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Comparing The Fast Food Industry And The Tobacco Industry

1070 Words5 Pages

I believe we are living in a time of addiction, excess, and overstimulation. Many Americans today have adapted to a lifestyle of constant screen time, excess food intake, and fast food availability. This is a result of the evolution of technology, the popularity of fast food, and our changing views of food consumption. This change in our society today can be compared to the evolution of the tobacco industry in the 1950’s. During that time, many Americans succumbed to the strong and efficient marketing campaigns of tobacco companies, they were becoming addicted to the product, and yet they were unaware of the health consequences. In this paper I will draw a comparison between the fast food industry and the tobacco industry in America. I will …show more content…

For example, Carl's Jr. continues to stay relevant and active in the media today by using celebrities and supermodels to advertize their burgers. They are notorious for having their commercials banned from the air because they are too racy and inappropriate, yet even this is effective marketing. McDonalds is known for their continued efforts to market to children and families. In the 1980’s they created a “happy meal” which is a kids portioned meal in a small box that includes a toy. McDonalds also advertises their play areas and affordable prices to attract families to dine in their …show more content…

They market heavily towards children with their happy meal and toys to establish a trust in the brand at an early age. With the growing numbers of childhood obesity, fast food restaurants are being questioned as the culprit. In response to these claims, restaurants like McDonalds have began to offer healthier items to their menus, for both children and adults. Today happy meals are offered with apples and milk instead of soda. While this is a step in the right direction, it still doesn’t make their food healthy, just as having an apple with a cigarette doesn’t make it healthy. The continued fight against health claims and lawsuits is very similar to the battles the tobacco industry faced back in the

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