McDonalds Study Proves The Power of TV Advertising

According to the latest study on the effects of branding on young children published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine:  Most 3- and 5-year-olds who taste-tested a variety of foods said they preferred the ones in the McDonald’s wrapper — even though the foods were exactly the same.

The study was had 63 children, ages 3 and 5, sample five foods: chicken nuggets, a hamburger, french fries (from McDonalds), baby carrots and milk (from a grocery store).

Each food item was divided into two portions: one wrapped in a McDonald’s wrapper or placed in a McDonald’s bag and the other in a wrapper without the McDonald’s logo.

After taste-testing, the children more often said the chicken nuggets, fries, carrots and milk wrapped in the McDonald’s logo tasted better, even though the foods were exactly the same.

Additional interesting findings: 

• One-third of the children ate at McDonald’s more than once a week;
• Three-quarters had McDonald’s toys at home;
• An average of 2.4 televisions in their homes;
• More than 50% had a TV in their bedrooms.

McDonald’s spends more than $1 billion dollars per year on U.S. advertising.