TOW #13: Fast Food Nation (IRB Part 2)

The author of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser, begins talking about the image that fast food companies, specifically the well known brands like McDonalds, create in order to get the attention of their customers. The first big idea that was created and quickly adopted by a lot of  fast food companies such as Wendy’s, McDonalds, and Burger King was to create a mascot, or a cartoon-like person to advertise the food. Schlosser mentions that McDonalds had Ronald McDonald, Wendy’s had Wendy, and Burger King had the King. He clarifies that the main goal was to allow people to create an emotional connection. The consumers will then be more likely to purchase their products because they’re doing are drawn to the characters and to the bigger picture of the company itself. The author also explains that making sure the people behind the counter were good employees was just as important as choosing a spokesperson. A corporation's employers typically handpicked employees who appeared to have an enthusiastic view and outlook of the company. With that, customer interactions would leave a good impression on the customer and encourage them to come back to the restaurant. Throughout the book, Schlosser uses various rhetorical strategies in order to make his points clear to the audience. He uses straightforward facts/statistics to support his view of how these companies have succeeded. Along with the facts, he uses personal anecdotes to provide the reader with his encounters with fast food spokespeople and employees working behind the counter. One of the author's most powerful rhetorical devices, however, is his use of historical references. He initially analyzes the beginnings of the fast food corporations which can really say a lot about the amount of displays the amount of progress that the industries have undergone. I believe that Schlosser is able to achieve his purpose of educating the American people about the history of fast food and how their ways of advertisement have attracted so many people because he uses facts to back up his reasoning, and also personal experiences to show that he has done his research and is well versed in the area.