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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I use to eat McDonalds a lot, too much (see photo). Now I can't stand the food. I have to drive-thru for my kids, but my wife and I don't eat there anymore.
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I use to like McDonalds fries when they had the good oil to fry them in. This trans-fat free oil make the fries taste nasty. So I'm quietly boycotting McDonalds because of that.
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I have to disagree with this report.
For one reason only...experience with "de-programming" a child to eat McDonalds.
I started this a long time ago, after realizing that everytime we went to grab a bite to eat, my son and daughter wanted McDonalds everytime. My son would never touch a burger from anywhere else. Actually, he would only take a bite or two from the McDonalds burger, and eat all the fries.
My solution... No Happy Meals allowed. I would only order fries, coke, burger. It took about 3 trips to fix this problem. As soon as they realized there were no toys involved, they could have cared less where they eat.
Now that he's older, he still eats McDonalds from time to time. But he only buys fries. -
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My buds kids scream all the time for micky d's
They give in only once in awhile
The problem is with mom, dad, grandma, special occasions, holiday's, pretty much any time they use the bathroom and not the floor they get to go.
So 5 out of 7 day habit.
They sample the fries, give the hamburger to the dog.
All they want is the stupid toy.
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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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