Consumer Trends

Mascots affect food choices well into adulthood, new study says

According to a new study by London researchers, advertising characters such as Ronald McDonald that people have been familiar with since childhood continue to affect their food decisions once they become adults.

A recent article in the U.K.’s “The Independent” reports that participants in the study “who had been exposed to food-related childhood advertising before the age of 13 were more likely to hold a bias in favor of the products as adults.”

Researchers suggested that combining fun, lovable characters with health-oriented messaging could have a significant impact on perceptions people form for life.

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