From Mike: Ask my friends and they will verify this. In the years up to starting this contest, I was the go-to guy for all things new. I must admit that those 3 little letters do their trick to my food pallet. I am the embodiment of marketing firms from Pepsi to McDonalds. When the new Angus Third Pounder came out, I had it. Kentucky Grilled Chicken, I ate it. My beloved Baconator, devoured it. A Beefy, Crunchy Burrito, hey it said new, why not? The loaded Double Whopper(had a baked potato on it), I longed for it.
Anytime I would see something that said new, I had to try it. I had to develop my opinions and help spread the news. When my friends would say, where should we eat? I could shoot off the newest food items at all the fast food establishments.
The newest item I had before starting this diet, McDonalds McChicken Bites. I was strolling in to secure my 2 Big Macs for 5 dollars (never had a big mac prior to them being 2 for $5, but sure did enjoy them after that). I looked up at the menu board and I became puzzled. I thought how the heck did McDonalds come out with this new product, and this is the first I am seeing of it.
Where is the marketing? Where are the commercials and fanfare introducing me to this item? How are these different then nuggets or selects?
I then became the sucker the marketing execs had hoped for. Without knowing anything about the item, I ordered it for the simple fact it said new. Just to be clear, I did order the Big Macs too, and finished one before I got home so my wife wouldn’t see me eating so much, when all I got for her was a cheeseburger (wow that looks really bad typed out, and I know now how bad it is).
The McBites were nothing to drool over. I can now say that I only had them one time in my life, and with plans to never visit the golden arches again, it will be quite possible that would be the last.
I am a huge proponent of advertising. I understand the reasons for the tobacco control act and family smoking act in regards to advertising, but I do not agree with them. Isn’t censoring certain companies from advertising however they want, unconstitutional? This brings me to my next point. If the government can step in and regulate how harmful items are advertised, where is the fast food advertising regulation?