The McDonald’s corporation is a big bully. The fact that McDonald’s will stop at nothing to make money at the expense of innocent teenagers, immigrants, the elderly and the handicapped sickens me. The abuse that the McDonald’s employees are forced to endure is outrageous and there is little to nothing that they can do about it, they are trapped.
Eric Schlosser writes, “The fast food industry seeks out part-time, unskilled workers who are willing to accept low pay. Teenagers have been the perfect candidates for these jobs, not only because they are less expensive to hire than adults, but also because their youthful inexperience makes them easier to control” (“Behind the Counter.” Fast Food Nation, p68). I believe that this quote relates to my point, because Schlosser clearly indicates the cruel bad intentions that McDonald’s has when hiring a new employee; utilizing the lack of knowledge and experience of a teenager for their monetary twisted benefit. I believe that Schlosser is using a very appropriate language to express his point, As a matter of fact, he actually quite calm. I can imagine a different person angered and agitated when discussing this idea, letting their emotions take over. But why not feel this way? I mean it’s a very sensitive topic. We are talking about the abuse of workers’ rights, more specifically teenagers’ rights.
When it comes to this topic I feel like the perfect candidate to discuss it. Being a former McDonald’s employee really gives me an insight look into the abuse that must be tolerated. I worked in a McDonald’s for 6 months; which was 6 months of a chaotic environment, low pay, very rude customers and managers that didn’t care if I had homework or school the next day. My lunch break was very short, if remember correctly it was 35 minutes. Not enough time to get any school work done and much less to catch my breath from the fast pace work. I shortly realized that I was working for a company that cared nothing about me or my co-workers. I think that the relation of my experience to my point is self explanatory; at the end what really matters is realizing the abuse workers have been enduring under the tyranny of capitalistic companies such as McDonald’s and hopefully eventually bring well deserved justice.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
"McDonalds, Infiltration Tactics"
There are many marketing techniques and target consumers. When I think about the ideal consumer I imagine an adult with a stable job who is able to decide and pay for what he wants. According to “Your Trusted Friend” by Eric Schlosser children are the McDonald’s restaurant target consumers. McDonalds being a big part of my childhood, I realize targeting children is a genius and effective idea.
To target children and lure them in, new marketing techniques would have to be used. No longer was McDonald's aiming for a family crowd. To accomplish this Ray Crock who was in charge of marketing brought in advertisement techniques and ads such as the all time famous Ronald McDonald's clown into the scene. McDonald’s also put into effect the market strategy known as “synergy.” Doing so McDonald’s was able to construct playgrounds inside their restaurant, which brought great success among children. Also, McDonald’s started selling toys; they included one in their happy meals. This attracted the attention of kids even more. From the moment you walk into a McDonald’s restaurant the first thing that catches your attention is a colorful display case that contains the toys that McDonald’s has available. This is followed by ads of they’re products that are on special hanging from the ceiling and on the windows. The reason why the restaurant is decorated this way to me is because this is the way that they plant their product into the customers’ brain. Its simple, the customers come, buy their meal and eat it all of this while they see the word McDonald’s everywhere; from the packaging of the food, to the cups, to the small packs of ketchup. No satisfied with this the customer is also exposed to the famous McDonald’s colors, yellow and red. It’s all strategically set to associate everything the customer sees, tastes, and smells to the brand McDonald’s.
Also, the idea to target kids as the ideal customers could not have come at a better time. America was in the middle of the baby boom which made the whole situation that much better. McDonald’s had colorful ads, fun characters, food wrapped like a present and toys. Kids were being bombarded from all angles. There was even research being conducted on “Juvenile Nagging Tactics.” The way children forced their parents to give them what they wanted, and McDonald’s was using the advertisement needed to utilize this behavior in kids to their advantage. The time I spent sitting in the restaurant was enough to witness the nagging tactics. Not content with already being in McDonald’s the kids would force their parents to buy them what ever they wanted, they wouldn’t listen to reason. The kids would cry, yell, get extremely quiet and sad, or be really nice to their parents and lovable; all nagging tactics.
As I sat in that McDonald’s and observed how people interacted I came across a particular family of 4 that had just walked into the restaurant. They all seemed to be in a bad mood, the parents were annoyed and the 2 kids who were around 5 and 11 years old were tired and sad. I followed them until they sat down and finally began to eat. This is when everything changed, the parents became more calm and relaxed and the kids had an expression of happiness and excitement. At this point the negative energy had turned to positive and I was now observing a happy family that was bonding. As I was looking at them I realized and felt the “fantasy element”. Perhaps not the one where the walls are created with apple pies and the tables with burgers, but the fantasy of a “perfect family” that only a prefect restaurant like McDonald’s can create. This is actually what McDonald’s has worked for. Their brand image, which is to be seen as a “trusted friend”, part of the family; and they have done a great job to achieve this.
The McDonald’s brand does not have a negative effect on me. The reason why I feel this way is that I myself was a victim of their genius marketing techniques. I grew up with McDonalds and the happy meal like many other children did, I was another just another target. I used to collect the toys that came in the happy meals and when ever my parents refused to bring me to McDonald’s I used the nagging tactics to obtain what I wanted. McDonald’s is part of my childhood and it was the host to many meaningful moments I spent with my family. Even though I no longer eat here, there as still occasions were McDonald’s brings my family together and we find ourselves either reminiscing about the good times we had here as kids or even having a meal here and bonding. No matter how people view the marketing strategies that McDonald’s employed to become what it is today I am going to remain loyal and stick by it. McDonald’s made my childhood that much better and in a way brought my family together not to mention my first job was in a McDonald’s! McDonalds, am lovin’ it.
To target children and lure them in, new marketing techniques would have to be used. No longer was McDonald's aiming for a family crowd. To accomplish this Ray Crock who was in charge of marketing brought in advertisement techniques and ads such as the all time famous Ronald McDonald's clown into the scene. McDonald’s also put into effect the market strategy known as “synergy.” Doing so McDonald’s was able to construct playgrounds inside their restaurant, which brought great success among children. Also, McDonald’s started selling toys; they included one in their happy meals. This attracted the attention of kids even more. From the moment you walk into a McDonald’s restaurant the first thing that catches your attention is a colorful display case that contains the toys that McDonald’s has available. This is followed by ads of they’re products that are on special hanging from the ceiling and on the windows. The reason why the restaurant is decorated this way to me is because this is the way that they plant their product into the customers’ brain. Its simple, the customers come, buy their meal and eat it all of this while they see the word McDonald’s everywhere; from the packaging of the food, to the cups, to the small packs of ketchup. No satisfied with this the customer is also exposed to the famous McDonald’s colors, yellow and red. It’s all strategically set to associate everything the customer sees, tastes, and smells to the brand McDonald’s.
Also, the idea to target kids as the ideal customers could not have come at a better time. America was in the middle of the baby boom which made the whole situation that much better. McDonald’s had colorful ads, fun characters, food wrapped like a present and toys. Kids were being bombarded from all angles. There was even research being conducted on “Juvenile Nagging Tactics.” The way children forced their parents to give them what they wanted, and McDonald’s was using the advertisement needed to utilize this behavior in kids to their advantage. The time I spent sitting in the restaurant was enough to witness the nagging tactics. Not content with already being in McDonald’s the kids would force their parents to buy them what ever they wanted, they wouldn’t listen to reason. The kids would cry, yell, get extremely quiet and sad, or be really nice to their parents and lovable; all nagging tactics.
As I sat in that McDonald’s and observed how people interacted I came across a particular family of 4 that had just walked into the restaurant. They all seemed to be in a bad mood, the parents were annoyed and the 2 kids who were around 5 and 11 years old were tired and sad. I followed them until they sat down and finally began to eat. This is when everything changed, the parents became more calm and relaxed and the kids had an expression of happiness and excitement. At this point the negative energy had turned to positive and I was now observing a happy family that was bonding. As I was looking at them I realized and felt the “fantasy element”. Perhaps not the one where the walls are created with apple pies and the tables with burgers, but the fantasy of a “perfect family” that only a prefect restaurant like McDonald’s can create. This is actually what McDonald’s has worked for. Their brand image, which is to be seen as a “trusted friend”, part of the family; and they have done a great job to achieve this.
The McDonald’s brand does not have a negative effect on me. The reason why I feel this way is that I myself was a victim of their genius marketing techniques. I grew up with McDonalds and the happy meal like many other children did, I was another just another target. I used to collect the toys that came in the happy meals and when ever my parents refused to bring me to McDonald’s I used the nagging tactics to obtain what I wanted. McDonald’s is part of my childhood and it was the host to many meaningful moments I spent with my family. Even though I no longer eat here, there as still occasions were McDonald’s brings my family together and we find ourselves either reminiscing about the good times we had here as kids or even having a meal here and bonding. No matter how people view the marketing strategies that McDonald’s employed to become what it is today I am going to remain loyal and stick by it. McDonald’s made my childhood that much better and in a way brought my family together not to mention my first job was in a McDonald’s! McDonalds, am lovin’ it.
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