BLOG ENTRY #5

A major issue that I noticed in “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser is fast food’s

influence on children using advertising. Fast food companies are using different forms of

advertising to attract children. These advertising techniques are causing children to beg and even

threaten their  parents into getting them what they want. Fast food companies are not focused on

the behavior effects these advertising's have on children but only that it draws more attention for

them to make money.

            One way they are advertising are on commercials. A large percentage of children in the

United States watch television. Some children cannot tell the difference between a show and a

commercial. McDonald's started to include toys with every happy meal. They would advertise the

toy given on commercials. The commercial would draw the child’s attention to the toy. The child

would then beg the parents to buy them a happy meal from McDonald's. Some children would

beg by using “puppy dog faces” as some people call it. The parents would give in and buy it for

them. Some would make their parents feel bad. Most parents living in the United States were

working. They did not have a lot of time for their children and would feel that if they bought

their child something it would temporarily replace the guilt. Other children would threaten their

parents such as throwing bad tantrums in public places, holding their breath and not promising to

be on good behavior.

            From personal experience I have many younger cousins in my family. They know how to

manipulate their parents into getting what they want. When my little cousin’s parents come home

 from work they would approach them and say “mom can we go to McDonald's they have a new

toy out I saw it on a commercial.” Their parents would argue with them saying “McDonald's is

not a healthy choice for dinner.” My little cousins would immediately start screaming. They

would scream so loud that the neighbor would come ring the doorbell wondering if everything

was OK from hearing the screaming.

            Another form of advertising that fast food companies were using was in schools. Some

fast food companies would give money to schools that advertised for them. Putting posters in

hallways and one company Coco Cola had schools put vending machines in their schools.

Children being around fast food supplements at school seeing it every day five times a week

would make them prone to wanting to purchase it. If children are hungry and now getting out of

school and see a fast food poster they are more likely to want to go there after school.

            I remember when I was in middle school not too long ago if I remember it right? I went

to a catholic school. They were not funded by the government. My school was named St.

Anthony of Padua made most of their money through tuition donations and companies that

would help them. Two companies were burger king and Coco Cola. Every Friday we had a day

called Burger King Day. On that day we would place an order instead of having lunches we

brought from home we would order food from Burger King. In order to keep receiving donations

from Burger King my school had to use one day out of the week to purchase food from them and

also had to put up posters around and in the school. I also remember on every floor of my school

we had at least one Coco Cola machine near the staircase, cafeteria, and bathrooms. I remember

after a bathroom break I would purchase a soda.

            Advertising truly does have an effect on children. Fast food companies sure do know how

to get children’s attention. Using commercials when most of Americas population of children

watch television for a certain number of hours a day. Advertising on children’s network such as

Disney Channel, Nickelodeon,, and Carton Network.  Advertising in schools where children

spend most of their days during the week. Part of Fast food company’s biggest wealth comes

from targeting children by the advertisements.