Should "Happy Meals" Aimed at Kids Be Banned to Help Curb Childhood Obesity?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Awareness and being affected are two very different things. Just because you're aware of Nike or Burger King, doesn't make someone have a desire to buy that product..... Most people are well aware of the dry cleaners down the street, eventhough they may never use them. They are there. They don't even need to advertise for you to be aware of them outside of the sign out front.

Just because you know what a John Deere tractor is, doesn't mean you're going to be influenced by that fact.

No Paul - they aren't different things. Again - advertising is as much about making as many people aware of your product as it is about persuading people to buy it.

A dry cleaners isn't a brand - McDonalds is a brand. Coca Cola is a brand. Reebok is a brand. Apple is a brand.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

No Paul - they aren't different things. Again - advertising is as much about making as many people aware of your product as it is about persuading people to buy it.

A dry cleaners isn't a brand - McDonalds is a brand. Coca Cola is a brand. Reebok is a brand. Apple is a brand.

Again, being 'aware' and desiring something are two very different things. Again as well, the product has to have a 'want/desire' factor that advertising to even do its job in the first place.

Just because you know it, just because you think a commercial is clever and/or stupid, doesn't necessarily affect you buying that product.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Again, being 'aware' and desiring something are two very different things. Again as well, the product has to have a 'want/desire' factor that advertising to even do its job in the first place.

Just because you know it, just because you think a commercial is clever and/or stupid, doesn't necessarily affect you buying that product.

They aren't different things - it's a fundamental part of how advertising works. It's about getting a monopoly on ideas. If *your product* is the only one that comes to mind when people think about buying *a product*, then they're more likely to buy yours over a competitors.

Generally, people don't watch a TV ad and then spontaneously want to rush out and buy something (this is one of the differences between how advertising works on children Vs. adults). People remember the messages over time, and act on them years later. They may of course never act on them, but they still remember the product and that general level of awareness leads other people buying those products.

It's one of the reasons McDonalds is so popular. It has little to do with product quality - if it did then you have to define what makes it a "quality product"

Edited November 8, 2010 by Ron Burgundy

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Nanny state anyone?

It should be up to the parents if they want their kids to have a happy meal. No corporation forces kids to eat a happy meal...... get over it already.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Nanny state anyone?

It should be up to the parents if they want their kids to have a happy meal. No corporation forces kids to eat a happy meal...... get over it already.

Perhaps it should also be up to parents to give their kids alcohol and cigarettes

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Perhaps it should also be up to parents to give their kids alcohol and cigarettes

it already is......

[SuperDuper! 230]

What about cigarettes and alcohol to minors? We bar minors from being able to purchase those products because of the harmful effects.

The difference is that humans NEED food to survive, so it's kind of hard to ban it.

Many humans survive just fine WO Ciggies and Booze. In fact, people usually do better with out smokin; and drinkin'.

=8^)

[Ban Hammer 13,472]

only thing relatively good at Mcd's are their Sundaes and apple pies...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

it already is......

Yup. He's not very bright is he.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Perhaps it should also be up to parents to give their kids alcohol and cigarettes

Wow. You don't know the difference between food and drugs.

Do you know the difference between a ####### and camping?......... want to go camping?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I guess the word analogy flies over your head...

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I guess the word analogy flies over your head...

Of course not, but your analogy failed. Miserably....

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Not really. Why are there age limits on cigarettes and alcohol. Perhaps you let your kids smoke like a chimney and get ratted before school, but not everyone is so cavalier