Shiny Stuff

I rememember being a young student in gradeschool. I thought I had a radical environmentalist idea when I realized that product packaging was wasteful. I think I actually read an article in one of those Weekly Readers that started the hype and I began intensely protesting products that had excessive packaging. And for a 10 year-old who buys candy bars at the dollar store at least three times a year with her own money, I'm sure my protest had a great impact. However, today my class had a discussion on packaging and its importance. This is another aspect of marketing that I am aware of but have given very little thought to in the past. It's amazing what a difference packaging can make. I thought of a weird example. I can't eat McDonald's hamburgers. It's not that I think I'm too go for McDonald's or that I am a vegetarian, or that I only eat healthy foods. There is just something about a McDonald's hamburger that gives me an "icky" feeling. This morning I realized what it was. It's the wrapper they put it in! It's a very low quality paper and decorated with a gross shade of red and yellow writing. However, I eat roast beef sandwhiches from Arby's all the time, and I don't even like roast beef, but they have those pretty, shiny wrappers. I was rather dissappointed when I figured out this system. I like to think I am immune to the dirty tricks of marketers because I am one of those dirty marketers... but I guess I'm just an easily persuaded sheep following the imaginary herd that marketers create, just like everyone else.