PROJECT REPORT #2

By: Mateo Cordero and Lorena Correa

Class: SI1A

FAST FOOD REALITY

The fast food advertising industry is dedicated to making items appear bigger and
better. Food ads do a great job of seducing us, but the harsh reality is that, all too
often, the food in person looks nothing like it did in pictures. In some sense, these
food photographers are geniuses -- and magicians, wielding the powerful tools of
professional lighting and Photoshop expertise. But for the customer, the
discrepancy between food ads and reality can be a source of major culinary
disappointment.

When we compare the ads with reality we can find the differences easily. We are
going to mention some famous fast food restaurants and compare their ads with
their real products.

McDonalds Big Mac

It appears in marketing
campaigns and advertisements
that the Big Mac is a double-
decker sandwich packed with
two layers of veggies, special
sauce and beef patties. But, the
sandwich you will get come
with one piece of American
cheese and one layer of veggies
along with the two beef patties,
three parts of a sesame bun and
two coatings of special sauce that is just mayonnaise.

KFC Potato Wedges

Another selection pretty true
to its advertisement is KFCs
Potato Wedges, which,
according to KFC.com, has no
trans fat and is flavored with
savory herbs and spices. Even
though we cant tell that from
the outside, we must say the
picture is a nice representation
of what these wedges really do
look like. Made with real
potatoes and special seasonings, this side dish needs no extra salt and pepper.
However, it does weigh in at a whopping 260 calories per small order and contains
740 milligrams of sodium.

Subway The Feast

According to Subway.com, The
Feast is the kind of concrete
slippers that hunger fears the
mostwhatever that means. We
arent entirely sure that what
looks like a fresh and healthy
option in ads and billboards fully
meets those expectations. But,
after requesting it, you can
discover, instead of the neatly
stacked meats and fresh veggies, a sandwich soaked in mayonnaise and mustard,
containing almost no lettuce.

Taco Bell Nachos

This 99 menu option is an easy and
quick on-the-go optionthat is, if
you dont have to wait for 15
minutes, that is what customers
complain about. The small side of
nachos comes complete with about
20 chips and a side of nacho cheese.
We have to say, the snack looks
pretty similar to the original image,
with hot and crispy tortilla chips and
creamy nacho cheese, but perhaps the order is a bit smaller than the overflowing
image shows.

KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken Box

The KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken Box
doesn't even look like the one that is in
ads. Some customers were disappointed
at what they found after seeing the
tempting advertising image. Some of
them told that they found the chicken
was shriveled and small, the potatoes
seemed to be more like gravy with a
drop of potatoes, and the biscuit waswell, just one biscuit. But the most
disappointing is the chicken; unlike in the photo, both pieces are extremely dry.




Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme

The outside of the ever-so-popular
Crunchwrap Supreme is pretty
comparable to the ad; however, the inside
is an entirely different story. Though its
described on TacoBell.com as including
seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese
sauce, a crunchy tostada shell, reduced fat
sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes, its
hard to found any lettuce and tomato on the Crunchwrap you order.

Burguer King Whopper

This burger is described on BK.com as
containing 1/4 pound of flame-broiled beef,
ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, creamy mayo,
ketchup, crunchy pickles and onions on a
toasted sesame seed bun. But a customer
said We found it was more like a cold
sesame bun filled with a thin layer of beef,
three tablespoons of mayonnaise and warm
lettuce with an over-ripe tomato. Although the advertisement shows layers of
onions and pickles, our version contained one small pickle and two skinny slices of
onion.

DISADVANTAGES OF FAST FOOD

Fast food is often filled with ingredients such as soya, salt, cheese or mayonnaise
and is often deep fried, which adds a lot of extra calories without adding any
additional nutrition. Given the high amount of calories, it will take a significant
amount of exercise to burn off the calories you take in. Consuming this high level of
calories without burning them off can lead to additional health issues.
1. Obesity
The high levels of sugar and fat in fast food can lead to an increased risk of obesity.
It has been shown that those who live close to fast food restaurants have a much
higher tendency to be obese. The cooking oils and preservatives used to maintain
fast food products make it difficult for your body to shed fat, making hard to shed
the extra calories even if you attempt to up your activity level.
2. Liver damage
Though it is not as frequently discussed, liver damage is a significant risk
associated with consuming fast food. Junk food is often filled with trans-fat, an
artificial fat that is used as a stabilizer so premade foods can sit for long periods of
time before they are consumed. As your body works to remove this fat from your
system it can build up in the liver and cause damage. This is very similar to the
damage which is caused by regularly consuming alcohol. If this is not kept in check
it can lead to liver failure.
3. Cardiovascular diseases
Regularly consuming fast food that is high in sodium and cholesterol can cause
damage to the cardiovascular system. Cholesterol can clog the arteries, increasing
the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. High levels of sodium from fries, sodas
or enriched meat products will increase your blood pressure, which can also
increase the risk of heart attack or stroke over time. As your cardiovascular system
is weakened it can be difficult to perform physical activities that will allow you to
maintain your health.
4. Impact on the environment
In addition to the medical disadvantages associated with fast food, the production
and selling of junk food puts a significant negative impact on the environment. The
amount of resources necessary to raise the meat for fast food products creates a
shortage of resources around the world. For example, every pound of hamburger
we consume takes 2500 gallons of water and 16 pounds of grain to produce, say
nothing of the land needed to raise the cattle and the grains to feed them. The
animals raised to make fast food meat products are often fed antibiotics and a poor
diet that causes the animals to be underdeveloped. These antibiotics and growth
hormones can be passed on to those who consume the meat afterward, leading to
negative health effects. Some have reported growing extra breast tissue or
developing damage to the immune system from eating fast food on a regular basis.















PERSONAL OPINION

Lorena: I think that when people see an ad, they dont have to expect a product
exactly like that. Because ads are made to attract people, and they dont care about
lying about their food if its a way to earn money for them. Besides, this is all junk
food and we dont have to consume it because our body doesnt need it.

Mateo: In my personal opinion, I think there is not bad food, if you eat it
moderately and calculating the nutritional value of each food you eat in order to
maintain a healthy diet, and its also important to have an active life.