Browsing by Author "Englund, Tessa R."

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    Awareness and outcomes of the fruits and veggies (FNV) campaign to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among targeted audiences in California and Virginia: a cross-sectional study
    Englund, Tessa R.; Hedrick, Valisa E.; Patiño, Sofía R.; Kennedy, Lauren E.; Hosig, Kathryn W.; Serrano, Elena L.; Kraak, Vivica (2021-06-09)
    Background In 2015, the Partnership for a Healthier America launched the branded Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign to apply a unique industry-inspired marketing approach to promote fruit and vegetable sales and intake to moms and teens in two US pilot markets: Fresno, California and Hampton Roads, Virginia. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to: 1) assess brand awareness and fruit- and vegetable-related outcomes among FNV Campaign target audiences in the California and Virginia market locations; and 2) examine whether reported awareness of the FNV Campaign was associated with differences in fruit- and vegetable-related cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Methods Data for this cross-sectional study were collected using an online survey administered to a non-probability convenience sample (n = 1604; February–July 2017) of youth aged 14–20 years (n = 744) and moms aged 21–36 years (n = 860) in the two pilot markets. Descriptive statistics were computed and outcomes compared between unaware and aware respondents, controlling for sociodemographic covariates. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to assess whether fruit- and vegetable-related attitude, belief, and encouragement outcomes differed by FNV Campaign awareness; logistic regression was used to examine associations between FNV brand awareness and dichotomous variables (fruit- and vegetable-related behavioral intentions, trying new fruits and vegetables); and ANCOVA was used to assess associations with daily fruit and vegetable intake frequency. Results Approximately 20% (n = 315/1604) of respondents reported awareness of the FNV Campaign. Youth that reported awareness of the FNV Campaign (n = 167, 22.4%) had higher intentions to buy (p = 0.003) and eat (p = 0.009) fruits and vegetables than unaware respondents. Mothers that reported awareness of the FNV Campaign (n = 148, 17.2%) reported greater encouragement for friends and family to eat fruits and vegetables (p = 0.013) and were approximately 1.5 times more likely to report trying a new fruit or vegetable (p = 0.04) than mothers unaware of the Campaign. Daily fruit and vegetable intake frequency did not differ by Campaign awareness. Conclusions FNV Campaign awareness was associated with limited but positive short- and intermediate-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes among target audience respondents. These findings can inform future research to enhance understanding and improve the FNV Campaign as it is expanded to new markets nationwide.
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    Branded Marketing and Media Campaigns to Support a Healthy Diet in the United States, 1999-2016: Insights to Inform the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign
    Kraak, Vivica; Englund, Tessa R.; Zhou, Mi; Duffey, Kiyah J. (2017-03)
    Introduction Obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCD) are serious public health challenges that have created an enormous financial burden on the United States (U.S) health care system. The United States spends an estimated $190 billion annually on obesity-related costs, representing about 20 percent of all medical spending. Childhood obesity is responsible for more than $14 billion dollars in direct medical costs...
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    Evaluation For Buying and Eating Fruits and Vegetables Among Teens and Moms Exposed to the Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign in California and Virginia, 2015-2017
    Duffey, Kiyah J.; Kennedy, Lauren E.; Englund, Tessa R.; Rincón-Gallardo Patiño, Sofía; Hedrick, Valisa E.; Kraak, Vivica (2017-12)
    In 2015, the PHA launched the branded FNV (Fruits & Veggies) Campaign in California and Virginia to increase sales and consumption of fruits and vegetables among millennial moms (21-34 years) and Generation Z teens (15-20 years). This study summarizes trends in U.S. fruit and vegetable consumption behaviors. We also describe the survey results that examined the familiarity of the FNV Campaign among Generation Z teens and Millennial moms in the two lead cities or test locations—Fresno in the Central Valley region of California and the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. Methods: A 35-item Qualtrics survey was administered either in person or online to Millennial moms and Generation Z teens in the two lead cities (n= 1604; Fresno, California: n= 746; Hampton Roads, Virginia: n=858) between February 1, 2017 and June 31, 2017. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 for Windows (IBM Corporation, USA, 2016). We analyzed differences in cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes by each test location. Differences within each city were compared between those who were familiar versus unfamiliar with the FNV Campaign. Results: About a quarter (25%) of respondents in each lead city (25.2% in Fresno, California and 25.8% in Hampton Roads, Virginia) were familiar with the FNV Campaign. In Hampton Roads, Virginia, a larger percentage of respondents reported having seen the FNV logo, while in Fresno, California, respondents reported an equal distribution between seeing the logo online or in the community, or just having heard of FNV. Apples, bananas and carrots were the most commonly recognized foods by participants surveyed who recalled seeing the FNV Campaign. There were no statistically significant differences between respondents familiar with the FNV Campaign and their awareness of previous campaigns that encouraged fruits and vegetables (e.g., Five a Day and Fruits and Veggies—More Matters). Respondents familiar with the FNV Campaign were not more knowledgeable about U.S. government-recommended servings of fruits and vegetables (e.g., 4.5 cup equivalents/day), compared to those who were unfamiliar with FNV Campaign. Respon¬dents in both test locations were significantly more likely to agree that they found it hard to purchase fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood and that eating fruits and vegetables affected their health. In Fresno, California but not Hampton Roads, Virginia, respondents familiar with FNV were significantly more confident in their ability to purchase but not prepare fruits and vegetables. There were statistically significant differences between respondents in Fresno, California who were familiar with the FNV Campaign. These respondents reported more daily servings of 100% vegetable juice, dark-green leafy vegetables and orange-colored vegetables compared to those who were unfamiliar with FNV, although the latter differences were not significant. No differences were observed between respondents who were familiar or unfamiliar with the FNV Campaign in Hampton Roads, Virginia. We found no differences in the fruit and vegetable purchasing behaviors of those familiar versus unfamiliar with the FNV Campaign in either test location. Large supermarkets and farmers’ markets were the two most common locations where respondents’ reported always or mostly shopping for food. Conclusions: While a quarter of respondents interviewed were familiar with the FNV brand, more work is needed to influence the target populations’ awareness about the FNV Campaign. There is also a need to understand how to use IMC to promote actionable and memorable messages to encourage target groups to purchase and consume more fruits and vegetables regularly that align with the DGA. We offer six recommendations to inform future research, evaluation and marketing of the FNV Campaign.
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    Evaluation of integrated marketing communication strategies used for the Fruits & Veggies Campaign in California and Virginia
    Englund, Tessa R.; Hedrick, Valisa E.; Duffey, Kiyah J.; Kraak, Vivica (Elsevier, 2020-02-11)
    In 2015, the Partnership for a Healthier America launched the branded Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign to promote fruit and vegetable sales and intake to moms and teens in two California and Virginia pilot markets. The FNV Campaign used a novel, creative approach to promote fruits and vegetables through integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies. Findings from a mixed-methods process evaluation conducted between 2016 and 2017 were used to explore congruence between stakeholders’ expectations of IMC strategy potential and FNV brand awareness and reach among target audiences. Awareness and recall of IMC strategies were assessed through a cross-sectional survey of target audience respondents (n = 1604) from the pilot markets. Qualitative data regarding IMC strategy potential and influential factors were gathered from stakeholder interviews (n = 22). Approximately 19.6% (n = 315) of respondents were aware of the FNV Campaign. Stakeholders’ perspectives regarding IMC potential aligned with findings that the proportion of aware respondents was significantly (p = 0.008) higher among teens (22%) than moms (17%). Qualitative results also converged with higher proportions of survey respondents recalling brand exposure through social media (46%) and retail settings (30%) than community activities (18%), word of mouth (17.5%), and traditional media advertisements (9.5%). IMC recall did not differ between mom and teen respondents except for significantly (p = 0.02) higher word of mouth recall among teen respondents. Findings support using selected IMC strategies and future involvement of diverse stakeholders. Evaluation results can inform future research and practice to improve IMC strategy reach and influence as the FNV Campaign expands to new markets nationwide.
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    Evaluation Summary. Four Studies Conducted for the Partnership for a Healthier America's Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign in California and Virginia, 2015-2017
    Kraak, Vivica; Englund, Tessa R.; Zhou, Mi; Duffey, Kiyah J. (Department Of Human Nutrition, Foods, And Exercise, 2018-02)
    This evaluation summary provides brief descriptions of four studies funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to evaluate the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA’s) branded FNV (Fruits & Veggies) Campaign that was launched in two pilot cities or test locations—Fresno in the Central Valley region of California and the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in 2015. The PHA designed the FNV Campaign as a new brand to increase the sales and consumption of all forms of fruits and vegetables (e.g., fresh, canned, dried and frozen) to reach Millennial moms, ages 21 to 34 years, and Generation Z teens, ages 15 to 20 years, in the two test locations. The PHA also explored how the FNV Campaign could reach racially, ethnically and culturally diverse populations. During phase one of the FNV Campaign (May 2015 to September 2016), the PHA reported the Campaign as a $5 million dollar/year that used commercial and behavioral branding principles and integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies to raise awareness and encourage fruit and vegetable sales and intake among targeted populations in the two test locations. Commercial businesses often use IMC strategies in campaigns that combine advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing, sponsorships, celebrity endorsement, and point-of-purchase in retail settings across different communication platforms to build brand awareness and loyalty among targeted groups for products, services and ideas. In September 2015, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided a grant to a research team in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia to conduct a multi-faceted and independent evaluation of the FNV Campaign in the two pilot locations of Fresno, California and Hampton Roads, Virginia during phase one. This report summarizes the results of four studies that comprise an independent evaluation of the FNV Campaign conducted between September 2015 and December 2017. During phase two of the FNV Campaign (October 2016 to the present), the PHA announced the FNV Campaign’s expansion to 13 states and cities. These locations included: Fresno, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Boise, Idaho; Dallas, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Mason City, Iowa; Syracuse, New York; Washington, DC; Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts; Norfolk/Hampton Roads, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Miami, Florida; and Madison, Wisconsin. By May 2017, the PHA had reported more than 25 public- and private-sector partners who supported the FNV Campaign. These included partnerships with state health departments and USDA Cooperative Extension offices in California, Colorado, Georgia and Wisconsin to reach participants in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and SNAP-Education (SNAP-Ed) to encourage fruits and vegetables. We anticipate that the collective findings from this evaluation will be useful as the PHA and partners aim to expand, scale up and sustain the FNV Campaign in other states and nationwide.
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    Exploring Progress, Barriers and Opportunities for the Branded FNV Marketing Campaign to Impact Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation
    Englund, Tessa R. (Virginia Tech, 2020-01-16)
    Unhealthy food and beverage products marketed through diverse media platforms contribute to poor diet quality, obesity, and chronic diseases in the United States (US). Limited empirical research is available on the effectiveness of integrated marketing communications (IMC) and branded media campaigns used to positively influence Americans' diet-related cognitive, behavioral and health outcomes. The purpose of this research was to assess and inform the Partnership for a Healthier America's Fruits and Veggies (FNV) Campaign to increase fruit and vegetable purchases and intake among targeted teen and mom populations. This PhD research evaluated the use, outcomes, and perspectives on branded food marketing campaigns to inform the FNV Campaign through four studies. Study 1 used a mixed-methods research approach that included a scoping review; comprehensive review of peer-reviewed articles, gray literature and media sources; and key-informant interviews (n=11) to identify 13 national branded marketing campaigns that used health-branding strategies to encourage healthy dietary purchases and consumption in the US between 1990-2016. Study 2 explored views of diverse stakeholders (n=22) regarding the FNV Campaign using semi-structured interviews that were thematically analyzed using a conceptual framework with eight constructs (i.e., campaign design, reach, adoption, effectiveness, impact, expansion, scaling up and sustainability). Study 3 assessed FNV Campaign awareness, cognitions and behaviors for buying and eating fruits and vegetables through a survey of targeted teen and millennial mom audiences (n=1,604) in Hampton Roads, Virginia and Fresno, California where the FNV Campaign pilot was launched. Study 4 encompassed a mixed-methods evaluation using data from the second and third studies that assessed and explored congruence between FNV brand awareness and recall of IMC strategies among survey respondents with stakeholders' perspectives regarding IMC strategy contexts and potential. This body of research expands knowledge about the effectiveness of diet-related IMC and media campaigns and provides a foundation for future FNV Campaign evaluations. Taken together, findings across the four studies identified significant opportunities for large-scale IMC campaigns to improve evaluation designs and outcome reporting. These results can inform evidence-based strategies and policies to improve the design of the FNV Campaign and other IMC initiatives to improve dietary patterns and population health.
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    A novel marketing mix and choice architecture framework to nudge restaurant customers toward healthy food environments to reduce obesity in the United States
    Kraak, Vivica; Englund, Tessa R.; Misyak, Sarah A.; Serrano, Elena L. (Wiley, 2017-08-01)
    This review identified and adapted choice architecture frameworks to develop a novel framework that restaurant owners could use to promote healthy food environments for customers who currently overconsume products high in fat, sugar and sodium that increase their risk of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. This review was conducted in three steps and presented as a narrative summary to demonstrate a proof of concept. Step 1 was a systematic review of nudge or choice architecture frameworks used to categorize strategies that cue healthy behaviours in microenvironments. We searched nine electronic databases between January 2000 and December 2016 and identified 1,244 records. Inclusion criteria led to the selection of five choice architecture frameworks, of which three were adapted and combined with marketing mix principles to highlight eight strategies (i.e. place, profile, portion, pricing, promotion, healthy default picks, prompting or priming and proximity). Step 2 involved conducting a comprehensive evidence review between January 2006 and December 2016 to identify U.S. recommendations for the restaurant sector organized by strategy. Step 3 entailed developing 12 performance metrics for the eight strategies. This framework should be tested to determine its value to assist restaurant owners to promote and socially normalize healthy food environments to reduce obesity and non-communicable diseases.
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    Progress Evaluation for the Restaurant Industry Assessed by a Voluntary Marketing-Mix and Choice-Architecture Framework That Offers Strategies to Nudge American Customers toward Healthy Food Environments, 2006-2017
    Kraak, Vivica; Englund, Tessa R.; Misyak, Sarah A.; Serrano, Elena L. (MDPI, 2017-07-01)
    Consumption of restaurant food and beverage products high in fat, sugar and sodium contribute to obesity and non-communicable diseases. We evaluated restaurant-sector progress to promote healthy food environments for Americans. We conducted a desk review of seven electronic databases (January 2006–January 2017) to examine restaurant strategies used to promote healthful options in the United States (U.S.). Evidence selection (n = 84) was guided by the LEAD principles (i.e., locate, evaluate, and assemble evidence to inform decisions) and verified by data and investigator triangulation. A marketing-mix and choice-architecture framework was used to examine eight voluntary strategies (i.e., place, profile, portion, pricing, promotion, healthy default picks, priming or prompting and proximity) to evaluate progress (i.e., no, limited, some or extensive) toward 12 performance metrics based on available published evidence. The U.S. restaurant sector has made limited progress to use pricing, profile (reformulation), healthy default picks (choices), promotion (responsible marketing) and priming and prompting (information and labeling); and some progress to reduce portions. No evidence was available to assess progress for place (ambience) and proximity (positioning) to promote healthy choices during the 10-year review period. Chain and non-chain restaurants can apply comprehensive marketing-mix and nudge strategies to promote healthy food environments for customers.
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    Stakeholders’ Views About the FNV Campaign to Increase the Sales and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in Two U.S. Cities
    Kraak, Vivica; Englund, Tessa R.; Zhou, Mi; Duffey, Kiyah J. (2017-12)
    In 2015, the PHA launched the branded FNV (Fruits & Veggies) Campaign in California and Virginia to increase sales and consumption of fruits and vegetables among millennial moms (21-34 years) and Generation Z teens (15-20 years). This study explored diverse stakeholders’ views and expectations about the FNV Campaign’s design, implementation and effectiveness in the test locations—Fresno in the Central Valley region of California and the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia (May 2015 to September 2016); and their views about future expansion, scaling up and sustainability. Methods: We used a purposive sampling strategy to recruit and interview diverse stakeholders (n=22) (i.e., government, business, trade associations, public-interest non-governmental organizations, private foundations, and academic institutions) by phone (n=18) or in-person (n=4) between July and October 2016. We used a 15-item interview guide to explore stakeholders’ views and expectations about eight constructs (i.e., design, reach, adoption, effectiveness, impact, expansion, scaling up and sustainability) for the FNV Campaign. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative research principles and NVivo 11 software. The written transcripts were coded and analyzed for emergent themes. The results were summarized as perceived opportunities and challenges for the eight constructs. Results: Stakeholders represented national, state or local government agencies (36.4%; n=8), private-sector businesses (18.2%; n=4), industry trade associations (9.1%; n=2), public-interest organizations (9.1%; n=2), academic researchers (13.6%; n=3) and private foundations (13.6%; n=3). Design opportunities included breadth of creative marketing strategies including celebrities. Challenges were inadequate formative research conducted and confusion about the FNV brand and message content. Reach opportunities were social media and in-store fruit and vegetable retail potential, whereas challenges were underutilization of food-retail partnerships and desire for objective and rigorous evaluation data. Adoption opportunities were diverse sponsorship, assistance of local partners, and community excitement generated by FNV association. Adoption challenges were lack of a clear long-term communication plan between PHA and partners, limited flexibility for local adaptation, and lack of evidence to show that FNV brand or messages had increased fruit and vegetable sales or intake. Effectiveness and impact opportunities were some positive sales data from Virginia and public relations impressions. Challenges were a lack of targeted outcomes, limited transparency to share sales data and Campaign results with funders, and one-year pilot was inadequate to show positive effects. Expansion opportunities included potential to expand partnerships with SNAP retailers and untapped community-based supporters. Perceived challenges were that FNV targeted high-income food retailers were SNAP participants did not shop, and more than a campaign is needed to reach low-income consumers. Sustainability opportunities were well-resourced national partners and community-based organizations that could play a central role, and potential for commodity produce groups to support the Campaign. Challenges were sustaining clear communication with partners over time, fundraising, and keeping FNV brand and messages resonating with diverse audiences. Conclusions: This qualitative evaluation can inform the design and PHA partnership engagement strategy as the FNV campaign expands to other locations to increase fruit and vegetable sales and consumption among ethnically, racially and culturally diverse Americans. We offer four recommendations for evaluating the FNV Campaign’s effectiveness, impact and sustainability in other locations.