Branding and the Five Senses
A study released on Monday has found that kids prefer the taste of anything wrapped in a McDonald's wrapper. ANYTHING. They even bothered to test McDonald's-wrapped carrots and milk. Apparently, the power of branding is more powerful than the power of taste.Contentious topic, that's for sure. It's being argued that marketers are targeting kids before they are able to make good choices. It's also being argued that parents who don't want their kids to end up fat and addicted to McD's should simply not take them to McD's as often. It's important to note that, in Canada, there are definite laws designed to restrict marketing to young children (a law that is much more relaxed in the US, where this story is creating a lot of buzz).
Still, it's all very interesting - especially because kids are unlikely to be the only ones susceptible. I'm sure that most of us would find ourselves subconsciously preferring the fit and style of a shirt or a pair of shoes with the *right* brand name on them. Science is beginning to pinpoint the exact areas and functions of our brains that make us prefer the brands we do - Pepsi vs Coke, for example.
Advertising and strategic brand positioning is no longer as simple as putting a product picture on an ad and listing off the five reasons why you should buy this product over that product. It's becoming incredibly emotional, and infinitely strategic. It's why I love my job :)
Labels: Advertising
posted by Lindsay @ 8:30 AM
4 Comments:
love the blog...so true...
I wonder how this applies to pig semen?
Funny. Char, you and I could probably swap ag-marketing stories for HOURS. One of the things that drew me to my current agency job was its lack of ag clients. It was all really starting to gross me out... You are clearly less prissy than I am :)
Don't complain to a farmer with your mouth full. :)
I have to say that. The Boy is home for harvest right now.
Does this study inform you about how long this brain washing lasts - cause I still drool when I think of a Big Mac and large fries and I'm certainly not a kid anymore! I'm getting hungry...
mom
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