I am convinced that there is a case for reporting the promotional material of fast food marketers to the advertising or trading standards commissions. When I sit in my chair and compare the pictures of the meals on fast food promotional literature that has come through my door, or the images that have appeared on the TV screen, with the actual meal that has been delivered, the difference between the two is often so marked that one has to wonder whether the food meal came from the same place.
The TV and direct mail promotions of the fast food industry show mouth-watering photos of thick burgers with fresh salads or other dressings in a reasonable sized bun. The pizzas displayed are colourful and look rich in flavour and uniquely appetizing. Even the curries are laid out in a superbly designed manner on a plate and presented against an appropriate setting. Indeed the background for all fast food promotion is designed to provide images of happy family dining experiences, both in outdoor and indoor settings.
However, the reality is often so very different and usually that experience is negative in comparison, irrespective of whether one dines within the fast food outlet or has a take-away or home delivery.
Burger meals tend to be delivered wrapped in grease-proof paper and placed in drab looking paper bags. Even if eating in the restaurant the meal is just placed upon a tray, with no plates provided in many instances. How deliver pizza, Indian and Chinese foods are present in plastic carrier bags or cardboard boxes. Moreover, when one unwraps the food the content itself is all too often a disappointment in comparison with the photos. Burgers tend to be flat and small, providing a maximum of two or three bites. Fries and thin and tasteless and pizza are often mundane and unattractive.
Therefore, what is the reason for the difference between the promotional appearance of fast food and the actual experience? In a few words it can be put down to marketing and temptation.
One of the key elements of the differential between the promotional images portrayed and the actual meal can be put down to the manner in which the meal is produced. Unlike the rapid and mass production processes used in a fast food outlet, the meals used within the promotional material is individually produced and specifically designed to show the maximum quality possible.
The sole purpose of marketing is the need to influence customer buying behaviour. Customer decisions are based upon a number of different factors. Amongst some of the most influential of these are memory and association. Visual images are retained within the memory, both the conscious and sub-conscious elements and used at a later date to make decisions relating to whether or not to purchase the product, in this case the fast food meal. The concern of the marketer is to ensure that the visual image produced will have a positive impact. Care taken over the preparation and presentation of the meals being used for visual promotional images is one way to achieve this positive effect upon the consumer. By enhancing the image of the meals provided and setting them within a happy family environment the fast food promotion is aiming to create a positive association, which will encourage large numbers of consumers to purchase the fast food meals.
You might then ask why does the consumer continue with repeat purchases of fast food meals if the physical experience of the meal fails to live up to its promotional image. In this case there are two potential explanations. The first is that other aspects of the promotional material have formed a positive link in the consumer's memory. For example, promoting the foods convenience, including the fact that it is fast and easy to purchase added to the fact it provides a quick family meal that is reasonably priced and does not require a lot of post meal clearing up, is attractive especially for busy individuals and families. Therefore, when someone is under time pressure or wants a meal while on the move, their thoughts immediately become associated with the promotional images produced by the fast food industry.
Finally, one has to add to these explanations the fact that we tend to be creatures of habit and followers of peer pressure. Once we have experienced the ease of fast foods it is easy for this to become a regular mealtime habit. Furthermore, if enough of our peers tend to be promoting and enjoying the benefits of fast food a number of us are likely to follow their example.
In conclusion therefore, the reason why fast foods look better in promotional material than they do in reality is that promotion is used as a tool for encouraging positive consumer buying behaviour. The fast food marketers are not stupid. Their research has indicated exactly the type of visual and verbal images they need to include within promotional campaigns to increase the numbers of people who will purchase and buy their products and they design their visual promotion literature to satisfy these needs and demands.