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I Am Amplifier / Placard (week in progress 1)

  • Writer: Kevin Tan
    Kevin Tan
  • Apr 22, 2020
  • 5 min read

Updated: Jul 28, 2020


False Fast Food Advertising on Consumerism

Nowadays food advertising on consumer is so popular and attractive around the market world. The main idea that I want to advocate; 'The issues of false fast food advertising on consumerism'. Majority of people like fast food because it is very inexpensive, convenient and tastes good. Not only that, fast food prices is very reasonable and consumer are able to buy as much as they need. There are various types of fast food brands such as KFC, MCD, Subway, Wendy’s, Burger King and others more. In addition to that, advertisers advertise their products and services so that food industry are able to promote and expend their businesses. Furthermore, they are able to earn and get significant profit and value from its products.

On the other hand, fast food is made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, added sugar and fats instead of nutritious ingredients such as lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. This shows that, it will have a negative effects on the consumer health. Few example which will cause health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and arthritis.






To begin with, "How does food advertising tricked consumer on buying their products". Firstly, advertising uses visual that makes the products appealing and stand out from the other brands. With their strong advertising visual, messages that they convey to the consumer are easy to understand and straight to the point. Moreover, advertisers advertise their products by their false propaganda as an example large billboard across the highway with attractive ads; catching consumers as they drive by. For movie / television ads; it constantly prompt consumers with their 3 to 5 sec ads. This shows that, mass media plays an important role by brainwashing the consumers thinking. With that, it can be a powerful tools to spread images that can distort the consumers mind by stimulating their willingness to purchase.


Fast food companies has taken advantage on our desire for convenience. A series of social psychology studies in New York Times found that by thinking of fast food made people more hurried, more impatient while fast food is undoubtedly driven by consumer demand for instant satisfaction. Not only that, fast food companies make their privilege to tell the consumers what to taste. According to Dr. Brian Wansink, in Men’s Health, the promotion of the food largely depend on the presentation whereby the actual taste of the food will stimulate what consumer think. For instance, KFC’s - Finger lickin good, Subway’s - eat fresh, Arby’s - slicing up freshness and others more.






Why do typical fast food meals have so many calories even if they don’t appear to be particularly large? Fast food has typically high in saturated fat. Fat is a killer. A large amount of fat in the burger and fries contributes to the high energy density of this meal.


According to a study by scientists from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Granada published in the Public Health Journal, people who often eat fast foods are 51% more likely to develop depression compared to those who eat little or no fast food. In addition, this finding was for people who only consumed two servings of fast food a week. Another study published in the Journal of Adolescence Health found that eating just one serving of french fries per week during adolescence increased women’s breast cancer risk later in life by 27% and a study published in Circulation found that eating fast food one time per week increased the risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 20% - a risk that grew to 50% for people eating fast food two or three times per week.


“Fast food ads are primed for you to be motivated to seek out ultra-processed foods. So you’ll start scrounging around in your kitchen and you might not even make the link between what you’ve seen on the TV and why you suddenly have a hankering for food.”

ASHLEY GEARHARDT OF THE FOOD AND ADDICTION SCIENCE AND TREATMENT LAB





Billboard Advertisement

KFC billboard, shows that it doesn’t specify the amount of calories and others nutrients that include in it.







MCD - the burger looks very appetising and juicy but in reality it doesn’t consists of fresh ingredients and not appealing at all.





Video Ads

Most of the ads which I’ve researched on were eye-catching and really attractive towards the consumers. This to be said, food industry uses the media for several purposes such as to increase awareness of a brand or individual food product, to shape the consumer’s perception of his / her own needs and desires and to guide the consumer’s product choices and buying patterns.

The greatest concern is the effect it has on children, as children are less prepared and equipped to make wise individual food choices. Children are more susceptible to the messages being delivered to them through advertising, which now surrounds us everyday on TV, radio and billboards, in films and at sporting events.(Media Impact on Food Consumption, n.d.)





AdBuster food fight

This ads represents McDonalds’s. The AdBuster shows the signature ‘M’ of McDonald’s used as the ‘e’ in the text and uses the company’s colours. It is a form of mockery which mention in the text, ‘Eat fast, die young’. It means that if consumer eat McDonald’s fast food, they are likely to die young. Furthermore, culture jamming is defined as the manipulation of the mass media by artists and activists. The intent, in most cases, is to critique the medias manipulation of reality. Media plays an important role and most corporate companies are aware of the power of media. It’s one of the multinational food chain company founded in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald. However, people turn a blind eye to the fact that McDonalds produces highly unhealthy processed foods which contained the use of excessive preservatives that is harmful for consumer health. The strategy that AdBuster used were simple and straight to the point, conveying a direct message in each of their posters.







Reference & citation:


Keller (2012) found that "Advertising and Consumerism in the Food Industry". Retrieved from https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1007&context=student_scholarship



Ganev (2019 Jan 4) found that "Fast Food in the Media: The Rise of the Health-Conscious Consumer". Retrieved from https://commetric.com/2019/01/04/fast-food-in-the-media-the-rise-of-the-health-conscious-consumer/


Stoddard (2018 Oct 16) found that "20 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Fast Food". Retrieved from https://www.eatthis.com/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-fast-food/


Bratskier (2014 June 17) found that "The tricks Fast Food Companies use to lure you in". Retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/the-tricks-fast-food-companies-use-to-lure-you-in/news-story/4c7571df57d08738fc54fba2b30f7c37



Oberst (2017 Oct 19) found that "Fast Food Health Risks That Will Shock You". Retrieved from https://foodrevolution.org/blog/food-and-health/fast-food-health-risks/



Pirnia (2019 March 18) found that "How Fast Food Advertisements Get Under Your Skin, Whether You Realize It Or Not". Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fast-food-marketing_l_5c890150e4b038892f493653


Shawna (2012 Oct 17) found that “Adbuster Precreation”. Retrieved from http://theflightlessphoenix.blogspot.com/2012/10/adbuster-precreation.html


Karlnyathi (2016 Nov 16) found that “Mc Donald’s Culture Jam”. Retrieved from https://karlnyathi.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/mc-donalds-culture-jam/


KFC 'Fresh New Look, Same Great Taste' Malaysia Ad YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=6vYCssei9ks&feature=emb_title

Ayam Goreng McD™ – There's Nothing Like It. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjrXt-jvWaw&feature=emb_title



McDonald's Burgers: Hamburgers & Cheeseburgers | McDonald's Signature BLT Burger Commercial Ads. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDaH-B6NY-4&feature=emb_title


“Mass Media Impact on Food Consumption” (n.d.) Retrieved from https://jajostage6foodtech.weebly.com/uploads/4/5/6/5/45657439/media_impact_on_food_consumption.pdf

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