McDonald's, Steak 'n Shake, and Color

(photo courtesy of http://www.adamseal.com)

It is pretty difficult to avoid red. In fact, you almost have to go out of your way to avoid something that is red. In our culture, we consider red to be the color of a lot of severe things--it is the color of warnings (stop signs and traffic lights), it is the color of love and romance (Valentine's day hearts), it is the color of blood. Editors have traditionally marked with red pen because it asserts authority.

So what is red doing with my McDonald's cheeseburger? Simply trying to get my attention. It is a jarring color, not a calming one. Worth noting is that the largest graphic on the page is the golden arches--not only a spectacular branding, because it is such a ubiquitous and recognizable feature, but also a great opportunity to incorporate a splash of yellow, a color that has been proven to increase appetite.

(photo courtesy of http://2.bp.blogspot.com)

Above is another example of the use of yellow in an advertisement. This is actually a photo of a Steak 'n Shake place mat setting. It is assumed that if a customer is already sitting at a table inside a Steak 'n Shake, they are probably already hungry. This may be the visual that tips them over the edge--perhaps they've just got to have this Wisconsin Buttery Steak Burger and Fries. Even the french fries look enhanced by photoshop--they are looking especially yellow here. Hungry yet?

Interestingly, the background to the left is blue. Blue is proven to decrease appetite, which contradicts with the yellow that increases appetite. This case of the use of blue is a bit different than the standard usage, however, because the blue seems to comprise the sky in what appears to be a farm scene. There is also a landscape of vivid green grass. It all seems very natural--fresh cheese, fresh beef, nothing unhealthy about it, even the "buttery" part, right?

Did you notice that the "New!" is in red? Once again, grabbing our attention.

Food Ads and You

Americans are two things: they are workaholics, and they are obese. And there is a correlation between the two. Who has time to put a fresh dinner on the table anymore, anyway? Why not just run through the drive-thru on the way home and pick up a few Happy Meals for the kids...


We are bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisements each day. Luckily, we have become immune. We now know how to filter, completely subconsciously, because there is an invisible barrier between what ads are being shot at us and what ads we are actually absorbing. But who can resist a juicy, greasy cheeseburger? especially if it is being sold with sex, or even being sold with color, to spark our attention?

Advertisements cost money. Lots and lots of money. And time is money. Corporations cannot afford to waste their or our time with their ads. Each color has meaning, each word and each sound. Sadly, most of us are put under a spell and are completely unaware of the effect food advertisements have on us.

Why does McDonald’s have golden arches? Why are so many print advertisements printed in red? Do font choices have anything to do with it? The answers may not shock you, but you may feel deceived. With slogans like “I’m lovin’ it,” haven’t we come to expect a friendly giant from our neighborhood Micky D’s? They did stop using trans fats, didn’t they?—shouldn’t we be patting them on their backs?