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Fast food giants prey on parents' gullibility to sell unhealthy food to children

Thursday, July 13, 2006 by: Dani Veracity

McDonald's currently spends more money on advertising in general than any other brand in all industries combined, helping it replace Coca-Cola as the world's most famous brand, according to "Fast Food Nation" author Eric Schlosser. The fast food franchise operates more playgrounds than any other American private corporation, is the namesake for McKids, which is the bestselling line of children's clothing in the United States, and is one of the largest toy distributors. In 1998, 89 percent of American children under age 8 had visited McDonald's at least once per month. Furthermore, according to a research study of American children, 96 percent of those surveyed could recognize Ronald McDonald, making him the second most identifiable fictional character after Santa Claus. All this has led Schlosser to conclude, "The impact of McDonald's on the way we live today is hard to overstate."

Unfortunately, the company that has such a large impact on our society sells food and beverages that also appear to increase risk for the chronic diseases that plague our population. The "McLibel" trial -- when the McDonald's Corporation took two working class, British citizens to court for passing out anti-McDonald's leaflets -- ended up working against the plaintiff, as the trial's widespread popularity made the defendants' condemnations of McDonald's more well known than if they would have just been allowed to pass out the leaflets. "Not only had the trial focused public attention on ethical issues related to McDonald's marketing to children of diets high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium, but it also had illustrated the time and expense to which a food company was willing to go to stifle criticism of such practices," Marion Nestle writes in "Food Politics."
drink cuts down on sugar, but milk can also induce asthma, allergies, acne and constipation.
"Ads would link the company's french fries 'to the excitement and fanaticism people feel about the NBA.' The feelings of pride inspired by the Olympics would be used in ads to help launch a new hamburger with more meat than the Big Mac. The link with the Walt Disney Company was considered by far the most important, designed to 'enhance perceptions of Brand McDonald's.' A memo sought to explain the underlying psychology behind many visits to McDonald's: parents took their children to McDonald's because they 'want the kids to love them ... it makes them feel like a good parent.' Purchasing something from Disney was the 'ultimate' way to make kids happy, but it was too expensive to do every day ... The ads aimed at 'minivan parents' would carry an unspoken message about taking your children to McDonald's: 'It's an easy way to feel like a good parent.'"

Marketing tactics play on our emotions, making child-directed marketing seem somewhat sinister, as it plays with the emotions of children and their parents. The globalization of fast food franchises like McDonald's has taken the marketing of unhealthy foods to children to a global level. Fortunately, you can protect yourself and your family from marketing ploys with "Spam Filters for Your Brain," a book by Mike Adams. When you buy it through Truth Publishing, you'll also get "The Real Safety Guide to Protecting Against Advertisers, Marketers and Big Business Propaganda" for free.

Overall, be more aware of marketing ploys. Taking your child to McDonald's doesn't make your child feel nearly as special as simply receiving love, time and attention.

Expert opinion on marketing and children:

The early days of child-focused marketing
Children were identified as a separate market for advertisers in the 1960s. The concept developed quickly, and now there are conferences, books, and ad agencies all focused on children as consumers. Marketing handbooks encourage businesses to target children and provide strategies to "unlock the secrets to children's hearts." As a result, marketing to children has doubled since 1992.
Food Fight by Kelly Brownell and Katherine Battle Horgen, page 102

McDonald's still leads in child-focused marketing
McDonald's spends more money on advertising and marketing than any other brand. As a result it has replaced Coca-Cola as the world's most famous brand. McDonald's operates more playgrounds than any other private entity in the United States. It is responsible for the nation's bestselling line of children's clothing (McKids) and is one of the largest distributors of toys. A survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent could identity Ronald McDonald. The only fictional character with a higher degree of recognition was Santa Claus. The impact of McDonald's on the way we live today is hard to overstate.
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, page 365

Forty percent of McDonald's advertising directly targets children. In 1998, Coca-Cola paid the Boys and Girls Clubs of America $60 million for exclusive marketing in more than 2,000 clubs.
Food Fight by Kelly Brownell and Katherine Battle Horgen, page 103

McDonald's produces commercials, advertisements, and a Web site aimed specifically at children aged eight to 13. Other fast-food companies are also developing campaigns for preteens, and Campbell Soup views "appealing to children [as] one prong of a new effort to lift sales."
Food Politics by Marion Nestle, page 179

With cable expanding and VCR use almost universal, entertainment firms entered the children's "edu-tainment" niche with a vengeance, marketing a torrent of children's programs, videos, and games. So did McDonald's, which in 1985 initiated its so-called "tweens" advertising strategy to reach older kids and adolescents.
Fat Land by Greg Critser, page 72

In 1998, 89 percent of children under age eight visited McDonald's at least once a month. Their vice president of marketing said that McDonald's goal for the following year was 100 percent. A study of nearly 10,000 children showed that 100 percent of those in the United States recognized Ronald McDonald; the figures were 98 percent in Japan and 93 percent in the United Kingdom.
Food Fight by Kelly Brownell and Katherine Battle Horgen, page 100

By the time it ended, the trial had become "one of the greatest David and Goliath stories in the history of common-law jurisprudence." Not only had the trial focused public attention on ethical issues related to McDonald's marketing to children of diets high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium, but it also had illustrated the time and expense to which a food company was willing to go to stifle criticism of such practices.
Food Politics by Marion Nestle, page 162

The real cause of obesity is embarrassingly simple: Americans consume more calories than they need to maintain a healthy body weight. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumed 500 calories more per day in 2000 than in 1970. Much of this increase is explained by the doubling in the amount of food eaten outside the home from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, by which time restaurant and takeout food accounted for one-third of total energy consumption. Restaurants offer high-calorie foods and increased portion sizes to attract customers. [M]arketing of fast food and high-calorie snacks to children continues to become ever more sophisticated, creating an unhealthy appetite for calorie-rich foods.
Overdosed America by John Abramson MD, page 237