Fast Food Advertising: Selling America's Children

Advertisements are everywhere. They are a major part of modern day society. Whether it be a television commercial, an internet banner, or a billboard, advertisements influence people of all ages, but they affect a certain age group much more than others. Children ranging from toddlers to teenagers are exposed to thousands upon thousands of advertisements each year. Some of these advertisements are damaging to children, while others are a positive influence. Advertisements can either be used as a tool or a weapon. Food advertisements and manipulation strategies are both positive and negative, and how companies use them decides whether or not marketing to children is ethical.

Many people believe that everything is black and white, especially when it comes to advertisements. What many don’t understand is that everything has an underlining meaning. Every advertisement has been thought out thoroughly to catch the attention of the consumers it is aiming towards. Advertisements aiming towards children has definitely been a topic that many people can’t seem to wrap their mind around. It’s been a topic that many have exposed because of the way marketers are willing to manipulate children in ways that only benefit their own. This whole issue began after the progression of marketing to children during the late 70s and early 80s with the advertisers’ intentions of making children lifelong consumers of products.

The influence of advertising on youth is that their health and well being is being negatively affected. One of the many effects is childhood obesity and diabetes The documentary, The Myth of Choice: How Junk Food Marketers Target Our Kids, says that “By the time Ida graduates middle school 1 in 3 people in her class will have diabetes or be on their way to getting it.” That is only middle school and there is rates this high. Another negative influence is that a child’s life expectancy is less than their parents. According to Marketing to kids get more savvy with technologies Wayne Altman says “ We have a generation of children that is the first to have a life expectancy less than its parents.”

Commercials through television and radio aimed towards children are ethical because it helps build healthy ideals. Through commercials, children can see that doing certain things are good for you! They can see that it is what they should do. “Advertising and marketing techniques could encourage children to eat

With just two hands, opening a package of processed food, and calling it dinner, it's not how we evolved to be. The instant way, the cheaper way, but the worse way. American fast food restaurants are everywhere for a reason. Because of the consumers want fast ways to eat, the fast food business keeps on growing. America becomes the fast food giant, negatively, so does the Americans.

Fast food companies do not hold back, and they take full advantage of this by advertising their fattening food products that appeal to the children. The American Psychological Association website explains that “Research has found strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity” (“The Impact of Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity”). This direct relationship shows the harboring effect that advertisements have on childhood obesity. This also affects the child psychologically. “Most children under age 6 cannot distinguish between programming and advertising and children under age 8 do not understand the persuasive intent of advertising” (“The Impact of Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity”). Without even realizing it, children are channeling in on these persuasive and luxurious looking advertisements. One tactic that some fast food restaurants use is the inclusion of a free toy with a kid’s meal. “For more than 30 years, McDonald’s has included toys alongside children’s Happy Meals. And for more than 30 years, the rates of diabetes and obesity in children have steadily increased” (“Childhood Lost”). By promoting their business with bribes like this, unhealthy eating habits form, which can result in obesity problems. The fast food industries know that children are vulnerable, so they target them with these bribes. “Happy Meals are marketed as explicitly for children, and then children are rewarded with toys for consuming the high amounts of fat and sodium” (“Childhood Lost”). This is a crafty technique that some fast food restaurants use to sell off their products. Children are too young to realize the effect the advertisements have on them and the long term consequences that may come with

Many of the advertisers feel that their commercials do not have much of an impact on children’s weight, so let’s discuss the content and methods of advertising they use. Out of all of the advertisements on television, according to Warren et al. (2008) breakfast ads, such as cereal covered for as much as “half of all food commercials”, and “fast-food ads” accounted for a little less. Out of all the food ads on television these two groups “represented the majority” that are targeted towards children (p. 3). So the evidence is there and it’s clear to see who the target market is. According to Zimmerman and Bell (2010) “The typical first-grade child can already recognize and respond to more than 200 brands” (p. 4). Children seem to be the main focus for the greater part of food advertisements, which tend to be extremely unhealthy.

Many Fast food companies target children because they are young and are good at persuading their parents to get what they want. “It’s not just getting kids to whine” (Schlosser 43). Fast food companies target kids based on what they are looking for which is money. “The decade of the child consumer” (Schlosser 43). Americans need to pay close attention to how their children spend their money. As more kids visit fast food restaurants, companies will come out with more items for kids to purchase as time goes along. More companies in America will keep targeting kids because they see an advantage in it that the reader does not see. “We see this as a great opportunity” (Scholosser 48). In the meantime, an employee at a fast food restaurant will sell fast food items to kids because they want their money in order to increase the business. As more fast food companies make sales, this will create a dynamic bond between parents and their children because the reader ponders how the fast food industry is affecting their children. As more kids leave after school to go and have something to eat with friends at a Taco Bell, or Pizza Hut, kids will buy food based on what they may be craving during lunchtime. “Research has shown children are more likely to choose foods with familiar logos” (Heyes). At some point in time, there will be millions of parents who will talk to their kids about their active interest in visiting fast food restaurants after school all of the time. The reader may

food ads that target children and the promotion of unhealthy products vs. healthy products. As well as how companies can convince parents and kids to buy these things.

Children under the age of six “cannot distinguish between advertisements and regular programming” and those under eight “do not comprehend the persuasive nature of advertisements” (American Psychological Association). Children have a remarkable ability to remember content from ads that they have been exposed to (American Psychological Association). “Research has found strong associations between increases in advertising in non-nutritious food and rates of childhood obesity” (American Psychological Association). During on study researchers looked at the effect of branding, the research used children 3 to 5 years old, two portions of identical foods were given, one in McDonald’s wrapping and the other not in the wrapping, the children would say that the food in the McDonald’s wrapper tasted better (Klass). This study shows how children are being influenced by what advertisements they view. In young children, research has shown “that for every one-hour increase in [television] viewing per day, there are high intakes of … fast food …” (American Psychological Association). And with children who “watch more than 3 hours of television a day are 50 percent more likely to become obese…” (American Psychological

249 billion dollars are spent each year by parents purchasing products their children. Most of which are influenced by TV ads these children saw. Advertisements pandering to young kids is wrong, and the U.S. should join the growing list of countries bannign such ads. Not only are these advertisements unethical by targeting people too young to make an informed decision, they are used to promote both bad physical and mental habits.

Obesity is a huge problem that is multiplying at an alarming rate but could it be caused by advertising.But there are reasons like tv that count on kids being inactive for them to make money. Also the ads that focus on food are especially dangerous. Finally how does the obesity affect kids when they're adults.

Food advertisements, if focused at the right people and in the right places, are a complete success. These features, some of which are commercials, seduce society into buying food that we necessarily do not need. Many advertisement companies, especially those about food, are directed to children because they know that if you grab the kids you have their parents. While brands are using fun cartoons like “Trix Rabbit” and “Toucan Sam” (Green, 2007, p. 49) supermarkets are taking these items and placing them right in front of the children, at their level, advertising the “Fun foods” (Elliot, 2008, p. 259-273). They do this so the kids will use their, “pester power” (Scholsser, n.d., p. 2) to get what they want. A series of studies have been performed on children and television advertisements. An article states, “These studies have generally linked children's television viewing to negative health effects” (Korr, 2008, p. 451). Amongst these negative effects is a higher level of childhood obesity (p. 451). Similarly, in another study performed by a group of researchers, kids were asked to explain the television commercials that they remembered the best. The answers given were then compared with their diets. Interestingly, the items those children remembered best, chips, sweets, and sodas were a huge part of what they ate (Hitching & Moynihan, 1998, p. 511-517). However, some authors argue that television producer’s, even though their

There are some specific and real problems that advertising can cause upon children (William A. Ramsey). Fast-food restaurant advertising it’s influencing our children to be obese. Childhood obesity around the world is causing worries, especially detrimental as its effect carries on into parenthood. The ratio of children 's who are overweight has approximately tripled in the same period, reaching fourteen percent (Center for disease control

the food but because of the toys and the message of happiness that is part of their advertising