BLOG ENTERY 4: SUMMARIZING CHP: 2 TRUSTED FRIEND

 

In the second chapter titled "Trusted Friend," Eric Schlosser points out the concealed truth behind the sale motives of the giant food and beverages companies. He also mentions briefly about the competition and similarities between the founder of Macdonald’s Ray Kroc and Walt Disney, the founder of Disney land.  Both Ray and Walt were “excellent salesman” and had conservative ideology. Both of them had dropped out from school and both had “optimistic faith in technology and conservative view on politics.” The growth of these companies during 1980’s gave rise to new marketing scheme that targeted kid customers. The giant companies like Disney and Macdonald have adapted relentless and vicious marketing schemes. In fact “one marketing expert called the era of 1980’s, the decade of the child consumers.” It is also mentioned that Madison Avenue, which had ignored child consumers for years, “scrutinized” and “pursed” this methods. These companies researched on child psychology and took full advantage of the innocence and irrational minds of the kids. Ultimately the scheme was to drain money from parents of young kids as the kids would nag, throw tantrums, cry and make their parents feel bad in order to get the branded merchandise. Thus these companies invested huge sums of money in advertisements. The success made these companies to take advertisement to next level. The companies used mass media and billboards. But also started indirect sale of their products in schools and took full advantage. For example the schools in District 11 in Colorado started "nationwide trend" of taking business deals from these companies to generate revenues for the low funded schools. Not caring about the young minds and their health. Children are targeted from early ages of 2 and 3.  Though these companies guarantee to be “trusted friends” but their main aim is to make profit. This chapter reveals the dark side behind motives of these multinational companies.