1. I have chosen to conduct research on a topic that falls within option number two. This option is the best for me because I have found a topic that I am genuinely interested in and have personal experience with.
2. Because I was exposed to fast food at the very young age of nine I have decided to research the advertising and promoting strategies of fast food companies. Children growing up today are exposed at a much younger age than I was. If a child is old enough to watch TV, they are old enough to start being exposed to fast food commercials and advertisements. Every fast food restaurant has in the past or presently had a promotion designed specifically for children. I am interested in why fast food companies target children and what they stand to gain from these promotions.
3. I think anyone who has children or young family members should be interested in my research topic. In some sense it is the parents influence on a young child’s life to determine their routine, likes, and dislikes. If a parent takes their child to fast food all the time instead of cooking at home they are contributing to the fast food company’s motive. Children growing up on fast food has proved that it has very dangerous health risks for children. Currently it is estimated that approximately nine million children over the age of six are considered obese. This statistic has scary implications for the future of these children. Not only will these children develop very costly health problems, their social life will suffer and many will develop social anxiety disorders and depression.
4. I have found that fact sheets from the Institute of Medicine, articles from scholarly journals, and interviews with McDonald’s personnel have been very helpful in my research. The facts and statistics have made me more aware of this problem than I have ever been.
5. Companies have come up with very creative ways to advertise to children and they have also devoted an enormous amount of money on advertising to children. The internet age has proven to be an effective tool to advertise to children with. Fast food companies have created web site content specifically designed for children on their web pages. Burger King has a Big Kids Club link where 4-12 year olds are encouraged to become club members. McDonald’s has games, puzzles, quizzes, and coloring pages all with Ronald McDonald on them as well as other McDonald’s characters. I plan on conducting more research on the actual numbers of children who watch TV and what kind of advertising are on these kids shows.