Role Of Food Advertisements In Fast Food Industry

“Fastfood companies and food manufacturers are to blame for America’s weight problems” (Goode, 426). Americans are bombarded every day with advertisements and TV commercials advertising the best, most affordable, and least healthy food. This is a major reason why obesity is increasing. As food portion sizes increase, such as large burgers and fries, along with the increased availability of large-sized beverages, it is not surprising that the number of obese people is on the rise. People will eat fast food as they are cheap and tasty. Fast food companies and manufacturers are using women to promote their products and increase profits in modern society. Food chains have used female chefs to sexualize food from the 1980s onwards. These women often have models-like bodies and look to attract different customers. The availability of food is another factor that impacts these customers. The availability of food is another factor that affects Americans. There are many fast-food places all across America. The availability of fast food and the variety of choices are important factors in how people eat. People tend to consume more when they have more options. Not only is it demeaning for women, but it also encourages people to eat more fast-food and creates unrealistic expectations in their minds.

In any case, people are choosing to eat larger portions of food such as burgers or drinks. Erica Goode, in her article “The Gorge-Yourself Environment”, states that “fast food is growing in size and calories.” Bernadette Keefe Md has a comparison of fast food in 20 years. “A burger 20 year ago had 333 calories. Today, it has 590 calories. That’s an increase by 257 calories. Carl’s Jr.’s advertising featured Paris Hilton as a television personality, wearing a black swimsuit. She eats a large Carl’s Jr. cheeseburger. Carl’s Jr. uses this ad because it hints at how everyone “looks” after eating their burger. The ad also states that “She’ll tell your size doesn’t really matter.” The ad is very catchy as it features a half-naked woman savoring a bite of the product. This ad portrays the food as a sex object. Males will be attracted to this hot bikini-clad girl trying Carl’s Jr’s hamburger. Females will be attracted to this celebrity’s eating of this burger, which can create unrealistic expectations in their minds. America is becoming more obese due to fast-food chains offering cheaper food. Consumers are choosing to eat larger portions every year due to increasing prices. Fast food is not expensive but it’s easy to make profits and sell. Fast-food restaurants often offer the cheapest menu items to draw customers. McDonald’s has a “Dollar Menu”, while Taco Bell’s has a “Why Pay more Menu”. Both offer low prices, so customers can get more. Cheap deals such as this, which typically cost less than a dollar per item, often result in more. Fast-food restaurant customers can exchange menu items. Customers will always pay more for items such as chicken nuggets or milkshakes. Candice Choi writes “How fast food chains use the value-menu to get you spending more”. They sell the items in huge quantities to make more money. Fast food chains advertise with women to attract large crowds such as families or friends. These advertisements often feature women in cheap clothing, such as bikinis, that symbolize the low prices fast-food chains offer. Erica Goode writes in “Gorge-Yourself Environment” that “the relative cost of different product has even greater effect on food choice than nutritional labeling.” Americans are becoming more obese because they don’t pay attention to the nutrition facts of fast food.

Fast food chains and food producers also employ women to market their products. They use women as sexy models to sell their products and sexualize food. The advertising of fast food chains can influence how much people consume each day. Advertisements may use the words “Use both hands”, “Soft buns”, or “Freshbuns” to refer to women’s bodies. Carl’s Jr.’s commercial features a woman in a wide mouth promoting a long sandwich. Julie Rub’s article “5 Ways Fast Food Advertising Promotes Unrealistic Body Evaluations for Women” states, “It is scientifically proven junk food causes chemical responses in our brains. This leads to us becoming addicted. We love the Big Mac and are attracted to thin, attractive women. This blatant contradiction means that we promote skinny women at any cost of medical knowledge and reason about the health effects of fast food. But, sexually objectifying women in any way is not normal or appropriate. Fast food advertising has had a huge impact on all ages and genders. Many women are taught that women should behave and look certain ways. Men also have their own ideas about what women should look. Carl’s Jr used Miss Turkey in an ad to get women to try their turkey burger. It made it look healthy.

There are many fast-food options available, and there is a lot of choice. This can have a significant impact on what people eat. Near Riverside City College there are more than 10 fast food restaurants located within five miles. This clearly targets all students. People prefer fast food to home-cooked meals. And with the introduction of drive-thru restaurants, it’s even easier to order it while on the move. Erica Goode published an article entitled “Gorge-Yourself Environment” in which she stated that Dr. Wansink’s colleagues changed the locations of chocolate candy throughout three weeks. The average worker has nine pieces of candy if the candy is plain sight on their desks. The average consumption of sweets reduced to six pieces when they were kept in a desk drawer.

Fast food chain and food manufacturer use women to reach all ages. There are many fast-food restaurants that offer a wide variety of food options, including Carl’s Jr. which offers a “Green Burrito” menu with Mexican food for those who want it. Mcdonald’s or Jack in the Box offer all-day breakfast and vegetarian options. Fast food chains have used women to promote their wide range of choices. Carl’s Junior’s advertisement featured Kim Kardashian, the reality-TV star. It showed her promoting their Chicken Salad. This was done to draw a different audience. Kim Kardashian was used to show that not all girls must be thin to enjoy their food. Erica Goode writes in “Gorge-Yourself Environment” that “More food, more choices, more eating.” This article explains why fast-food chains are a popular choice for many consumers. According to the article, people like more food at lower prices. A four-course meal is preferable to one, such as a burger and fries with a side of beverages. Mcdonald’s and Jack in Box offer the opportunity to swap fries for chicken nuggets. They also offer sodas for shakes which can encourage people to eat a lot more. Goldman, Heath, Smith write that “commodity feministsm” has created an idealism in consumers’ minds by using feminine imagery in their advertisements.

Fast food outlets and manufacturers advertise to women in order sell more options.

The country’s obesity problem is largely attributable to fast food restaurants and food producers. Fast-food chains are a common trap for people. Fast-food chains offer a variety of options, including larger portions and cheaper prices. These advertisements feature sexy models, and there are many options for food. America’s fast food culture is so ingrained that it overlooks the nutritional content of its food. People are more inclined to choose unhealthy food than healthy. Companies must provide healthy, affordable food to combat obesity in America.