How do you choose a salad over a Big Mac?
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amusedmonkey wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »JustRobby1 wrote: »Fast food chains and other corporate conglomerates are able to persuade you through advertising subliminally. It might not be that you are actively making that decision on your own. Colors, advertisements, placement , emphasis, all effect the buyer. I'm a psychology major, and I just got done doing a paper on this exact subject
I believe the Big Mac meal is number one on the menu right? While they don't want to get criticized by the media, in a society that is becoming more health conscious, they add things like Vitamin water ( full of sugar ) Salads ( that are full of hidden fats ) and Diet Sodas which have been PROVEN to make people more hungry. The number one seller , the Big Mac, is not placed at Number one by accident. It is meant for you to see it. The best way to say no, is just to not go in. .Because once you are in the restaurant, your decisions are already being made for you. I'm not saying EVERYONE is subjected to this form of advertising manipulation, but MCdonald's is not a billion dollar corporation for nothing. They know exactly what they are doing.
LOL. I work for a rather large ad agency in Chicago. We represent several multinationals in a wide array of verticals including food service, and I do not seem to remember the copywriters or production folks adding subliminal messages to any of our campaigns. McDonald's is actually headquartered not far from here in nearby Oak Brook, Illinois, though they are sadly represented by an out of town ad agency called Omnicom Group located in New York City. I know a slew people who work there, and none of them are illuminati plotting with Mc Donald's for subliminal world domination one Big Mac at a time.
I'm going to call a bit of BS on this. As I see McDonalds ads I don't see overweight or obese people in them or at least nowhere near the 70% of the US population. The people in the ads don't match what you see when you actually go in a McDonalds. This IMO, gives the subliminal message that the food is healthy and fit for consumption on a regular basis.
Just like you see attractive people in Wal-Mart ads, not the stars of "The People of Wal-Mart". They are trying to give the impression of a more upscale shopping experience than it really is.
No form of advertising, that I'm aware of, features actors that look like the actual array of people you encounter in real life. This isn't subliminal advertising, it's just advertising.
Even non-profit "manipulate" with their campaign by use of color, imagery, and words. That's the whole point of advertising; to make something more attractive to the consumer.
Yeah, my team recently did a volunteer event at a food bank and I noticed that the brochure promoting volunteering featured people who were *way more* photogenic and beautiful than me and my team. Who knows, maybe models really are volunteering there in between glamorous photoshoots . . .6 -
The Big Macs aren't that bad imo at just 520cals for a burger. Instead of replacing the burger with a salad, I just replace the fries with a side salad. Makes for a pretty decent meal that I can occasionally work into my typical 1500cal days if i want to.3
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To throw in my 2 cents worth ( Canadian, which is worthless ) regarding advertising...
A dictionary definition of advertising:
advertise
or advertize
[ad-ver-tahyz, ad-ver-tahyz]
verb (used with object), advertised, advertising.
1.
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it
It's pretty clear what advertising is for. To get you to buy stuff.
IMHO, advertising is something to be aware of, and to actually resist against. I personally feel that I am a little less affected / influenced by advertising than many people. It's probably my cheap nature. I just don't see things advertised, and then 'want' them. Mind you, a nice, slick picture of a Big Mac... combined with those fast food smells emanating from 'those' places, and I am Pavlov's dog.
Advertising serves a purpose. I feel it tends to serve the seller's purpose more than the buyer's. But, that's just my opinion. Advertising has helped me make purchases before, but generally, if I NEED something, I'll seek it out, and sift through any advertising, trying to make my own judgements. Just like with food and weight loss. There will always be temptations... it's an individual issue, it's how we deal with them.
I think that was the OP's question... how to deal with these temptations?
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sloth3toes wrote: »To throw in my 2 cents worth ( Canadian, which is worthless ) regarding advertising...
A dictionary definition of advertising:
advertise
or advertize
[ad-ver-tahyz, ad-ver-tahyz]
verb (used with object), advertised, advertising.
1.
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it
It's pretty clear what advertising is for. To get you to buy stuff.
IMHO, advertising is something to be aware of, and to actually resist against. I personally feel that I am a little less affected / influenced by advertising than many people. It's probably my cheap nature. I just don't see things advertised, and then 'want' them. Mind you, a nice, slick picture of a Big Mac... combined with those fast food smells emanating from 'those' places, and I am Pavlov's dog.
Advertising serves a purpose. I feel it tends to serve the seller's purpose more than the buyer's. But, that's just my opinion. Advertising has helped me make purchases before, but generally, if I NEED something, I'll seek it out, and sift through any advertising, trying to make my own judgements. Just like with food and weight loss. There will always be temptations... it's an individual issue, it's how we deal with them.
I think that was the OP's question... how to deal with these temptations?
I think there are relatively few people who admit the extent to which they are affected/influenced by advertising. Most of us would like to think we are more discerning than we are given credit for, right?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
It's a joke.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »sloth3toes wrote: »To throw in my 2 cents worth ( Canadian, which is worthless ) regarding advertising...
A dictionary definition of advertising:
advertise
or advertize
[ad-ver-tahyz, ad-ver-tahyz]
verb (used with object), advertised, advertising.
1.
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it
It's pretty clear what advertising is for. To get you to buy stuff.
IMHO, advertising is something to be aware of, and to actually resist against. I personally feel that I am a little less affected / influenced by advertising than many people. It's probably my cheap nature. I just don't see things advertised, and then 'want' them. Mind you, a nice, slick picture of a Big Mac... combined with those fast food smells emanating from 'those' places, and I am Pavlov's dog.
Advertising serves a purpose. I feel it tends to serve the seller's purpose more than the buyer's. But, that's just my opinion. Advertising has helped me make purchases before, but generally, if I NEED something, I'll seek it out, and sift through any advertising, trying to make my own judgements. Just like with food and weight loss. There will always be temptations... it's an individual issue, it's how we deal with them.
I think that was the OP's question... how to deal with these temptations?
I think there are relatively few people who admit the extent to which they are affected/influenced by advertising. Most of us would like to think we are more discerning than we are given credit for, right?
True that. If we're talking about me, personally, though... I honestly believe that I am pretty self-aware. ( Probably another thing that people 'all' tend to think ). But, I believe I generally recognize my faults and my strengths. And I honestly believe that I am not attracted by advertising as much as the general population. It's probably just part of my rather dopey / sloth-like disposition.
Then again, I honestly believe I will win a lottery one day, too. :huh:
A couple things that helped me shape a strong aversion to advertising and salespeople in general were:- I took a short course in salesmanship, and when told to 'create a need,' I found the whole situation uncomfortable
- I tried to sell Kirby vacuum cleaners once, and the tactics used to get people to release over a grand for a vacuum / cleaning system they weren't likely to use also made me feel weird. I used the vacuum over the weekend, when we were supposed to be trying to unload them on family and friends, and loved the vacuum, but I took it back and 'quit.'
So, back to the OPsampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I think it's a personal thing, and the OP is looking for suggestions on a decision process to not choose to eat Big Macs so often. The majority of responses appear to be, 'don't get the salad,' mainly because no one here seems to enjoy McD's salads. We each have our methods to avoid calorie dense foods, or eat them in moderation.
I am in the camp of... Don't go into McD's so often, and when you do, get the Big Mac. Just be aware of what you are doing. IMHO, that's what MFP is basically about... self-awareness of what you are eating. More specifically, how many calories.
What got me here in the first place, was a lack of awareness of what, and how much I was eating.4 -
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Mcdonalds has some great healthy alternatives and nutritional information available on everything. Right now they have the Chicken Mctasties which I love, you can take off the mayo and it's only around 300 calories. Fortunately this satisfies me but would never work for my husband.0
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
Never heard of it and im canadian, Granted i cant remember last time i was in mcdonalds i feel like id of seen it on a sign0 -
Is this it?
McTasters - Thai Sweet Chili Chicken
I have never seen one in Canada, either.
360 calories stock. With a mayo based sauce, so it might fall into the 300 calories without the mayo sauce. It also has a Thai sauce on it.
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oo i have heard of mctasters in london ONT. ok if thats what a mctasties is then their in canada
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The above is available in British Columbia.0
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I think it's your personal preferences. For me, a salad will always be more appealing than a burger for a few reasons:
- I like crunchy things better than soft things (it's why I like lettuce or chips on sandwiches)
- I like cold food better than hot.
- On a normal day (when I am not counting calories... so those days are over for a few months) the following reason won't matter, but it does now: I won't regret the salad later (if I add the healthy stuff to it), like I would the burger.
I have no idea if the above will help you or not, but I do know that it takes just a few weeks to develop a liking for new foods and possibly a disliking to old foods you used to love. Except cheese, darn addictive stuff right there.
Why would you regret anything if you have the calories for It?
I had nuggets from Maccys yesterday. And a *kitten* load of gin. Ate low enough calories in the week to allow for it and didn't go over my goal for Saturday. The only regret I have is the Hangover!
I would (and have) regret it because of the feeling afterward. That weighed down, 'didn't eat the right thing for my body' feeling. You ever feel tired or sick after eating one? I have. Haven't had one in a few years as I have changed my lifestyle, but I remember that feeling well lol.
This must be an "everybody's different" thing. I have never felt physically bad after eating fast food. I have a couple of times stuffed myself with enough roast turkey and homemade stuffing on Thanksgiving to feel like I literally couldn't get up from the chair, but even then not sick.3 -
I once heard someone say "Your beliefs are bigger than your appetite," referring to eating a plant-based diet vs the alternative. For weight loss/weight control, I would change to that to "My life is bigger than my appetite," when I'm trying to exercise impulse control.0
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kenyonhaff wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »JustRobby1 wrote: »Fast food chains and other corporate conglomerates are able to persuade you through advertising subliminally. It might not be that you are actively making that decision on your own. Colors, advertisements, placement , emphasis, all effect the buyer. I'm a psychology major, and I just got done doing a paper on this exact subject
I believe the Big Mac meal is number one on the menu right? While they don't want to get criticized by the media, in a society that is becoming more health conscious, they add things like Vitamin water ( full of sugar ) Salads ( that are full of hidden fats ) and Diet Sodas which have been PROVEN to make people more hungry. The number one seller , the Big Mac, is not placed at Number one by accident. It is meant for you to see it. The best way to say no, is just to not go in. .Because once you are in the restaurant, your decisions are already being made for you. I'm not saying EVERYONE is subjected to this form of advertising manipulation, but MCdonald's is not a billion dollar corporation for nothing. They know exactly what they are doing.
LOL. I work for a rather large ad agency in Chicago. We represent several multinationals in a wide array of verticals including food service, and I do not seem to remember the copywriters or production folks adding subliminal messages to any of our campaigns. McDonald's is actually headquartered not far from here in nearby Oak Brook, Illinois, though they are sadly represented by an out of town ad agency called Omnicom Group located in New York City. I know a slew people who work there, and none of them are illuminati plotting with Mc Donald's for subliminal world domination one Big Mac at a time.
I'm going to call a bit of BS on this. As I see McDonalds ads I don't see overweight or obese people in them or at least nowhere near the 70% of the US population. The people in the ads don't match what you see when you actually go in a McDonalds. This IMO, gives the subliminal message that the food is healthy and fit for consumption on a regular basis.
Just like you see attractive people in Wal-Mart ads, not the stars of "The People of Wal-Mart". They are trying to give the impression of a more upscale shopping experience than it really is.
That's not subliminal advertising. Subliminal advertising is the deliberate insertion of words, images, and audio that supposedly is under the awareness of the viewer. (Such as every 10 frames a frame flashing "eat nuggets" is in the feed--not really noticeable in watching but it's there). The thing is, it doesn't really work - there have been countless studies-- and that's one of the main reasons it is not used as a technique in advertising.
And of course commercials typically show a glamorous version of fast food. The food is carefully crafted, the customers and employees are all actors, and so on. That's just advertising. And of course that's supposed to manipulate the viewer and promote the store. To be fair, Panera does the exact same thing, and so does the "Got Milk"? campaign.
I understand it's not subliminal messaging by the strict definition. However you can't tell me the advertisers don't cast fit, normal weight people for the commercials to give the impression to viewers that McDonald's is the way these people eat on a regular basis.
Call it advertising fluff or what you will, but they are far from the typical McDonalds customer.5 -
Packerjohn wrote: »kenyonhaff wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »JustRobby1 wrote: »Fast food chains and other corporate conglomerates are able to persuade you through advertising subliminally. It might not be that you are actively making that decision on your own. Colors, advertisements, placement , emphasis, all effect the buyer. I'm a psychology major, and I just got done doing a paper on this exact subject
I believe the Big Mac meal is number one on the menu right? While they don't want to get criticized by the media, in a society that is becoming more health conscious, they add things like Vitamin water ( full of sugar ) Salads ( that are full of hidden fats ) and Diet Sodas which have been PROVEN to make people more hungry. The number one seller , the Big Mac, is not placed at Number one by accident. It is meant for you to see it. The best way to say no, is just to not go in. .Because once you are in the restaurant, your decisions are already being made for you. I'm not saying EVERYONE is subjected to this form of advertising manipulation, but MCdonald's is not a billion dollar corporation for nothing. They know exactly what they are doing.
LOL. I work for a rather large ad agency in Chicago. We represent several multinationals in a wide array of verticals including food service, and I do not seem to remember the copywriters or production folks adding subliminal messages to any of our campaigns. McDonald's is actually headquartered not far from here in nearby Oak Brook, Illinois, though they are sadly represented by an out of town ad agency called Omnicom Group located in New York City. I know a slew people who work there, and none of them are illuminati plotting with Mc Donald's for subliminal world domination one Big Mac at a time.
I'm going to call a bit of BS on this. As I see McDonalds ads I don't see overweight or obese people in them or at least nowhere near the 70% of the US population. The people in the ads don't match what you see when you actually go in a McDonalds. This IMO, gives the subliminal message that the food is healthy and fit for consumption on a regular basis.
Just like you see attractive people in Wal-Mart ads, not the stars of "The People of Wal-Mart". They are trying to give the impression of a more upscale shopping experience than it really is.
That's not subliminal advertising. Subliminal advertising is the deliberate insertion of words, images, and audio that supposedly is under the awareness of the viewer. (Such as every 10 frames a frame flashing "eat nuggets" is in the feed--not really noticeable in watching but it's there). The thing is, it doesn't really work - there have been countless studies-- and that's one of the main reasons it is not used as a technique in advertising.
And of course commercials typically show a glamorous version of fast food. The food is carefully crafted, the customers and employees are all actors, and so on. That's just advertising. And of course that's supposed to manipulate the viewer and promote the store. To be fair, Panera does the exact same thing, and so does the "Got Milk"? campaign.
I understand it's not subliminal messaging by the strict definition. However you can't tell me the advertisers don't cast fit, normal weight people for the commercials to give the impression to viewers that McDonald's is the way these people normally eat.
Call it advertising fluff or what you will, but they are far from the typical McDonalds customer.
Well of course they do. That's advertising. That's... Advertising?3 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
You look at the options and unless you say burger without thinking you choose the salad because you know the burger isn't what you need... Go with instinct rather than craving.
The wrap is just a red herring... Ignore the wrap. It is a lie.3 -
Packerjohn wrote: »kenyonhaff wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »JustRobby1 wrote: »Fast food chains and other corporate conglomerates are able to persuade you through advertising subliminally. It might not be that you are actively making that decision on your own. Colors, advertisements, placement , emphasis, all effect the buyer. I'm a psychology major, and I just got done doing a paper on this exact subject
I believe the Big Mac meal is number one on the menu right? While they don't want to get criticized by the media, in a society that is becoming more health conscious, they add things like Vitamin water ( full of sugar ) Salads ( that are full of hidden fats ) and Diet Sodas which have been PROVEN to make people more hungry. The number one seller , the Big Mac, is not placed at Number one by accident. It is meant for you to see it. The best way to say no, is just to not go in. .Because once you are in the restaurant, your decisions are already being made for you. I'm not saying EVERYONE is subjected to this form of advertising manipulation, but MCdonald's is not a billion dollar corporation for nothing. They know exactly what they are doing.
LOL. I work for a rather large ad agency in Chicago. We represent several multinationals in a wide array of verticals including food service, and I do not seem to remember the copywriters or production folks adding subliminal messages to any of our campaigns. McDonald's is actually headquartered not far from here in nearby Oak Brook, Illinois, though they are sadly represented by an out of town ad agency called Omnicom Group located in New York City. I know a slew people who work there, and none of them are illuminati plotting with Mc Donald's for subliminal world domination one Big Mac at a time.
I'm going to call a bit of BS on this. As I see McDonalds ads I don't see overweight or obese people in them or at least nowhere near the 70% of the US population. The people in the ads don't match what you see when you actually go in a McDonalds. This IMO, gives the subliminal message that the food is healthy and fit for consumption on a regular basis.
Just like you see attractive people in Wal-Mart ads, not the stars of "The People of Wal-Mart". They are trying to give the impression of a more upscale shopping experience than it really is.
That's not subliminal advertising. Subliminal advertising is the deliberate insertion of words, images, and audio that supposedly is under the awareness of the viewer. (Such as every 10 frames a frame flashing "eat nuggets" is in the feed--not really noticeable in watching but it's there). The thing is, it doesn't really work - there have been countless studies-- and that's one of the main reasons it is not used as a technique in advertising.
And of course commercials typically show a glamorous version of fast food. The food is carefully crafted, the customers and employees are all actors, and so on. That's just advertising. And of course that's supposed to manipulate the viewer and promote the store. To be fair, Panera does the exact same thing, and so does the "Got Milk"? campaign.
I understand it's not subliminal messaging by the strict definition. However you can't tell me the advertisers don't cast fit, normal weight people for the commercials to give the impression to viewers that McDonald's is the way these people eat on a regular basis.
Call it advertising fluff or what you will, but they are far from the typical McDonalds customer.
Yes, any product tries to create an image that casts its product in the best possible light. And yes, that includes casting actors whose body type most closely represents our body image ideals rather than our reality.
Advertising does have an interesting role in how we are influenced to eat certain types of food. Advertisers know when we are thinking about dinner plans -- notice on TV that there are a lot of fast food commercials from 4-6 pm?3
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