The government should control the advertising of unhealthy
food directed at children. Walt Disney and Ray Kroc who was the founder of the McDonalds
Corporation perfected the art of selling things to children. Their success led
many others to aim marketing efforts at kids, turning America’s youngest
consumers into a demographic group, which is targeted by the world’s largest
corporations. Ray Kroc and Walt Disney realized long ago “a person’s brand
loyalty may begin as early as the age of two. These companies take advantage of
the innocence and illogical mind of the young kids. Selling to children is much
easier than selling to adults because of their vulnerability. Governments
really need to control advertising of unhealthy food mainly towards children, and
parents need to be aware of how these companies attract children through other methods
because the food is unhealthy and causes obesity.
The government
should control television advertising to kids. The federal trade commission tried
to ban all television ads directed at children seven years old or younger. Studies
have shown that young children often could not tell the difference between
television programming, and television advertising. Children trust that
advertising claims are true, because they cannot comprehend the real purpose of
commercials. Schools should not advertise nor give out food from fast food
restaurants, in which some does in elementary schools in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Parents
should be more aware of how fast food companies attract kids to buy their
products. The McDonalds Corporation operates more than eight thousand
playgrounds at its restaurants, which brings in a lot of young kids. Stated in
the book Fast Food Nation “play lands bring in children, who bring in parents,
who bring in money.” That statement shows that these fast food industries don’t
care about the health of the children or parents. They also give away simple
toys with children’s meals, in which kids love toys so they tend to nag their
parents when they really want something.
Fast food
companies sell unhealthy food which leads to health issues and obesity. Over the
past thirty years, rates of obesity among children and teens have tripled, and
public health experts have increased their attention to the potential negative
impact of advertising for unhealthy foods and beverages stated by Harris. It is
not healthy for children to eat so much fast food. Children are constantly reminded
about fast food when watching television, and big signs when driving with their
parents. Companies should stop targeting little children; because of the vulnerability and health issues that affect these children. People are going to get sicker, if unhealthy food is continuously being sold; there should be a greater social responsibility for these children present and future health. The intense marketing of high fat, high sugar foods to young children can be viewed as abuse because they do not understand that commercials are designed to sell products and do not have the ability to comprehend or evaluate advertising.
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