title: Food branding and young children's taste preferences: a reassessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the effects of branding and packaging on young children's taste preferences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preschool children aged 3 to 5 (n=65) tasted five pairs of identical foods in packaging from McDonald's and in matched packaging that was either plain, Starbucks-branded, or colourful (but unbranded). Children were asked if the foods tasted the same or if one tasted better.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children preferred the taste of foods wrapped in decorative wrappings, relying more on aesthetics than on familiar branding when making their choices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest the need to explore questions beyond commercial advertising (and brand promotion) on television and other media platforms. More attention should be directed at the important role of packaging in directing children's food preferences.
authors.affiliation: University of Calgary. celliott@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Charlene D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carruthers Den Hoed
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Conlon
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003132:Commerce; D057140:Fast Foods; D005260:Female; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055697:Taste Perception; D013690:Television
keywords: Child; advertising as topic; fast food; marketing; preschool; taste perception