!! "! MEMORABLE MESSAGES , FAMILY COMMUNICATION PATTERNS AND TRUST IN FOOD ADVERTISEMENTS By Mengyan Ma A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Advertising ÑMaster of Arts 2015 !! ""!ABSTRACT MEMORABLE MESSAGES , FAMILY COMMUNICATION PATTERNS AND TRUST IN FOOD ADVERTISEMENTS By Mengyan Ma The goals of this paper were to explore the influence of family communication on individ ual trust in food /drink advertisements . One hundred and sixty -three native speakers of English (age 18-28) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and forty were recruited from Michigan State University SONA credit pool to participate in the main study. This paper display ed frequency distribution s of messages participants recalled their parents talked about healthy eating . Employing the ADTRUST (Soh et al., 2009), Family Communication Pattern (Ritchie & Fitzpatrick, 1990) , and SKEP scales (Obermiller & Spangenberg, 1998) , this paper used nested OLS regression models to examine how trust in advertisements was related to the message rationale , the promoting approach family communication patterns and skepticism toward general advertisements . Findings indicate d that people were more likely to recall messages with a rationale than without a rationale , and were more likely to recall messages using the promoting approach than the attacking approach. The message rationale ha d no effect on trust in either unhealthy or healthy food/dr ink ads. The p romoting approach increase d trust in unhealthy food/drink ads but ha d no effect on trust in healthy food/drink ads. I did not find the effects of either conversation -oriented or conformity -oriented family communication on trust in unhealthy food/drink ads , while the effects of conformity -oriented family communication were observed on trust in healthy food/drink ads. There was a negative association between skepticism toward general ads and trust in both healthy and unhealthy food/drink ads . !! """! Copyright by MENGYAN MA 2015 !! "#!ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Since I started my master Õs program I have sought research opportunities and realized I was especially interested in health communication and food marketing area. To learn more about related theories and research methods other than from taking classes, I thought it was a good choice to do Plan A th esis. I want to thank my professors and friends who were involved in helping me complete my thesis. First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Patricia Huddleston for being my advisor and taking much effort on guiding me and supporting me. Her recommendations were extraordinarily insightful and helpful. Second, my thesis could neither be completed without support from my committee members: Dr. Elizabeth Quilliam and Dr. Anna McAlister . Their suggestions have helped me a lot to design more accurate and thoughtful experiments. Third, I am grateful to Dr. Kelly Morrison and Dr. Sandi Smith for helping me understand communication theories and generate my thesis idea . Fourth, I would like to thank Dr. Emilee Rader and Dr. Rick Wash who gave me i mportant suggestions for my thesis defense presentation . Fifth, I need to thank to Dr. John Sherry and Dr. Jef Richards who supported me to apply for the Graduate Student Research Enhancement Award. Next, I am really appreciating the help from my friends T ianyu Hu, Shupei Yuan and Couri VanDam . They helped me develop test ads and gave suggestions on my online survey. I would like to thank my boyfriend He Xian for helping me go through data analysis . Last but not least, thanks to my parents for understanding and support ing me to finish my masterÕs program. Mengyan Ma !! #!TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 . INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION & LITERATURE REVIEW .............................5 2.1 Theoretical Foundation .......................................................................................................5 2.2 Media Effects on ChildrenÕs Perception of Foods and Eating Behaviors ...........................6 2.3 Parenting and ChildrenÕs Eating Habits ..............................................................................8 2.4 Influence of Family Communication on ChildrenÕs Eating Behavior and Consumer Behavior ....................................................................................................................................8 2.5 Trust ....................................................................................................................................9 2.5.1 General Concepts of Trust ...........................................................................................9 2.5.2 Trust in Advertisements ..............................................................................................10 2.5.3 Trust in Food Advertisements ....................................................................................11 CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES ................................................12 3.1 Family Communication and Memorable Messages ..........................................................12 3.1.1 Message Rationale .....................................................................................................14 3.1.2 Promoting vs. Attacking Approach ............................................................................15 3.2 Family Communication Patterns .......................................................................................16 3.3 Skepticism toward General Advertisements .....................................................................18 CHAPTER 4. METHODS .............................................................................................................21 4.1 Selection of Food Brands ..................................................................................................21 4.2 Pilot Study .........................................................................................................................22 4.3 Development of Codebook and Inter -coder Reliability Check .........................................25 4.4 Main Study ........................................................................................................................26 4.5 Measurement .....................................................................................................................29 4.6 Analytic Strategy ...............................................................................................................32 CHAPTER 5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .............................................................................34 5.1 Descriptive Statistics .........................................................................................................34 5.2 Trust in Unhealthy Food/Drink Ads ..................................................................................38 5.3 Trust in Healthy Food/Drink Ads ......................................................................................42 CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................46 6.1 Summary ...........................................................................................................................46 6.2 Implication s .......................................................................................................................48 6.3 Limitations and Future Research .......................................................................................49 !! #"!APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................51 APPENDIX A . IMAGES OF BRANDS ÑPILOT STUDY ...................................................52 APPENDIX B . QUESTIONNAIRE ÑPILOT STUDY ..........................................................54 APPENDIX C. CODEBOOK ÑMEMORABLE MESSAGES ..............................................57 APPENDIX D. IMAGES OF ADVERTISEMENTS ÑMAIN STUDY .................................59 APPENDIX E. QUESTIONNAIRE ÑMAIN STUDY ...........................................................61 REFERENCE S ..............................................................................................................................68 !! #""!LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Food Consumption ............................................................................................................22 Table 2 Descriptive Statistics of Pilot Study .................................................................................25 Table 3 Trust in Advertisement Scale ............................................................................................29 Table 4 Conversation -oriented Family Communication Scale ......................................................30 Table 5 Conformity -oriented Family Communication Scale .........................................................31 Table 6 Skepticism toward General Advertisements Scale ...........................................................32 Table 7 Descriptive Statistics of Main Study ................................................................................35 Table 8 Nested OLS Regression on Trust in Unhealthy Food/Drink Advertisements ..................39 Table 9 Nested OLS Regression on Trust in Healthy Food/Drink Advertisements ......................43 !! #"""!LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 A Conceptual Model of Consumer Socialization and Trust in Advertisements ...............6 Figure 2 Relationship between Independent Variables and Dependent Variables ........................20 Figure 3 Pilot Study Survey Flow ..................................................................................................24 Figure 4 Main Study Survey Flow .................................................................................................28 Figure 5 Histogram of Healthiness Perception of SmithÕs ............................................................36 Figure 6 Histogram of Healthiness Perception of Kirks Pasito .....................................................36 Figure 7 Histogram of Healthiness Perception of Ryvita ..............................................................37 Figure 8 Histogram of Healthiness Perception of Vaalia ..............................................................37 Figure 9 Unhealthy Food/Drink Brands ........................................................................................52 Figure 10 Healthy Food/Drink Brands ..........................................................................................53 Figure 11 SmithÕs Potato Chips Advertisement .............................................................................59 Figure 12 Kirks Pasito Soda Advertisement ..................................................................................59 Figure 13 Ryvita Crackers Advertisement .....................................................................................60 Figure 14 Vaalia Yogurt Advertisement ........................................................................................60 !! $!CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION From 2009 to 2010, more than one -third of adults, almost 17% of youth (age 10 to 17), and about 1 in 8 preschoolers (aged 2 Ð 5) in the U .S. were obese. Obesity was especially regarded as an important health risk issue for both children and adolescents beca use adolescents who were obese were likely to be obese as adults. According to Freedman, ÒA systematic review found 24%Ð90% of obese adolescents become overweight/obese adults. In one study, 87% of obese adolescents were obese adults, 39% of obese adolesce nts were severely obese adult Ó (2009, p. 18). People who were obese are likely to develop the following problems: heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, several types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, kidney, and pancreas, as well as multiple myeloma and HodgkinÕs lymphoma (CDC, 2014). Obese adolescents were more likely to have pre -diabetes, and in a study of obese youth, 70% had at least one risk factor (high cholesterol or high blood pressure) of cardiovascular disease. The CDC estimates by 2025, two out of every five adults w ould suffer from obesity. Th ese conditions mentioned above put a greater focus on preventing and controll ing weight gain in children, adolescents , and young adults . According to Harvard School of Pu blic Health (2014), many factors cause d obesity : genetics, socioeconomic reason s (i.e., inability to access healthy food) and lifestyle (i.e., too little physical activity and poor eating habits). Research revealed tha t good nutrition was one of the keys to reducing obesity (Lent, Hill, Dollahite, Wolfe, & Dickin, 2012; Millimet, Tchernis, & Husain, 2010; Watt, Appel, Roberts, Flores, & Morris, 2013). Bad eating habits such as lower consumpti on of vegetables and fruits as well as consumpti on of too much junk food and sweetened -beverages were considered leading cause s of obesity (Chang & Nayga, 2009; Chang & Nayga, 2010; Henderson, Coveney, Ward, & Taylor, 2009). !! %!Because obesity was such a ubiquitous problem, Americans' physiological well-being had become a major topic for many disciplines (Lichtenstein et al., 2006). Scholars emphasized that consuming nutritional foods and limiting intake of fat and sugar to keep a balanced diet was critical to reduce risk of chronic diseases (e.g., c ardiovascular , obesity ). Healthy eating promote d a healthy lifestyle and was a potential solution to the obesity problem (Lichtenstein et al., 2006). Therefore, encouraging people to live healthily by motivating them to purchas e and to consume more nutritional foods and fewer unhealthy foods became an important topic both in academ ia and public health . One of the most important factors influencing peopleÕs purchase intentions and decisions was consumersÕ trust in advertisements, brands , the firms that produce them , and media (Bhaduri, 2013; Hong & Cho, 2011 ; Li & Miniard, 2006; Liu et al., 2012; Okazaki et al., 2007; Peter, 1999). One study indicated that trust/distrust of a firm influence d perceived quality and product purchase intention (Bhaduri, 2013) . Trust in an electronic intermediary was found to strongly influence purchase intentions in the e -marketplaces (Hong & Cho, 2011) . Other r esearchers analyzed peopleÕs trust in advertisements (Li & Miniard, 2006; Okazaki, Katsukura, & Nishiyama, 2007) . ConsumersÕ t rust in advertisements was found to improve their attitudes toward the advertisements (Liu, Sinkovics, Pezderka, & Haghirian, 2012; Okazaki et al., 2007). Soh (2009) developed a reliable and valid measure of trust in advertising with 20 items, named the ADTRUST Scale. This scale revealed Òtrust in advertising to be a multidimensional construct with four distinct factors: reliability, usefulness, affect, and willingness to rely on Ó (Soh, 2009, p. 97) . Since trust in advertisements was found to both indirectly and directly promote purchase an d consumption behaviors (Li & Miniard, 2006; Okazaki et al., 2007) , in order to learn how to motivate people to purchase and consume more healthy foods and fewe r !! &!unhealthy foods, understanding how trust in advertisements was built and how it influence d peopleÕs food purchase intentions and decisions were necessary . One study suggested that some childhood food rules (e.g., Òyou must eat your vegetables at dinnerÓ, Òyou cannot have dessert until you finish your mealÓ ) might have a long -lasting impact on eating behaviors Ó (Puhl & Schwartz, 2003) . Branen and Fletcher (1999) conducted a survey among college students, demonstrating that peopleÔs present eating habits were related to their careg iversÕ feeding practices and food habits in their childhood. How their caregivers talked about nutrition influence d their current consideration of nutrition when choosing food s by themselves. This study focus ed on how young adults Õ trust in advertisements was affected by their family communication experience in their childhood . Parents play an important role in determining childrenÕs trust in and attitudes toward food advertisements through family communication . This topic was studied by examining memorable messages (long -term recalled messages) and family communication patterns. Effects of memorable messages on trust in food advertisements c ould help understand the development of life -long eating behaviors . S imilarly, understanding family communication patterns could help influence childrenÕs consumer skill learning and food rela ted consumer behavior (Carlson et al., 1990; Carlson et al., 1994; Kim et al., 2009; Lackman & Lanasa, 1993; Moore & Moschis, 1978). Here I examine d if young adults Õ recall ed messages and perceived family communication patterns influence d their current tru st in food /drink advertisements. Memorable messages ha ve been examined in health communication area through qualitative methods for many years but this was the first study investigating memorable messages about healthy eating in advertising area through mixed (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) methods. The goals of this paper were to 1) explore the influence of family communication on trust in !! '!food/drink advertisements by discovering whether parental messages with a rationale were more likely to be recalled than messages without a rationale; 2) to determine wh ether the message rationale or the promoting approach (e.g., ÒEat healthy foodsÓ) versus attacking unhealthy behavior (e.g., ÒDonÕt eat unhealthy foodsÓ) influenced trust in food/drink advertisements; 3) to analyze whether family communication patterns inf luenced trust in food/drink advertisements ; 4) to investigate whether skepticism toward general advertisements influenced trust in food/drink advertisements . First, I conducted a pilot study. I assessed participantsÕ healthiness perceptions , familiarity and consumptions of fourteen food /drink brands, as well as their recalled conversations with their parents about what they should or shouldnÕt eat or about what or how to eat. Based on the results of the pilot study, I conduct ed a main study. I first asked respondents to rate their trust and their healthiness perceptions of a total of four ads. Second, I asked them to rate how they perceive d general advertisements, aiming at checking their skepticism toward general ads. Third, they were asked to recall conv ersations with their parents about what they should or shouldnÕt eat or about what or how to eat. Fourth, they rated their perceived family communication patterns. Finally they were asked a set of demographic questions. The results of this study w ould provide an understanding about how family communication c ould be improved to decrease childrenÕs susceptibility to unhealthy food/drink advertisements and increase trust in healthy food/drink advertisements, as well as to better cultivate peopleÕs life -long healthy eating behaviors . !! (!CHAPTER 2. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION & LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theoretical Foundation Moschis defined that Òconsumer socialization is the process by which young people develop consumer -related skills, knowledge, and attitudesÓ (Bush, Smith, & Martin, 1999 , p. 16 ; Moschis & Churchill, 1978) . Social learning theory was used to explain an individualÕs socialization as an outcome of environmental forces in communication and advertising research (Bandura, 1969; Moschis & Smith, 1985). The individuals, passive in the social le arning process, develop ed beliefs and attitudes relying on the social interaction. According to social learning theory, a socialization agent was important in shaping the individualsÕ attitudes and behaviors (McLeod & OÕKeefe, 1972). From a consumer behavi or perspective, parents c ould be regarded as a social ization agent (Ward, Wackman, & Wartella, 1977) , and play ed significant roles in childrenÕs acquisition of consumer skills as outcomes of consumer socialization, including consumer cognition (e.g., attitudes toward advertisements, trust in advertisements) and behavior (e.g., purchase behavior) (Bush et al., 1999; Moschis & Churchill, 1978) . Namely, parents heavily influence d children via family rules, communication, and interaction about healthy eating behaviors on their trust in advertisements. !! )!1 2.2 Media Effects on Children Õs Perception of Foods and Eating Behaviors Mass communication could encourage health related behaviors, by developing public health mass media campaigns (Brown & Witherspoon, 2002; Cavill & Bauman, 2004; Wakefield, Loken, & Hornik, 2010; Whitney & V iswanath, 2004) . Considering the ir reach and appeal, mass media campaigns play ed major roles in promoting health and preventing disease (Hornik, 2002) . However, Òwe have also seen that the media do have an effect, sometimes subtly, sometimes more powerfully, and the potential is greater for negative rather than positive eff ectsÓ (Brown & Witherspoon, 2002) . Scholars ha d stud ied media effects on children, especially eating habits , for many decades and ha d argued that c hildrenÕs perceptions of what constitutes healthy eating were highly influenced by their media exposure (Signorielli & Lears, 1992; Signorielli & Staples, 1997). N amely, c hildren who watch ed more TV perceive d unhealthy food as healthier. A $!*"+,-.!$!/01!2.#.345.2!67!89.!-.1.0-:9.-!4;!89"1!18,27!601.2!41!?@!:4<:.58,03!A42.3!4;!:4<1,A.-!14:"03"B08"4