In the book, “Fast Food Nation,” by Eric Schlosser, he
explains the chapter, “Your Trusted Friends” by illustrating the history behind
the fast food companies plans to give people the illusion that they’re our
trusted friends. He starts off by explaining two guys who go buy the name of
Walt Disney and Ray Kroc. These two guys
explained in the book were two men who came from the same background and shared
the same vision to appeal to children as an audience for their products. Walt
Disney and Ray Kroc history started off with them living in the same state,
born a year apart and serving in the military together. However, their ideas towards appealing to
children were different. Walt Disney created films and shows that depicted the
fun and the reassuring aspects of WWII by illustrating that certain weapons are
your friends. Disney made certain shows
like, “Our Friend the Atom” and “Man in Space” that help make certain
situations in the world seem relaxing. Later on in the chapter, Schlosser then
illustrates Ray Kroc’s way to success with advertising and strategizing. Kroc
went around the country selling his mixer and helping the McDonald Brothers
expand their business. Eventually, Kroc became a part of the McDonald’s
Corporation and assisted in every aspect of their (McDonald Brothers) company.
Kroc assisted in the advertising and created the famous mascot, Ronald
McDonald, expansion of the restaurant chain all throughout the country, and the
creation of playgrounds at the McDonald’s restaurants. Also in the chapter,
Schlosser gives an explanation about how advertising is teaching children how
to get the stuff that the advertisements are selling or depicting on
televisions. He speaks of a professor from Texas A&M university who studies
the behavior of children who been affected by ads. This professor states that
there are seven types of “nagging” that children use to get what they want from
parents and this affects them due to the fact that the parent have no choice
but to give in.
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