CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Anything made by McDonald's tastes better, preschoolers said in a study that powerfully demonstrates how advertising can trick the taste buds of young children.
In comparing identical McDonald's foods in name-brand and plain wrappers, the unmarked foods always lost.
Even carrots, milk and apple juice tasted better to the kids when they were wrapped in the familiar packaging of the Golden Arches.
The study had youngsters sample identical McDonald's foods in name-brand and unmarked wrappers. The unmarked foods always lost the taste test.
"You see a McDonald's label and kids start salivating," said Diane Levin, a childhood development specialist who campaigns against advertising to kids. She had no role in the research.
Levin said it was "the first study I know of that has shown so simply and clearly what's going on with (marketing to) young children."
Study author Dr. Tom Robinson said the kids' perception of taste was "physically altered by the branding." The Stanford University researcher said it was remarkable how children so young were already so influenced by advertising.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/08/06/mcdonalds.preschoolers.ap/index.html
I agree with this report. I was watching a dateline or 20/20 type show a couple of months ago and they had something about this.
They had some pre-schoolers at a desk, and they would show different letters of the alphabet with some words. They had a normal looking M and the kids had a hard time saying what the letter was. They then pulled up an M shaped like the McDonalds M and the kids almost jumped out of their seat screaming "McDonalds!!!"
Study: Food in McDonald's wrapper tastes better to kids
Discussion in 'Other News' started by firstcav, Aug 7, 2007.
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They might. I noticed one day when I ordered fries that they had a different taste to them. This was a year or two ago when I noticed this, right when this whole trans-fat kick started. Maybe they cleaned the fryer that day? Who knows maybe I'm going crazy
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Doesn't just apply to preschoolers. My 17yo would take a mickey D's cheeseburger over a charcoal grilled steak.
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