Thesis advisor: Julie Holland Mortimer / Television ads have become as much a part of watching TV as the programs themselves. They are such a ubiquitous component of network and cable television that they have developed their own sub-culture; popular commercials get brought up in conversation, and many commercial actors become famous for portraying their respective characters. For how prevalent television advertising is and always has been, though, it’s amazing how little is known about advertiser demand. While many academics have conducted studies on the effects of advertising, little research has been steered towards understanding why advertisers choose to advertise when they do, especially within the context of advertising on TV. My research revolves around answering this question, as I attempt to establish patterns that can predict when firms will choose to advertise. By looking at data on past advertising trends, I try to find a sense of consistency across firms and across industries and then use that information to analyze and explain any observed changes in behavior during highly rated telecasts. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Economics.

The purpose of this study is to assess the need for menu labeling of calories based on the ability of food consumers to identify lower calorie options. By surveying consumers in Kentucky and Ohio and health professionals in Kentucky about their awareness of caloric content, basic nutrition knowledge and ability to choose lower calorie options, we can predict the potential benefit of menu labeling initiatives and the amount of education that will be necessary for consumers to effectively use menu labeling to make informed decisions on calorie intake. Through online surveys, it was determined that consumers were better able to predict calorie levels of foods at common quick serve restaurants, compared to health professionals. Health professionals are more knowledgeable about daily calorie requirements and more likely to change their quick serve food order with calorie labels. Health professionals and consumers dining out 3-5 times per month were better able to determine low calorie options and daily calorie requirements. These findings suggest that show that health professionals are in no better able to predict calorie levels at restaurants. Furthermore, nutrition education is necessary to aid in the use of menu calorie labeling for consumers.