Advertising and Toddlers

So every few weeks, I take Jasmine to McDonalds for a happy meal treat - usually after one of her school days! (I don't want to hear about what a bad mom I am - she normally eats very healthy!) She has known for a while that when she sees those golden arches, it means one thing, fries. She will point to it when we are driving down the road and say, Mommy, I want fries." She also actually had a fit in our local Walmart a few months back because there is a McDonalds inside it and she screamed she wanted fries and I said no.

Well, in the past month, the few times I have taken her, she now knows how to order her own meal. She will clearly say as we are in line at the drivethrough - "Mommy, I want fries, cheesburger and leche, and a Diet Coke". The first time she said this I started laughing, because I always order the Diet Coke for myself and I won't share it with her. But now, she knows if we go there that Mommy is getting a Diet Coke.

Back at good old George Washington University in one of my electronic media classes, we were talking about how very small children can spot branding and know products. Well, since Jasmine has clearly known what McDonalds means for about 9 months, I can honestly say that is true. She recognizes other brands too and it is scary to see advertising working on kids at such a young age.