Grassroots must challenge McDonalds

Today I was fortunate enough to see Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark side of all The American-American Meal, discuss the rhetoric behind America’s fast food giants about the hidden marketing tactics towards small children and how that has resulted in a nation that is addicted to the cheap and tasty fast food.

An interesting point that Schlosser discussed was how these fast food giants target children as early as nice months old using Walt Disney’s tactics of using adorable cartoon characters that would appeal to small children. McDonalds did not figure this out by themselves. There was one point in McDonald's history where they thought they should dispose of the arch to save money. But instead of making a hasty move, they hired scientist to do some research to see if the arch attracts young children and retains their loyalty though out their lives.

The conclusion of the study stated that the McDonald’s golden arch is the “mother’s breast of McDonalds” and that more importantly, small children are attracted to the arch at a very young age, and that many of the children do retain brand loyalty thought out their lives. The same principles that attract children to the arch can also be applied to cute characters. So McDonalds corporation created Ronald McDonald, a red headed clown who is geared towards making children laugh, and a whole wide range set of cartoon characters that all love to eat hamburgers. The basic theory behind this is that if one sees a peer doing something and enjoying it, that they will also feel compelled to do it to fit in that group. McDonald’s tactics to target young children have caused a whole generation of children heart diseases, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and especially diabetes.

McDonald’s toxic discourse has truly created an unprecedented amount of unhealthy food in the United States, and people who are suffering from multiple diseases at very young ages. Congress has been really lax about coercing McDonald’s to change their marketing tactics towards children. Michelle Obama has attempted to fight the major conglomerate, but has made little success. The largest voice out there right now who is targeting McDonald’s and demanding them to change their tactics is Eric Schlosser. He has created a wave of lawyers, consumers and even congressmen who are determined to change the way McDonald’s markets. But the question remains, is that enough to take on a multi billion dollar company?

Unfortunately, the big bucks McDonald’s pay lobbyist to shut up congressmen has made the chances of congress actually passing any laws that will prevent their money hungry marketing practices are very low. What must be done is that normal people, like you and I, must create grassroots organizations to fight against the way McDonald’s targets children. We need butchers, lawyers, college students, professors, doctors, nutritionist, and anyone who wants to see our children live healthy lives to join together under the cause. These grassroots organizations don’t simply have to be towards McDonald’s marketing strategies, but towards a whole range of issues such as the unsafe and unsanitary production of food, and the a way to make the food more healthy. The painful truth is that as long as McDonald’s isn’t pressured to change their ways, they won’t change. They are making money. It will take millions of concerned and organized individuals to challenge McDonald’s to make our country healthier, and to prevent our children from being targeted.