#SupportLocal: how online food delivery services leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic to promote food and beverages on Instagram

Si Si Jia · Rebecca Raeside · Julie Redfern · Alice Anne Gibson · Anna C. Singleton · Stephanie Ruth Partridge

31 citations0/0 files storedPublic Health Nutrition

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Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology Digital Marketing and Social Media Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the promotion of discretionary foods/beverages and marketing strategies employed by the top three online food delivery services' (OFDS) Instagram accounts in three countries before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Publicly available data were extracted for the top three OFDS Instagram accounts for Australia, United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) from March to May 2019 and 2020. Food/beverage items from posts were classified as 'discretionary' or from the five food groups (FFG) according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Marketing strategies were coded using an existing framework. Posts referring to COVID-19 were coded under four marketing strategies: (i) appropriating frontline workers; (ii) combatting the pandemic; (iii) selling social distancing; and (iv) accelerating digitalisation. RESULTS: From 581 posts, 618 food/beverage items were shown, of which 69 % (427/618) were classified as discretionary. In 2019, the most used marketing strategies were product imagery (unbranded) (137/195, 70 %), links (111/195, 57 %) and sponsorships/partnerships (58/195, 30 %). In 2020, the most used were links (252/386, 68 %), product imagery (unbranded) (179/386, 49 %) and branding elements (175/386, 45 %). The most common COVID-19 marketing strategy was combatting the pandemic (76/123, 62 %) followed by selling social distancing (53/123, 43 %), appropriating frontline workers (34/123, 28 %) and accelerating digitalisation (32/123, 26 %). CONCLUSIONS: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, OFDS adapted their marketing, creating content with the theme of 'combatting the pandemic'. Due to the growing number of discretionary foods/beverages promoted on Instagram, this highlights the need for policy action to counter the potential influence social media platforms have on dietary behaviours.

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References

2017Advertising Content and Consumer Engagement on Social Media: Evidence from Facebook 2018Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018 2012Systematic reviews of the evidence on the nature, extent and effects of food marketing to children. A retrospective summary 2011The Effects of Traditional and Social Earned Media on Sales: A Study of a Microlending Marketplace 2009Interactive Food and Beverage Marketing: Targeting Adolescents in the Digital Age 2016Please Like Me: Facebook and Public Health Communication 2014Digital Junk: Food and Beverage Marketing on Facebook 2020Consumers’ intentions to use online food delivery systems in the USA

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