BLOG ENETRY: 5 Corrections

Deterioration of Young Minds

 

            The Fast Food industry began as a simple and cheap food business in California. The fast food industry gained unforeseen success and quickly spread across the world and contributed in making America a super power. The signs and symbols of fast food companies like McDonald’s are recognized by people around the world due to their captivating advertisements in TV commercials. As mentioned in the book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser these companies mainly target young children.  Today, every advertising company makes commercials that target young audience member. These companies realize that through sentimental attachment in brand identity will cause people to buy the same product throughout their life time.  We all have childhood memories of consuming certain branded food and have sentimental attachment to them.  For example Macdonald’s happy meal offering toys with food. And to stop consuming those products would mean to forget a part of your childhood.  The fast food industry hooks lifelong consumers as children in order to keep them as an adult which is the reason why fast food corporations see our youth as an easy prey.

Through my own experience, I realized how much I am attached and buy only certain foods that I have been consuming since childhood.  I blindly trust those brands and products because I have seen my parents or grandparents using it. In the book, Eric Schlosser reveals the dark and evil motives of the fast food industry. The fast food industry realized the significance of advertisement and “kid customers” early on as their profit margin increased unimaginably. Hence these companies followed “cradle to grave” advertising strategies (43).  In other words these corporations believe that fostering brand identity since birth will help them to make lifelong customers.

The reason for targeting children as discussed in the book is simply to “get the kids to nag their parents” (43). The study has found that young kids cannot make a difference between advertisements and a T.V program. They lack the ability to think rationally and cognitively as they do not have psychologically developed minds. They do not understand the motive hidden behind these deceiving advertisements. For example, the advertisements of McDonald’s only show how cheap the food is or what they are giving out with happy meals, but do not show how the products are made. The children nag their parents; use all sorts of tactics like crying, throwing tantrums and disobeying their parents to force them into buying brand products. And now that most parents are working parents they buy everything for their children as they do not get time to spend with their children. As Schlosser states “Typical American child now spends about twenty-one hours watching television” (46).  For example, my little cousins of age six and eight, spend all day watching T.V or playing games on tablets or phones. And they nag their parents to buy them all the toys they see on commercial advertisements. There are about six or seven commercial advertisement shown in between a T.V program.  It is petrifying to see them surrounded by all the toys and gadgets at this age. And their parents let them watch T.V so that they can relax and avoid tantrums.

The fast food industry uses various strategies and invests in research to understand child psychology; these companies spend billions of dollars on research. They know exactly about the likes and dislikes of their customers. These companies hire psychologists to do studies on kids; they take surveys on stores, malls and home to gather information on their future customers. But the consumers have no idea about such strategies taken place by these companies who benefit off them.

The fast food industry has exploited the minds of children in every possible way. For example, McDonald’s gives away free toys with happy meal, has playground in every restaurants for children. Their mascot Ronald McDonald is very popular and recognized by every child. Disney gives away free coupons, toys and also has kids clubs and cartoons to attract children. I remember nagging my parents to buy me Disney toys when I was a little kid as those toys were the coolest thing in school. These companies have tried everything to attract children with their persuasive advertisements. Another strategy used is by hiring Hollywood celebrities to promote their products.  Just recently I was watching the Ellen show and the amount of product placement she endorsed was overwhelming. From baby products to kid’s toys, gadgets to cars, the companies benefit a lot because people really buy those products when seeing a celebrity endorsing it.

 These companies have succeeded in forcing “brand loyalty” and selling their products. And people blindly trust these companies, but these “Trusted Friend” are slowing taking us to grave (50).  The consumers have no knowledge of what they are buying and are now falling in the trap of these companies’ vicious motives. The fast food industry has it effects not only on the minds but also in the health of young children. Thus these companies are destroying our future generations.