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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.

Learn more about this author, Paul Lines.
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