Blog entry #4

         In "Your Trusted Friends" Eric describes the technique of Ray Kroc and Walt Disney, the way they attract their customers. Their primary customers became children, and their parents. Ray Kroc, and Walt Disney both knew what would appeal to children, and they also knew that children would nag their parents for such things. Most parents were always working so they felt bad enough to buy anything their children wanted.  Kroc said “A child who loves our TV commercials, and brings her grandparents to a McDonald’s gives us two more customers.” (Pg.41). McDonald’s has things like a playground inside the McDonald’s so that children can play. These things particular absorbed children into the McDonald’s industry. Following McDonald’s, other companies started targeting children as will, creating inviting company mascots like “Joe Camel” (an old mascot for cigarettes). The 1980s became “the decade of the child consumer.” A new advertising strategy came to light called “cradle-to-grave” (Pg. 43). This strategy was basically the “brand loyalty” of child from age two to an adult. This strategy hoped that adult’s would become nostalgic in their childhood memories and purchase these items at an adult age. Studies and observation is conducted to find out what appeals to children. Toys were provided at McDonald’s causing children to drag their parents to McDonald’s. McDonald’s toys proved a great idea with the company selling about 10 million happy meals a day (Pg.47). Both Ray Kroc and Walt Disney knew what they were doing; they became experts in doing so. Long after Walt Disney is gone, children still bother their parents to go to Disneyland, and Disneyworld. Even adults go to the Disney companies just to have fun. In conclusion, this chapter mostly talked about how McDonald’s became the company it is today, through children, great observation skills, and “brand loyalty”.