Blog#5

Kangil Heo                                                                                                                               

Dr. Smith

English 101

25 March 2014

Marketing Strategies to Take Advantage of Children

In “Chapter 2: Your Trusted Friends” in Fast Food Nation by Eric Scholosser, the author focuses on Ray Kroc and Walt Disney who uses similar marketing techniques to manipulate and take advantage of children. For example, Kroc invents the famous Ronald McDonald and makes children think that he’s a “trusted friend.” Disney invents Mickey Mouse and creates this system called “synergy.” These marketing strategies do work because I have had firsthand experiences when I was a child. For instance, when I was younger I really wanted this cotton candy machine and begged my parents for one. Marketing techniques for children work really effectively and Kroc and Disney were the first ones to take advantage of this strategy.

Kroc and Disney were born in Illinois, and they both served together in World War I in the ambulance corps. After the war, they became successful business men using similar marketing strategies aimed at children. Kroc, eventually invented Ronald McDonald which was based on a clown. Ronald McDonald became so popular that it rivaled Mickey Mouse that Disney created. Kroc, also made children think that McDonalds as a whole was their friend and even infiltrated the school lunches. The parents were also affected by this marketing strategy because they felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. They were giving what the children wanted because it was also more affordable than going to Disneyland. The author also mentions how Kroc is a shrewd business man. Disney used similar strategies as Kroc but he sold rights to use Disney characters for a certain contract. This is called “synergy” which allowed other big companies to make cars, figures, candy, and etc. based on Disney characters. The children were more likely to buy stuff with Disney characters because they felt a sense of attachment to the characters from television and the Disney movies that they already knew. Both Kroc and Disney were one of the first ones to use and prove that marketing strategies manipulate children do work and took advantage of it.

When I was a lot younger around 7 or 8, I was also a victim of a smart marketing strategy aimed at children. The commercial was about a cotton candy machine and how you can make unlimited amount of cotton candy using only sugar. What kind of kid would not want unlimited amounts of cotton candy? I begged my parents for days and days but they told me it was unhealthy for me. When I began to lose hope, the commercial would pop on again reminding me that I really need that cotton candy machine. After weeks of begging and trying to make deals, I finally got them to buy it for me. When I did buy it though it did not work as it was shown in the commercial. It barely made any cotton candy and was practically useless. I thought it was the problem with sugar so I started begging my parents for different kinds of sugar. However, in the end the cotton candy machine did not work. I was tricked and taken advantage of a smart marketing strategy.

Schlosser focuses on Kroc and Disney in chapter 2. One of the main issues he addresses is the marketing strategies aimed at children which manipulates them and takes advantage of them. Kroc implanted the idea that McDonalds was their “friend” and also created Ronald McDonald. Disney created the “synergy” system which allowed other big companies to use the rights to use Disney characters. And I was personally tricked and taken advantage of when I saw the cotton machine commercial when I was at a young age. Marketing strategies aimed at children work really well and Kroc and Disney were the first ones to take advantage of this strategy.