To adults, the advertising directed at children becomes so much white noise. We may be aware of it but we only pay passing attention to it. The kids, however, are soaking in the advertising message:

“CHICAGO - 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.”

link: McDonald’s marketing tricks tots’ taste buds

It is subtle social engineering. The question becomes ‘at what age does the child / teen / adult break away from the programming?’. Perhaps, as adults, we just substitute an urge for McDonald’s with an urge to visit the nearby Starbucks.

Catherine Forsythe

[tags]advertising, children, mcdonald’s[/tags]