McDonald's Nation

Posted: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 7:45 AM by Noah Oppenheim

This morning we reported a study on the staggering power of advertising. Children, ages 3 and 5, were presented with an assortment of identical foods, half in McDonald’s packaging, half in unmarked packaging. The kids were then asked which tasted better. An overwhelming majority said the foods labeled “McDonald's” tasted best.

To drive this point home… When presented with absolutely identical French fries, 77% of these young kids said the ones with a McDonald's label tasted better. When presented with carrots – yes carrots – a majority of kids said they preferred the McDonald's wrapped veggies. These kids, too young to reason, have been convinced that anything stamped by a Golden Arch is superior.

What can we conclude from this data? At the very least, we can say that by the age of 3, many of our children are already heavily influenced by marketing. At worst, we can say we are warping kids’ minds and creating an army of brainwashed, chicken-nugget popping zombies.

Many have suspected all this long before now, but the stark power of this particular study has renewed the call for government intervention – for regulation that would limit advertising to children. I’m as concerned by McDonald's influence as anyone, but that is most definitely not the answer.

If we limit ad time on TV, marketers will buy online banners and roadside billboards. Trying to shutdown corporate speech is a futile exercise.

If you don’t want marketers talking to your children, don’t dump them in front of a television for hours on end. Counteract advertisers' message with your own, by actually spending time as a family. “Buy a Big Mac” is not the worst thing kids will have whispered in their ear. Which is why parents better be whispering back.

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Comments

This is an attack on American capitalism. Demanding govermental control is directly related to socialism. These socialist have an agenda and that is to destroy the financial foundation of this country. We've seen it in various industries, tobacco, alcohol, firearms, auto sales,and the like. What it all really means is, There are people out there that will only except their opinion or belief and no one better say anything different.
This counrty was built on choice. Not the majority rules, but everyone has an equal share. That means if one doesn't like something, fine.
I don't eat at McDomnalds, don't like McDonalds, but I respect their business structure and leadership. More "kids" get their start in the work force from fast food joints than any other business. McDonalds teaches young people how to become part of our society, unlike alot of parents.
If your fat, get your face out of the trough.

Mike Leonardi, Hanford, Ca. (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:11 PM)

A considerable period of time passes between the day a child eats his first solid food and the day TV commercials begin to make sense to him, i.e., "Wow, that looks good! I want to eat that!" Children are introduced to food by their parents. Don't introduce your kids to anything you don't want them to eat.

Joan Davis (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:12 PM)

This morning's segment highlighted a serious issue facing America - the fact that parents do not want to "parent" their children. Susan was basically blaming McDonald's and the like for the childhood obesity epidemic. The fact of the matter is that marketers can market to children all they want, but for children 12 and under, it is the parents that have the purchasing power. So really it is whether or not the parents are providing the fast food and junk food for the kids. It isn't McDonald's feeding the food to the children - it is the parents. Parents that actually "parent" their children teach them right from wrong, punish them when they are bad, reward them when they are good, and reinforce good social habits. Real parents do not give in to every desire of their young child. Just because a child wants McDonald's, does it mean they should have it? Of course not, and real parents are able to tell their kids no. It is up to the parents to decide where they will eat and what they will eat - not the child. It is also up to the parent to be sure the child gets enough physical activity. We have become a society that blames all our mistakes and inabilities on others. Susan's argument this morning is a prime example of not wanting the put the responsibility on parents - McDonald's and other marketers have become the scapegoat.

Nicole B., Boston, MA (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:19 PM)

Just so "No". A very simple phrase that has worked wonders for my husband and me as we raised our son and daughter (now 24 and 21 respectively). As others have said, leading by example as parents works wonders. We are responsible for our children, no one else. The greatest compliment we have received as parents is how self-confident, well mannered and successful our son and daughter have become...and all it took was leading by example, setting boundaries and a little word "No".

Jeanne Compton, New Providence, NJ (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:23 PM)

the truth, as always is somewhere is the middle. As a parent you certainly have the responsibility to your child to teach him/her healthy eating habits and control how much junk food (if any) they eat. On the other hand, however, if you are a McD CEO, you are a part of society, and that it is a society with (reagardles of - why) a serious obesity problem. So - if you own a biggest ever chain of fast food restaurants - shouldn'y you act as a socially - aware citizen and instead worrying only about your profits, show that you do feel morally obligated to advertise responsibly? Or the only thing that can stop you from raking more profit is a law suit? We all should feel a sense of responsibility for what our kids are fed and if they grow up healthy. Isn't that our moral obligation to change our ways if we realize that our actions are maybe not illegal, but certainly - harmfull?!

Lidia, New Kent, VA (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:49 PM)

I am quite appalled at how easily the American public falls for such a staged study and resulting debate. Has nobody considered the other attendant factors influencing the study kids' reactions to McDonalds, factors such as the appeal of the experience of going out to eat instead of staying at home and the loud, exciting atmosphere at many McDonalds for kids? Anyone who has taken their preschoolers to a McDonalds with a PlayPlace can tell you that the food itself is quite secondary to the other attractions. They could serve turkey burgers and raw veggies and the environment would still make it "fun", especially packaged in a colorful box and accompanied by a toy. Get with it, Today staff - this obviously skewed report was unworthy of you.

Scott Martin-Oldfield, Kauai, Hawaii (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:05 PM)

My husband and I had no problem teaching our now twentysomething children that fast food was a treat not an everyday meal. We also taught them to pick the food they really wanted and sometimes they even picked the salads over the hamburgers, not always, but sometimes. They didn't get every toy that was advertised and they didn't get all the designer clothes advertised either, though they wanted them. The reason? We taught them to eat right, spend wisely and that having everything isn't everything. That's a parent's job. We have to say no to our children sometimes. We have to parent them, not be their friend and let them control us which I see so often today. We need to set examples for them and take responsibility for our children so they grow up to be responsible adults. We can enjoy our children, play with our children, love our children, but in the end, it is our responsibility as parents to see that they are safe from the things that might hurt them, fast food, bad TV, strangers, unattended swimming pools or whatever that might be.

Wendy Katzenmeier, Castle Rock, CO (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:25 PM)

I agree that Mc donald's has a right to advertise and I also believe as a parent and grandparent that targetting children could be turned around, Mc Donald's has a meun that could also award children for eatting healthy. By putting the toy surprise inside only the healthier box meals. Everybody wins!!!

v. miller, Dayton, ohio (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:27 PM)

I was frustrated watching this so call expert say it is the media's responsiblity for what our children eat. I have a 4 and 1/2 year old son who doesn't shout out "I want my McDonald's!" for 2 reasons. One, We don't take him there very often and second we monitor his television. I strongly believe my son does not like french fries because we just don't have them. I like McDonald's now for my son because he can get his hamburger, apples and milk everything he wants because that is what I feed him at home. To me it all goes to show it is parents responsiblity. As an educator in the school system, as a society we already are taking away to many parent responsiblities.

Melinda Cattell, Byron, Ilinois (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 3:09 PM)

From who do the kids get the money from? THE PARENTS How do they get to Mc Donalds? THE PARENTS. I'm sick and tired of everybody blaming everything on everbody else but themselves. Is it such a problem to say NO to their children, because that is what I understood the "expert" was saying in not so many words? It's like if you advertise we have go out and get it because now they want it Boo Hoo.. HELLO??? When I was growing up my parents never bent over backwords to abide by my every wish. I recall they were advertising Mc'D A lot since my youth and I'm not obese. Nor do I crave it everyday of my life and that is thanks to MY PARENTS...FOR BEING PARENTS.

Nvas (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 3:34 PM)

Parents must parent. My preschoolers do not eat McDonalds because I don't take them there. Period. We don't eat at Dunken Donuts or Pizza Hut, either. Parents are responsible for what their children eat. Parents should NOT make fast food a treat. Rather, it should be seen as an occasional necessary evil, as in "The doctor ran late and we only have 25 minutes to get to preschool. We don't have time to run home and come back to this part of town. I guess we'll have to stop at (fill in the blank) today."

Kelly McElwain, Davidsville, PA (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 3:37 PM)

I agree that fast food is a treat just like coldstone ice cream or oreo cookies. I think we often attack fast food chains because this treat comes in a meal form and is for some reason expected to have more nutritional value. However, marketing becomes irresposbile when you begin advertising these foods as items for daily consumption (e.g. the daily dollar menu), knowing full well that when these items are consumed on a daily basis they can cause serious health problems. Other than that I think McDonald's has made many efforts towards health conscious advertising in the face of much public scrutiny, such as offering health green salads for the same price as their value meals, which they don't have to do. I also agree that we need to spend more time at home helping children understand the difference between a treat and foods that can be eaten on a daily basis.

Katherine Ramos (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 5:01 PM)

In several European countries advertising is banned for children under a certain age (ie- Sweden under 12). This ban protects children with limited reasoning ability at young ages. Research has shown that children between the ages of two and five cannot differentiate between regular TV programming and commercials. Parents can do all they want to never allow their children to eat at McD, but if that child has been "branded" with advertising and peer pressure the allure to eat poor will follow them through life. The study points out that children without the ability to reason or tell fact from fiction already believe that one product is better based on brand will have long lasting consequences. I do not feel that this study is about parents letting their children eat at McD. I believe the study point to the bias that early advertising imposes on children before they are able to make an informed belief about eating habits. Studies prove that early eating habits are hard to break and if McD is making lifelong customers at 3yo by brand advertising, what choices will these children make when they are in high school, college or even for their own children. People will stick with what is familiar. Like eating mamas home cooking, we prefer what is familiar and comforting, please don't let our children find comfort in the Golden Arches.

KarmaAnais (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 7:41 PM)

Where do kids learn about products? At home from parents and siblings. If you take your kids to McDonalds it doesn't take rocket science to understand that they will recognize the logo. It is not the corporations job to teach children moderation it is the parents. Parents have control on trips to Mcdonalds et al. I couldn't believe the expert who wanted to make laws forbidding advertising. Donny made an excellent point in that whether its kids or adults we are name-brand oriented and we identify brand names with product satisfaction be it Starbucks, Nike, or whatever.

penny hiestand, waco, texas (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 10:19 PM)

this is crazy 3 and 5 year olds making an decision on advertisments o m g whats the world comin to?
and like someone said,'the kids dont drive so parents" just dont take your kids out to eat...

kathy nicklees (Sent Wednesday, August 08, 2007 10:34 PM)

I just really need to comment about the Mcdonalds piece this morning. I am not one to comment on things but this one really got me! Donny is RIGHT!! I am sorry, but as a parent of 2 children who love McDonalds just like all other kids, I have complete control over how much they eat there. Advertising is not in anyway shape or form a part of my parenting techniques. If parents are not strong enough to tell there kids, no we will not go to McDonalds, then they have issues larger than food! I know there is a lot of asvertising out there, but that is they American way and these establishments have the right to promote their product for their best use! We do have a problem with childhood obesity, but McDonalds and others like them are not the entire problem. Parents need to get their children off the couch and outside exercising. Truth be told, if the children are very active an occasional splurge at McDonalds should not be a problem!!!

Heather Donovan Horseheads NY (Sent Thursday, August 09, 2007 8:49 AM)

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