Which is an example of an external cue used in marketing to promote eating?

• A. Time of Day
• B. Personal Dietary Preferences
• C. Hormonal Signals
• D. Food Packaging and Branding

Answer: (D)

External cues are signals from the surrounding environment that can steer eating behavior. In marketing, these cues are used on purpose to prompt consumption. Food packaging and branding are a classic example: the packaging design, colors, images, and branding claims shape how tasty or appealing a product seems. A striking package, appetizing photo, or wording that suggests flavor and quality can trigger cravings and make you choose and eat the product, often even if you weren’t consciously hungry. Time of day can influence when you eat, but it’s more about situational context than a marketing cue designed to push you to eat. Personal dietary preferences and hormonal signals come from inside the person, not from external marketing messages.