Does Fast Food Need TV Time?

[NSL]

This thread may seem like a joke thread, but bear with me.

Every hour of every day, we see at least 1 commercial for each of the big fast food places. Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and others, all run ad after ad, pushing their product. My question is, do they really need to? I doubt a health nut is going to see "Double cheeseburger for a buck! I'm in!". Basically, anyone that will go there, knows about it. I'll go there no matter what. I'll see the specials when I get there, and order accordingly. There's no need to remind me 6 times a day that Burger King exists. I'm sure they could use the money for something else.

 

[JenovasWitness]

I don't think that the inundation of advertising is necessarily to convert health nuts, I am pretty sure that the fast food places recognize that those people are not their biggest market (no matter how many "health conscious" items McDonalds throws up on their menu).

I think they are constantly throwing out the advertisements because they are all in competition with each other. McDonald's, for example, does not want you to go to Burger King for lunch. So, McDonald's is going to throw up a flashier ad campaign then BK so that when you think about what fast food joint you want to go to at meal time, you think McDonalds and not BK. Simple marketing strategy.

It is all about injecting your companies name and products into the consciousness of the consumer.

 

[blood and thunder]

Pretty random thread..of course companies like them are going to advertise, if they didn't and then say Burger King put out an advert, the other companies would all take a hit. And, although they may be established now, I guarantee a large portion of those companies success can accurately be put down to effective advertising at one point or another.

 

[Spaceman Spif]

Yeah they do actually, it does help boost the numbers that eat at their establishments. I remember back in the day I was sitting at home, watching the tube, when a McDonald's add came on pushing a new item they were gonna have for a limited time in limited stores... the 'Bucket of fries'. Even though I had ate a nice dinner a hour or so earlier, I immediately called a few friends and we jumped in my car and went to McDonalds to get some us some bucket of fries. So yeah it does work, it helps the companies push their newest menu items. So it fast food does need TV time.

On a side note, what a random topic, but well done sir.

 

[Shadowmancer]

Amazing that people that are in support subscribe to the marketing fallacy of the need for marketing yourself continuously. Personally I have stopped watching TV, advertising is a way of applying the Pareto principle, advertising works, proof is there in the post above me, but it also shows elements of the add that has become commonplace around the world and that has been a result of advertising, Burger King, KFC, McDonalds, Subway all of these companies are worldwide brands and they do not wish too give up what they see is competitive advantage. Legislating against fast food advertising, would be fought back with via donations for political parties and such.

Do I personally think fast food advertisements should be banned, yep, will it happen. nope.

 

[2012isbs]

There are many reasons they need to advertise I'l pick this one though, it tells you when they have a new item on their menu like Kentucky grilled chicken, the 5 dollar footlong, and the Volcano taco, becasue about 70% of Americans Im guessing already know what their going to order by the time they're in line. So if they didn't advertise their new products they'd hardly ever get orderred leading to the possibly fantastic product to go away forever. That is one reason why fast food buys TV time.

 

[NSL]

Amazing that people that are in support subscribe to the marketing fallacy of the need for marketing yourself continuously. Personally I have stopped watching TV, advertising is a way of applying the Pareto principle, advertising works, proof is there in the post above me, but it also shows elements of the add that has become commonplace around the world and that has been a result of advertising, Burger King, KFC, McDonalds, Subway all of these companies are worldwide brands and they do not wish too give up what they see is competitive advantage. Legislating against fast food advertising, would be fought back with via donations for political parties and such.

Do I personally think fast food advertisements should be banned, yep, will it happen. nope.

You are the man, Shadow. This is basically what it all comes down to. They know that we already know, and love, their product. But, because one company is out there hawking their new 15 cheese bacon awesome veggie burger, they feel the need to go out and advertise their 16 cheese veggie awesome bacon burger. They're just trying to out-do each other, and it has absolutely nothing to do with us, the consumers. I know that if I want a cheeseburger, I'll hit up BK. If I want chicken nuggets, there's Wendy's. If I want a chicken sandwich, or a snack wrap, there's McDonald's. There's no reason to shove it down my throat. I'll willingly go. I just don't want to see it all over my TV. Whatever happened to roadside billboards?