Transcription
[Music] Certain images summarize a city, the poor of Calcutta, its undernourished children, and its dilapidated buildings. But for 20 years, the landscape of the Indian metropolis has been transformed by the arrival of American-style shopping malls like this one, with its cohort of Western brands. [Music] This is a magnificent day to inaugurate this building that Calcutta has long dreamed of. Acropolis Mall. Move over, move over, make way. The city's mayor and a minister made the trip, accompanied by one of the most famous actors on the Indian subcontinent. [Music] Welcome to the paradise of shopping and gastronomy. [Music] Upstairs, alongside traditional cuisine, three Western fast-food chains are opening: Subway, [Music] KFC soon, and Domino's Pizza. The brand's 600th outlet in India. How much is that? 59 rupees, sir. 59 rupees, that's right. Okay, very good. 59 rupees, 80 cents. It's a very low-priced Western product, the brand's main selling point, and there's even cheaper. Pizza. That's Domino's lowest price, and it's only sold for 49 rupees. That's why it's so popular. A pizza at that price is like a dream come true for me, as it is for the customers. Making people dream with industrial food is still possible in developing countries, and their market is promising. [Music] In France and Europe, the numbers are less favorable. Prevention campaigns have been broadcast for 15 years to warn against unhealthy eating. By eating fewer sugary products and grains, you protect your health. In 2004, a law was passed to limit the effects of food marketing. Advertisements for these products must include a warning. The aim is to enforce the law against obesity, and under pressure, manufacturers have reduced the quantities of sugar, salt, and fat in their products in France. But they are not short of ideas to circumvent the obstacle. On the internet, where advertising is less controlled, they target new consumers. In Southern countries, brands go much further by canvassing in playgrounds and loading their products with fatty and sugary components. [Music] An investigation into the new territories of the food kings. We're going from famine to obesity. It's going to be a health disaster. [Music] [Music] If you think of Rio de Janeiro, certain clichés inevitably come to mind. Copacabana beach, sculpted bodies, the sweetness of life, and the passion for sport. These commonplaces are heavily exploited by Western brands, especially soda brands. Football, favelas, and sugary drinks. But this is the reality of Brazil. One in two adults is overweight, and one in seven is obese. [Music] And according to this consumer association lawyer, soda brands are not blameless. Abusive marketing is one of the main culprits for the rise in obesity. Children become addicted from early childhood, and it's very difficult to wean them off it later. They drink a lot of soda before the age of 2, and sometimes even from a bottle. Parents give these products to their children because they think, if it's so heavily promoted in advertising and in stores, why would it be harmful? Brazil is the third-largest market in the world for Coca-Cola. The truth is, I love sodas. We drink them almost every day at home, and when I go out too. My grandson likes them a lot. The big bottles are for me, and the small ones for him. He takes them straight from the fridge. They're just the right size for his little hand. In Brazil, no law governs food marketing. So, brands don't hesitate to target customers right from school. [Music] Vitoria, the country's 6th largest city. In the working-class neighborhoods on the hills, this public middle school is not the most deprived. But it has no resources for extracurricular activities. Everything could soon change thanks to a famous red brand. Go on, put on your costume. These 14-year-old children are going to participate in a competition organized by Coca-Cola between the city's middle schools, the School Festival. This is the last rehearsal. The winning school gets 15,000 reais, right? 5,000. Yes, 5,000 reais. And then? Well, it would be great. We could buy resistance bands, soccer balls, equipment for volleyball. Whatever the outcome, it will be good for the school. This teacher enrolled the children. She even has the official title of brand ambassador. Unthinkable in France. [Music] [Applause] The middle schoolers join 4,000 other teenagers in the city's largest performance hall. And the party naturally begins with a Coke. Of course, we choose to drink Coke. It's logical, they're the best. Have you distributed a lot of water so far? 20 bottles maximum, and a huge amount of Coke in all the refrigerators. How many is that? About 2,000 cans. Yes, that's right. That day, the brand is everywhere, and yet it's a school event. You spend a lot of money on this operation. Yes, we've invested a lot because the goal is to make them dream, and that's the best gift we can give our children. Well, I mean, not children, but teenagers from 12 to 19 years old, who are our audience. Don't be stressed. Breathe. [Music] It's time for the students from the hillside neighborhoods to take the stage. [Applause] Thanks to the red brand, they get their moment of glory. [Music] Are you aware that this is marketing? Yes, well, more or less, because I think Coca doesn't need this. You see, the brand is already so well-known, everyone here knows it. [Applause] The School Festival, a great awareness campaign. Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola forever, today, tomorrow, Coca-Cola always. The world's most powerful soda brand has secured the lifelong loyalty of its Brazilian middle schoolers. [Music] In this still young country, manufacturers don't wait for middle school to communicate with children. McDonald's has been sending its clown Ronald to playgrounds for 27 years. A marketing practice that is legal in Brazil but controversial. Last year, a child protection association tried to get it banned. So, at McDonald's, they prefer not to talk about it anymore. Can't you answer just two or three questions about your show? No, I really can't. No information, unfortunately, no. Sorry. A school principal will help us learn more. Here's lunch, and the children. This is for Johanna. This is for Gabriel. In São Paulo, Anna Marina Fazoli is trying to prevent unhealthy food from entering her school. A daily battle to protect her students, aged 3 to 14. In Brazilian school cafeterias, they generally serve chips, fried snacks, bread, or sodas. It's really difficult because it's not just teenagers who ask for it, but the younger ones too. We really have to make an educational effort in this area. At our request, the principal contacted McDonald's by phone to have Clown Ronald come. And a few days later, Hello guys, is everything okay? Hello, welcome. Wow, what an honor! We're posing as parents of students. Hello, [Applause] here we go. Everyone is here. I want everyone to clap their hands because I'm going to make my entrance. Let's go. Music, we can live in a way that is truly real, it must be treated. The sketches are about the environment and sports, with no reference to the brand on the comedian's costume. The yellow logo has even been covered with red fabric. The objective is not to be accused of advertising. 1, 2, 3, let's go. [Music] Let's clap loudly. But the children do make the connection with the product. Goodbye. Goodbye. Does it make you want to go eat at McDonald's? What will you ask your parents for? I want to eat fries here. What will you ask your parents for? French fries, ice cream, McDonald's. This type of show has already taken place in hundreds of schools. Does the brand admit to this insidious advertising? We contacted McDonald's Brazil and received this reply by email. [Music] And who is he? What clown? [Music] [Music] No law, no regulation prevents this practice in Brazil. However, last year, a complaint from an association led the São Paulo prosecutor to react. [Music] Ravière Bardau sent a letter to the state authorities in charge of education to warn them. Based on the precautionary principle, it was recommended not to allow these shows in schools anymore. The most effective marketing is not the one that is seen. Subtle and repetitive advertising is much more effective, especially with children. A child does not distinguish the advertising message from any other message. Here's what we filmed this morning. If we reuse the water used to wring out the laundry, we can use it to water plants or wash the floor, right? I feel helpless. I sent recommendations, but apparently, the State Secretariat of Health did not follow up, despite sending two letters to the ministry. In Brazil, the food kings exploit the weakness of public authorities. In other developing countries, they offer products that are much worse for public health. India, with 1.27 billion inhabitants. A priority market for Western brands looking for outlets. Here, street food is nutritious and cheap. So, to compete with it, manufacturers from Europe or America play on the lack of information of most consumers. In this immense shopping mall in Calcutta, among the restaurants, a fried chicken brand generates the highest turnover. The American chain has revisited its recipes with an Indian spicy sauce. And it works. The restaurant attracts an average of 3,000 customers per day, a record in India. What do you want? I want that over there. The W, which one? There is? A burger, chicken, or a wrap? I want to eat everything. In Europe or the United States, menus include bottles of water; not here, only sodas or juices. But consumers don't complain. I've never gotten sick. For me, it's clean, hygienic, and well-prepared. So, I trust them. It's very good. It's very good for your health. Yes, it's very good for your health, and there isn't too much oil. The managers are aware of the customers' lack of information, but they are not allowed to speak. We record the conversation discreetly. Do people ask you questions about the sugar, fat, or salt content? No, very few. Very few. You know, in India, people don't worry about their health as much as in the United States or Europe. It's starting, but it's very weak. Paradoxically, while part of the Indian population still suffers from malnutrition, another part of the population, the middle class, is experiencing an obesity epidemic. 30% of adolescents are overweight. A figure that has doubled in 5 years. [Music] Sourage, 15 years old, weighs 99 kg for 1.60 m. I'd like a spicy chicken pizza. The teenager is a fast-food enthusiast. In a week, I must go four times with friends or family to eat pizza or burgers. We want to enjoy life. Do you think you're addicted? No, not at all. Addiction is something else. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I'm not addicted. But you know it's not good. No. Yes, but what can I say? But you don't want to stop eating? If now I have to because of the operation, I will stop eating. Sourage has an appointment at this clinic specializing in surgical stomach reductions. Major interventions for extreme cases. 300 patients are operated on here per month. More and more teenagers. Hello, how are you? I'm fine. Ready for the operation? Yes, I am. Last interview before the surgery. So, you have 54 kg to lose. Yes, that's right. In 4 weeks, you'll be able to get back to sports and become a big, handsome boy. Due to his overweight, he has early-stage diabetes. A hormonal dysfunction also causes breast development. In addition, he suffers from psychosocial trauma due to his physical appearance. I've tried everything, but I can't control my mouth. So the doctor will help me. Television, advertising, the media in general play a very important role. They use stars to target children by offering them products with low nutritional value. In addition, they play on the idea that consuming their products makes you modern like Westerners. [Music] Sourage's operation will take place the next day. [Music] [Music] The TV channels offer ultra-low-cost options with a promise of international quality. Fresh when you take the fresh. [Music] What's the reality? Are the products sold in India the same as ours? To find out, we compared them. We chose McDonald's and KFC, two very widespread chains in India. Here's what we discovered. [Music] At McDonald's, the Indian McChicken is two and a half times sweeter than the French sandwich. 5g versus 2g of sugar. The Filet-o-Fish contains twice as much saturated fat, three times as much for the McNuggets. As for the Indian fries, they break the scale. Almost six times more saturated fat. At KFC, the results are no better. [Music] Indian fries contain 10 times more salt. Hot Wings, three times more fat. In France, such levels would be unthinkable due to the nutritional commitments made by these same multinationals. [Music] We wanted to show these results to a pioneer in the fight against unhealthy eating. He heads the Centre for Science and Environment. A highly respected NGO in India. Chandra Bhushan wrote a hard-hitting report in 2012. It already criticized the nutritional content of products intended for Indian consumers. The goal is very simple. If there's more fat, salt, or sugar in the food, it will taste better. People will eat more, and they know it. That's the challenge. Junk food tastes good but is very bad for your health. We present him with our comparison. These results are very shocking. Multinationals apply double standards. It's no problem for them to sell fatty, sugary, and salty products in India when they can't do so in France. So this result is very shocking. We brought him the most caloric sandwich from McDonald's in India, the Spicy Paneer Wrap, a vegetarian cheese sandwich. Its nutritional composition is on the brand's website. This thing contains 51g of fat, 25g of saturated fat, 4.5g of salt. If you eat this sandwich, then you shouldn't eat anything else all day, not even a piece of bread. If you show this image to an Indian mother, she will think it's healthy for her child. I have rarely seen such a complete absence of corporate responsibility. It gives an image of healthy food when it's the complete opposite. [Applause] It's not just to get consumers hooked that some chains sell food so loaded with sugar and fat. That's what a former consultant for Domino's Pizza, the most developed fast-food chain in India, will explain to us. This former chef testifies anonymously. I designed this sandwich. Hello, could I have a garlic bread? He chose to show us products that he considers emblematic of the brand's deceptive marketing. Do you use butter on your garlic bread? No, oil. Okay. It only costs 28 cents. It's just stuffed bread. And look at the sauce, there's so much oil. It's not mozzarella, actually. Inside, they say it's cheese, but it's actually an emulsified cream. It gives you the impression of real cheese, but it's just sauce. And why don't they use cheese? Because it would be too expensive. After working for the brand for 6 months, the chef chose to resign and leave. For them, anything goes to make money. As long as the money comes in, there's no right or wrong. I caused them a lot of problems because I see food as something meant to be eaten, not a chemical construction. All my ideas were rejected because they were too expensive. But I can't conceive of a pizza for 30 rupees. It's not possible to give that to people. It will catch up with you one day or another. In India, Domino's publishes no nutritional information. That would be illegal in France. So, we had these products analyzed by a laboratory, starting with the stuffed pizza with pseudo-cheese. [Music] It contains 52g of fat, the equivalent of 5 tablespoons of oil, and indeed, not 1g of cheese. As for the bread for 30 cents, it contains 11.6% saturated fat, a nutritional bomb. We contacted Domino's, McDonald's, KFC; radio silence. No response to our interview requests. So, we went to an event open to the press, the general assembly of the Indian Restaurant Association in a trendy bar in New Delhi. All the bosses of the major chains are there, gathered for a drink. Among them, the general manager of Domino's Pizza in India. Hello sir, can I ask you a question? I don't want any interviews, sorry. And why does Domino's not publish any nutritional information in India? I have no answer for you, but yet the brand does it in the United States, but not in India. You don't want to answer? That means Domino's doesn't care about nutrition here. Get out of here. The HR manager arrives to help. What do you want? My question is very simple. Obesity is a big problem in your country. Yes. Well, it's not the only problem. So, isn't it irresponsible not to publish any nutritional information? I am not authorized to answer, but send us an email and you will have all the answers to your questions. Obesity, one problem among others for Domino's. We will never receive a response despite our follow-ups. Only the American headquarters sent an email, redirecting us to the Indian subsidiary. [Music] In Southern countries, the food kings take advantage of the absence of legislation. Elsewhere, when rules exist, some manage to circumvent them. [Music] 5 PM in France. The time when families start their afternoon snack. [Music] [Music] For Nathan and his sisters, it always ends the same way. Each with their own tablet. While TV is declining, internet usage is exploding among younger children. Children aged 7 to 12 spend 5.5 hours online per week, and teenagers aged 13 to 19 spend 13.5 hours online, more than in front of the TV. So, I'll put this one on. Yes, that one. That one, and there you go. Good. So, for 10 years, manufacturers have created Facebook pages and become popular. Of the 20 most followed brands in France, half are food brands. Most importantly, they have developed advertising games on the internet that feature their brands. These are called advergames. Oreo, Fanta, Haribo. The products are at the center of these games, and here, unlike TV spots, there are no health warnings. There is no obligation to indicate that it is advertising either. Only the Nestlé group specifies it for one of its games, but it's written in very small print. Why do you think they make games like this? Where they put the games because maybe they thought it was fun for people. And do you think this game is advertising? No, it's more of a game. The mom comes to see what's happening. What are you doing? Something, you have to attack these little creatures. You just have to tap on them. Yeah. No, but it's quite amusing, isn't it? As a game. The slightly tricky part is that it doesn't appear as an ad where they tell you "Eat Oreo, drink Fanta, and take X Y cereal for breakfast." So I think it's a bit disguised, like it's up to them to tell the difference. I don't know. No, this is really a first. I didn't know this existed. What are the consequences of these games on children? [Music] A researcher has just written a report on food marketing to children and has focused on these advergames. We eat with our eyes. We eat with our eyes. That is to say, when we see images of food, it makes us want to eat it. And the advantage of digital marketing is that it's often more interactive, more playful. The child is not passive like in front of the television; they are truly an actor in the online game, or they are an actor in the relationship on social networks. And furthermore, and here we have some rather worrying figures that show that children, even up to 15 years old, do not recognize that it is a brand that has staged this game, and they do not recognize the advertising intent either. We show her some games we selected. [Music] It's important to monitor the time spent playing because, naturally, the child will be led to play very, very often to improve their performance, and because it's an extremely playful universe, and throughout the time they are playing, they are led to adhere to the brand and the product. [Music] Games to watch, especially since the effects on public health are worrying, particularly for overweight individuals. In this hospital in the Paris region, an obesity specialist has to battle more and more with digital marketing. Hello Adrien, let's go. Hello, how are you? I'm fine, and you? Hello. Hello. We can take off your shorts and come and weigh you. Okay, you can get off. 1 meter 73, indeed 95 kg. No, Adrien, 15 years old, has been followed for 1 year to combat his overweight. It's true, but he is constantly solicited. Last night, what did you eat? Do you have games on your phone or? I played a bit on my phone. Did you notice that there were sometimes ads for? Yeah. For food or soda. Yeah. For example, it was McDonald's advertising. Yeah. So McDonald's is well present there. Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes it just pops up. Okay. But you can't remove it. You've already lost 7 kg. Well done. Adrien is on the road to recovery. Hello Chloé. Hello. Others have more difficulty resisting temptation. How are you? Chloé, 11 years old, is slightly overweight. Well, there you go. While the interview begins, her younger brother is playing on the McDonald's game app. No burgers or fries are visible, but the Happy Meal mascot is present. This always catches the doctor's attention. Yes. So, have you finished the games? Uh, well no, I'm still playing. I'm doing them all. Uh, whenever he wants to load an app, he has to ask me. So, indeed, I gave the OK, but, well, McDonald's is, and between quotes, harmless, so I didn't pay much attention. It's harmless and all. Yes, well, the app for coloring and games. Yes, for me, it's, well, harmless, it doesn't represent any danger to them. For you, is this advertising or not really? No, for me it's not advertising because they know McDonald's well enough to want to go there and ask to go without necessarily having the app. Yes. But does it make you think more or not? Well, yes, it makes you want to go to McDonald's. That's what's probably insidious about this non-advertising, which ultimately is advertising because the goal is still to submit to the consciousness this little reminder to have the McDonald's app in front of your eyes. Hey, it might make you think, hey, if it's been a long time since we went, or if we were going tonight. Targeting the most vulnerable consumers. Brands had nevertheless committed to ending this. Goodbye. Have a good vacation too. In 2008, the 20 largest global food groups signed the same promise: to limit advertising to children under 12. The commitment also applies to advergames, but no sanctions are foreseen. However, we discover that most games are offered on the Google Store for children as young as 4 years old, for free and without any mention to parents. We contacted these brands. Only a few responded by email. Here is their response: The Nestlé group. Regarding these advergames aimed at 6-8 year olds, the games we have developed are absolutely not advertisements. The Kellogg's group. Regarding our Trésor brand, our consumers are teenagers or young adults aged 15 to 24. Therefore, we do not target children. The Mondelez group. Our three applications target young adults over 13, 15, or 19 years old, and in no case children, and Coca-Cola. The communication is mainly aimed at teenagers. However, your request concerns us. No manufacturer agreed to answer our questions, nor did their communication agencies. So, to understand their marketing strategy, we engaged in a little role-playing. We posed as soda manufacturers. We created a brand called Factis with the help of a specialized graphic designer. A very sugary fruit juice named Swag, which means "too cool" in English. [Music] Cutting and pasting workshop. [Music] Everything is ready. [Music] We contact several specialized advertising agencies. They have created very popular games for major brands. The fall for the Oasis brand, downloaded 2 million times. The adventures of Belin, which feature chips in a world of cheese, and KFC's children's site Testy Comics. 2 million regular visits. This game consists of accumulating the most fries. To spice up the exercise, we add sugar to the fruit juice. The bottle displays a particularly high level. We film with a hidden camera. First agency, we present them with our fruit juice. We want to compete with brands, we have the budget for it. Okay. Good idea, it's a bit fun that can speak to children. Children, so it's really young children. Yes, that's our main focus. Okay. The advertiser presents us with the latest game created by the agency for its client, one of the top five global food groups. It's a very, very simple game, as children are supposed to play it, where you play with the heroes who are on the packaging, in the universe of the brand. The agency's client has committed not to advertise to those under 12. Yet the game clearly targets the principle of the campaign, we do the rest, and then production, subcontracting as I told you, and the path I'm talking about, we're not allowed to publish it anywhere. We're not allowed to say that we're targeting children. In fact, we're not allowed to target children under... It's time to taste. Any remarks on the sugar content? [Music] To find out more, a second meeting with an agency that presents itself as the leader in advertising games in France. [Music] This entrepreneur has just created an application for a chocolatier, downloaded several million times. They increased their biscuit range turnover by 30%, I think it was 27%. And do we know the age target? No, but it's 4 hours for children, hyper chocolatey muffins, it's kids, so I think it's pretty complementary to your target, a big kid. The communicator will reveal some manufacturing secrets based on psychology. Generally, what we do is we manage to place the brand in the places that give the most game pleasure. In fact, they are exposed to the brand 5 times, 10 times per session, and it's thanks to the brand that we progress, it's thanks to the brand that we win a cup, that we win a bonus, and that solicits pleasure and creates happiness, and that's associated with it, it's very effective. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thank you very much. See you soon. Thank you. We offered an interview on the marketing effectiveness of advergames to these agencies and their clients, without success. So, we wanted to show these images to Dr. Fidalgo, the obesity specialist. It's thanks to the brand that we win, and that creates pleasure hormones, it creates happiness. It's formidable, it's formidable in its relevance. We also know very well that games are often addictive for children. So, there's this alliance of two addictions: gaming and sugar. And I think that, yes, it's infuriating for us professionals because we fight on a daily basis, every day, with each child, trying to dispense a message that will probably disappear as soon as they get home and start playing their game. I hope we will be able to legislate against this, and I will bring my support as a health professional. Legislate, precisely. In France, food advertising is supposed to regulate itself through a self-regulatory advertising authority, the RPP. It is run by manufacturers and television channels. Stéphane Martin is its Secretary General. Hello Philippe Vasur, Stéphane Martin. He has just written a report concluding that 99.8% of ads broadcast in 2014 comply with ethical obligations, including on the internet. What do you think of this kind of thing? But advergames are not taken into account. We show him the game created by the Oreo brand. Uh, well, with the product being very present, clearly, you score points by consuming it. So yes, but because it's the principle of reward, it's a universal principle. It's either money, or gold bars, etc. And then, obviously, when you're a food brand, it's your product. That is to say, if we create a poster with an Oreo plastered on the street, we have an obligation to mention it. If I do it as part of a game aimed at children, I escape this obligation, or if it's aimed at everyone who wants to download it. I escape this obligation because it's not foreseen. There is no obligation. Nothing has been foreseen, even though obesity continues to increase in France, particularly in the most modest families. Nothing is happening simply because public authorities also know the economic impacts for the agri-food industry. And currently, there is either a political resignation. In any case, there may not be the political courage to actually address things, but it is true that currently, in public debate, this is not a particularly present issue in France, and nothing is expected to change soon. No bill is being studied to regulate advertising on the internet, which is nevertheless booming. Back to India, the country where anything is possible in terms of communication and product composition. We find Sourage, the teenager, there an hour before his stomach reduction surgery. Hello. So, ready for the operation? Yes, I am. You're not scared, then? You're a good boy. Of course, I'm eager. I'll finally be able to lose weight. But I need to regain control of my body. What do you mean? That I'm done with junk food, Pepsi, all that. General anesthesia. The surgeon begins the operation. [Music] This is his liver; it has turned yellow and enlarged due to fat. The doctor will completely remove the teenager's stomach before replacing it in the abdomen, reduced and tightened. It went very well. He's fine. No need to worry. [Music] 4 months later, we learn that Sourage has lost over 30 kg. It took the teenager surgical intervention to break free from unhealthy eating. A few months ago, the 20 largest food multinationals made an announcement. The implementation of common nutritional criteria valid worldwide. But here again, it's self-regulation. No sanctions are planned in case of non-compliance. Application date: 2018. By then, in 2 years, obesity will have killed 5.6 million people worldwide. [Music] [Music] to be bell as a ball. F begin. Now I'm going to win. Come on. Let the winner take it all. Round one. Now the beginning round for Dang. Round.