fact that playing with toys reinforces the idea of fun and play with characters)

Less advertising time for the junk food and more advertising for healthy food like fresh fruit and vegetables

Veggies not really advertised towards children - The unfair and unbalanced amount of money 

EDUCATION in schools and passing on knowledge between families

Part 6: Conclusion

Heading in the right direction?
Are we just becoming more accepting of the problem? 

Most of the health issues are completely preventable and that’s the sad thing

The generation is being brought up into an insanely busy media driven, competitive digital age where they are constantly bombarded with information which is not always in their best interest

Serving up trouble? Advertising food to children

https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-18/edition-5/serving-trouble-advertising-food-children

Bringing more evidence to the table

In 2003 Professor Gerard Hastings and colleagues at the University of Strathclyde produced a groundbreaking and extensive report for the FSA, reviewing 200 studies (see weblinks). The report had two broad aims: to study the extent and nature of food promotion to children, and to determine the effect, if any, that this promotion has on their food knowledge, preferences and behaviour. 
On the first point, the report said: ‘The advertised diet contrasts sharply with that recommended by public health advisors, and themes of fun and fantasy or taste, rather than health and nutrition, are used to promote it to children. Meanwhile, the recommended diet gets little promotional support.’ The report noted that food advertising to children in the UK was dominated by the ‘Big Five’: pre-sugared breakfast cereals, soft-drinks, confectionery, savoury snacks and fast-food outlets. Hastings and co. put it bluntly: children in the UK are exposed to extensive food advertising, and the diet advertised to these children is considerably less healthy than the diet healthcare experts would recommend. 
With regard to the second point, the report concluded that food promotion did have an effect on what foods children choose. This modification of behaviour worked not only at the brand level (changing the preference say between two equivalent products, such as brands of potato crisps), but more importantly at category level (children were likely to eat more potato crisps). 
Evidence to support these conclusions is not hard to find. Some interesting studies include Brody et al. (1981), who exposed young children to food advertisements 
and then accompanied the child and their parent grocery shopping. Exposure to the food adverts increased the child’s attempts to influence the choice of purchases, particularly towards those food items that had been in the adverts. Similarly, Borzekowski and Robinson (2001) demonstrated that exposure to a 30-second food advert, embedded within a programme significantly altered food preferences in young children. 
In our own study (Halford et al., 2004), the responses of 42 children (aged 9 to 11 years) to food adverts were measured. On one occasion the children were exposed to food adverts, on the other they were exposed to adverts for non-food items. 
As expected, the obese and overweight children selectively remembered a greater number of the food-related adverts. However, all of the children (normal weight, overweight and obese) ate significantly more after exposure to the food adverts. Exposure to the TV food adverts also exaggerated the existing preferences of the children for foods high in fat or sugar. After the food adverts the children increased their intake of most foods with the exception of the savoury low-fat snack. In the obese children this was a significant reduction in the intake of the ‘healthy’ snack from what was an already low level of consumption. 
As far as we are aware, this study was the first to demonstrate that exposure to advertisements increases actual food intake in children. It supports the notion that, in children, TV viewing may not just be a sedentary adiposity promoting behaviour. Exposure to food adverts can impact on eating behaviour, stimulating intake and exaggerating unhealthy food choice

Food MythBusters & Plans for Essay Development

Using research into the psychology and brain function would develop my essay far more and demonstrate research and understanding. It will help to support my argument and allow me to triangulate better.

I'm disappointed with the written work I've done so far, so am probably going to rewrite a lot of my essay and make sure that I really put in the deeper research that it needs.

This video makes points about both the biological and psychological reasons as to why junk food appeals to kids...

- I want to look into what colours appeal to children and why - then how marketers use this to their advantage

- I need to accentuate the points about the use of characters that convince children to buy the products, and help them to form a relationship with the brand

- The biology and brain function in terms of cravings for HSSF foods

Feedback Session

Visual Journal Development

I've found that using my sketchbook for written work and making note of ideas has been really helpful in trying to hone in on an idea and be more specific. I've researched a lot of references so I've been finding that my work is still quite general at this point. However, I began making notes on the Jamie Oliver Ted Talk I'd watched and the idea of creating a publication branching from this a bit more than the satirical ideas seems more appealing.

The idea of the publication is to flip the marketing / packaging of health foods and HFSS foods in order to highlight the intense methods of targeting that marketers use. It aims to make an example of the polar opposite advertising techniques and highlight the need for the promotion of healthy food. The intention is to draw healthy food in junk food style packaging, and vice versa. Would children still find junk food appealing if it was sold in clear plastic bags or plastic wrap?