Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Wicked consumption behavior, namely the inflated consumption of unhealthy commodities such as tobacco and soft drinks, constitutes a leading risk for noncommunicable diseases including cancer and diabetes. Despite the fatal impact of wicked consumption on societal welfare, both the social marketing literature and the public policy literature lack a systematic framework capturing the unfolding of the wicked consumption cycle and providing guidance on when and how to intervene upstream. Drawing on historical data on tobacco and soft drink consumption in the U.S., we propose a four-stage epidemic life cycle of wicked consumer behavior. The biological and habitual factors that make different types of wicked consumption appealing to consumers are reinforced by the marketing activities of the manufacturers. To overcome the strong resistance posed by habitual wicked consumption, we articulate a typology of upstream intervention parameters and provide guidance on when and how to intervene depending on the desired long-term equilibrium.

Keywords

epidemic life cycle obesity policy social marketing upstream intervention wicked consumer behavior macromarketing

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ahmed

Serge H.

Guillem

Karine

Vandaele

Youna

(2013), “Sugar Addiction: Pushing the Drug-Sugar Analogy to the Limit,” Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 16 (4), 434–39.

American Cancer Society (2015), “Cancer Statistics 2009,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.cancer.org/healthy/informationforhealthcareprofessionals/cancer_statistic_2009_slides_rev.ppt.]

Andreasen

A. R.

(2002), “Marketing Social Marketing in the Social Change Marketplace,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 21 (1), 3–13.

Andreasen

A. R.

(2012), “Rethinking the Relationship between Social/Nonprofit Marketing and Commercial Marketing,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 31 (1), 36–41.

Aubrey

Allison

(2014), “How Did Berkeley Pass a Soda Tax? Bloomberg’s Cash Didn’t Hurt,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/11/05/361793296/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-bloombergs-cash-didnt-hurt?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=us.]

Avena

Nicole M.

Rada

Pedro

Hoebel

Bartley G.

(2008), “Evidence for Sugar Addiction: Behavioral and Neurochemical Effects of Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake,” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 32 (1), 20–39.

Balasubramanian

Siva K.

Cole

Catherine

(2002), “Consumers’ Search and Use of Nutrition Information: The Challenge and Promise of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act,” Journal of Marketing, 66 (July), 112–27.

Beil

Laura

(2002), “Money Seen as Movie to Eschew Junk Snacks”, Boston Globe, January 2, A3.

Bird

(2010), “Benchmark Criteria for Social Marketing,” Bristol Social Marketing Centre Spotlight on Social Marketing #2, (accessed February 2, 2016), [available at: http://www.thensmc.com/sites/default/files/benchmark-criteria-090910.pdf]

10.

Burnet

Frank M.

(1955), Principles of Animal Virology. New York: Academic Press.

11.

Brooks

Daniel R.

Austin

John H. M.

Heelan

Robert T.

Ginsberg

Michelle S.

Shin

Victor

Olson

Sara H.

Muscat

Joshua E.

Stellman

Steven D.

(2005), “Influence of Type of Cigarette on Peripheral versus Central Lung Cancer,” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 14 (3), 576–81.

12.

Brownell

Kelly D.

Warner

Kenneth E.

(2009), “The Perils of Ignoring History: Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died. How Similar Is Big Food?” The Milbank Quarterly, 87 (1), 259–94.

13.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001), “Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Tobacco Use -- United States, 1900-1999,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4843a2.htm.]

14.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), “Current Cigarette Smoking among Adults in the United States,” (accessed February 25, 2015), [available at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/adult_data/cig_smoking/.]

15.

Coca-Cola Company (2012a), “Coke Lore: Trademark Chronology,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [ http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-trademark-chronology/.]

16.

Coca-Cola Company (2012b), “Coca-Cola Sponsorships: London 2012 Olympic Games,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coca-cola-sponsorships-london-2012-olympic-games.]

17.

Coca-Cola Company (2014a), “Form K-10,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.coca-colacompany.com/investors/annual-other-reports/.]

18.

Coca-Cola Company (2014b), “Coca-Cola Life Arrives on Shelves Nationwide,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/coca-cola-life-to-make-us-debut/.]

19.

Coca-Cola Company (2015), “Coca-Cola Life,” (accessed July 12, 2016), [ https://www.coca-cola.com.au/cokelife.]

20.

Commonwealth of Australia (2007), “Tackling Wicked Problems: A Public Policy Perspective. Contemporary Government Challenges,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/archive/publications-archive/tackling-wicked-problems.]

21.

Dibb

(2014), “Up, Up and Away: Social Marketing Breaks Free,” Journal of Marketing Management, 30 (11-12), 1159–85.

22.

DiFranza

Joseph R.

Savageau

Judith A.

Aisquith

Bryan F.

(1996), “Youth Access to Tobacco: The Effects of Age, Gender, Vending Machine Locks, and “It’s the Law” Programs,” American Journal of Public Health, 86 (2), 221–24.

23.

DiNicolantonio

James J.

Lucan

Sean C.

(2014), “Sugar Season. It’s Everywhere, and Addictive,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/opinion/sugar-season-its-everywhere-and-addictive.html?_r=0.]

24.

Domegan

Christine T.

(2008), “Social Marketing: Implications for Contemporary Marketing Practices Classification Scheme,” Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 23 (2), 135–41.

25.

Drewnowski

(1997), “Taste Preferences and Food Intake,” Annual Review of Nutrition, 17 (1), 237–53.

26.

Federal Trade Commission (2015), “Statutes Enforced or Administered by the Commission,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/statutes.]

27.

Forbes (2015), “The World’s Most Valuable Brands,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at http://www.forbes.com/companies/marlboro/.]

28.

French

Simone

(2003), “Pricing Effects on Food Choices,” Journal of Nutrition, 133 (3), 841–43.

29.

Gordon

(2013), “Unlocking the Potential of Upstream Social Marketing,” European Journal of Marketing, 47 (9), 1525–47.

30.

Grant-Braham

Bruce

Britton

John

(2011), “Motor Racing, Tobacco Company Sponsorship, Barcodes and Alibi Marketing,” Tobacco Control, 21 (6), 529–535.

31.

Han

Ester

(2015), “Coca-Cola Accused of ‘Greenwashing’ with Launch of Sugar-Reduced Coke Life,” (accessed July 12, 2016), [available at http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/cocacola-accused-of-greenwashing-with-launch-of-sugarreduced-coke-life-20150330-1mas6u.html.]

32.

Frank B.

(2013), “Resolved: There Is Sufficient Scientific Evidence that Decreasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Will Reduce the Prevalence of Obesity and Obesity-Related Diseases,” Obesity Reviews, 14 (8), 606–19.

33.

Investopedia (2015), “A Look at Coca-Cola’s Advertising Expenses,” (accessed July 25, 2016), [available at http://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/081315/look-cocacolas-advertising-expenses.asp.]

34.

Justia Trademarks (2015), “COKE – Trademark Details,” (accessed February 26, 2016), [available at https://trademarks.justia.com/714/68/coke-71468708.html.]

35.

Kennedy

Ann-Marie

Parsons

Andrew

(2012), “Marco-Social Marketing and Social Engineering: A Systems Approach,” Journal of Social Marketing, 2 (1), 37–51.

36.

Kotler

Philip

Zaltman

Gerald

(1971), “Social Marketing: An Approach to Planned Social Change,” Journal of Marketing, 35 (3), 3–12.

37.

Lenoir

Magalie

Serre

Fuschia

Cantin

Lauriane

Ahmed

Serge H.

(2007), “Intense Sweetness Surpasses Cocaine Reward,” Plos One, 2 (8), e698.

38.

Ludwig

David S.

Peterson

Karen E.

Gortmaker

Steven L.

(2001), “Relation between Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks and Childhood Obesity: A Prospective, Observational Analysis,” The Lancet, 357 (9255), 505–08.

39.

Malik

Vasanti S.

Schulze

Matthias B.

Frank

B. Hu

(2006), “Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84 (2), 274–88.

40.

Mayer

Andre

(2013), “Soft-Drink Makers Accused of Using ‘Big Tobacco Playbook’,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/soft-drink-makers-accused-of-using-big-tobacco-playbook-1.1362598.]

41.

National Cancer Institute (2008), “Type and Extent of Tobacco Advertising and Promotion,” (accessed June 13, 2016), [available at http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/tcrb/monographs/19/m19_4.pdf.]

42.

New York Times (2015), “Coca-Cola Funds Scientists Who Shift Blame for Obesity Away From Bad Diets,” (accessed February 2, 2016), [available at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/coca-cola-funds-scientists-who-shift-blame-for-obesity-away-from-bad-diets/?_r=0.]

43.

Online Pokies (2016), “Pokie Regulations in Australia,” (accessed July 25, 2016), [available at http://www.onlinepokies.com/state-regulations.htm#wa.]

44.

Orazi

D. C.

Bove

L. L.

Lei

(2016), “Empowering Social Change through Advertising Co-creation: The Roles of Source Disclosure, Sympathy and Personal Involvement,” International Journal of Advertising, 35 (1), 149–66.

45.

Pontieri

F. E.

Tanda

Orzi

Di Chiara

(1996), “Effects of Nicotine on the Nucleus Accumbens and Similarity to Those of Addictive Drugs,” Nature, 382 (6588), 255–57.

46.

Popkin

Barry M.

(1997), “The Nutrition Transition and Its Health Implications in Lower-Income Countries,” Public Health Nutrition, 1 (1), 5–21.

47.

Ramirez

Anthony

(1991), “Marlboro Plans ‘Mediums’ to Stem the Brand’s Decline,” (accessed January 25, 2016), [available at http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/04/business/marlboro-plans-mediums-to-stem-the-brand-s-decline.html.]

48.

Rittel

Horst W. J.

Webber

Melvin M.

(1973), “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning,” Policy Sciences, 4 (2), 155–69.

49.

Royne

M. B.

Levy

(2015), “Reaching Consumers Through Effective Health Messages: A Public Health Imperative,” Journal of Advertising, 44 (2), 85–87.

50.

Rundle-Thiele

Schuster

Dietrich

Russell-Bennett

Drennan

Leo

Connor

J. P.

(2015), “Maintaining or Changing a Drinking Behavior? GOKA’s Short-Term Outcomes,” Journal of Business Research, 68 (10), 2155–63.

51.

Scammon

D. L.

Keller

P. A.

Albinsson

P. A.

Bahl

Catlin

J. R.

Haws

K. L.

Kees

King

Miller

E. G.

Mirabito

A. M.

Peter

P. C.

(2011), “Transforming Consumer Health, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 30(1), 14–22.

52.

Schulze

Matthias B.

Manson

JoAnn E.

Ludwig

David S.

Colditz

Graham A.

Stampfer

Meir J.

Willet

Walter C.

Frank

B. Hu

(2004), “Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Weight Gain, and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Young and Middle-Aged Women,” The Journal of the American Medical Association, 292 (8), 927–34.

53.

Seiders

Kathleen

Petty

Ross D.

(2004), “Obesity and the Role of Food Marketing: A Policy Analysis of Issues and Remedies,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 23 (2), 153–69.

54.

Stanford School of Medicine (2016a), “Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising: Mild as May,” (accessed December 3, 2015), [available at http://tobacco.stanford.edu/tobacco_main/images.php?token2=fm_st105.php&token1=fm_img3254.php&theme_file=fm_mt007.php&theme_name=Light,%20Super%20&%20Ultra%20Light&subtheme_name=Mild%20as%20May.]

55.

Stanford School of Medicine (2016b), “Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising,” (accessed December 3, 2015), [available at http://tobacco.stanford.edu/tobacco_main.]

56.

Stead

Lindsay F.

Lancaster

Tim

(2000), “A Systematic Review of Interventions for Preventing Tobacco Sales to Minors,” Tobacco Control, 9 (2), 169–76.

57.

Steinmetz

Katy

(2015), “San Francisco Approves Warning Label for Sugary Drink Ads,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://time.com/3915485/san-francisco-soda-warning-label/.]

58.

Stuckler

David

McKee

Martin

Ebrahim

Shah

Basu

Sanjay

(2012), “Manufacturing Epidemics: The Role of Global Producers in Increased Consumption of Unhealthy Commodities Including Processed Foods, Alcohol, and Tobacco,” PLoS Medicine, 9 (6), 1–8.

59.

Tobaccodocuments.org (2015), “Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at https://web.archive.org/web/20080305012949/http://tobaccodocuments.org:80/atc/71066088.html.]

60.

United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (2004), “In the Long Run: Milk and Soft Drink Consumption,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2004-april/in-the-long-run.aspx#.VmEtYTVrS6E.]

61.

United States District Court for the District of Columbia (2006), “Amended Final Opinion,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/resources/doj-final-opinion.pdf.]

62.

U.S. National Library of Medicine (2015), “The Reports of the Surgeon General, The 1964 Report on Smoking and Health,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/NN/p-nid/60.]

63.

Vence

Deborah L.

(2004), “The Lowdown on Trans Fats.” Marketing News, March 15, 13–14.

64.

Verplanken

Bas

Wood

Wendy

(2006), “Interventions to Break and Create Consumer Habits,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 25 (1), 90–103.

65.

Wallack

Dorfman

Jernigan

Themba

(1993), “The Media Connection”. Media Advocacy And Public Health: Power For Prevention, 53–85.

66.

WHO (2015a), “Noncommunicable Diseases,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs355/en/.]

67.

WHO (2015b), “Obesity and Overweight,” (accessed October 27, 2015), [available at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/.]

68.

WHO (2016), “Second-hand Tobacco Smoke,” (accessed February 25, 2016), [available at http://www.who.int/tobacco/research/secondhand_smoke/en/.]

69.

Witkowski

Terrence H.

(2007), “Food Marketing and Obesity in Developing Countries: Analysis, Ethics, and Public Policy,” Journal of Macromarketing, 27 (2), 126–37.

No Rest for the Wicked

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References