brand recongnition
Which term describes a symbol, name, or design that distinguishes a company’s product from others?
Brand or brand identity (e.g., logo, name, symbol).
What is the primary goal of targeted advertising?
To reach specific audience segments with relevant messages to increase efficiency and effectiveness (e.g., higher conversion or engagement rates).
What is a food mascot? Provide a one-sentence definition.
A food mascot is a personified character or symbol used by a food brand to represent its identity, attract attention, and build emotional connection with consumers.
What does "persuasion" mean in the context of advertising?
Persuasion is the process of influencing attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors through targeted messages to encourage purchase or preference.
In one sentence: what is McDonald’s most recognized global brand element?
The Golden Arches logo.
Explain how a strong brand can affect a consumer’s perception of food quality even when objective measures (like ingredients) are the same.
A strong brand creates expectations and trust through consistent messaging, reputation, and prior positive experiences; consumers may perceive higher quality due to familiarity, endorsements, or premium positioning even if ingredients are identical.
Define "native advertising" and give one example related to food content.
Native advertising is paid content designed to match the form and function of the platform where it appears. Example: A sponsored article on a news site that reads like editorial content about seasonal recipes but is paid for by a meal-kit company.
Identify one historical reason companies use mascots in food marketing.
Mascots create memorable brand recognition and appeal to families and children, making products more distinctive and likeable over time.
State one way advertising can shape food preferences over time.
Repeated exposure to an advertised product increases familiarity and preference via the mere-exposure effect, eventually shifting habitual choices.
McDonald’s has historically used value menus and limited-time offers. Explain briefly how limited-time offers function as an advertising tactic.
: Limited-time offers create urgency and novelty, driving short-term traffic and media buzz while encouraging trial and repeat visits before the offer ends.
Name two measurable outcomes a marketer might track to evaluate brand recognition for a farm-to-table product.
(a) Brand recall/awareness from surveys (unaided/aided recall); (b) Search volume or website traffic from branded queries; (c) Social media mentions/engagement; (d) Sales lift attributable to branded promotions. (Any two acceptable.)
Compare paid social media ads vs. influencer partnerships for promoting a local farmers’ market—name one advantage of each.
Paid social media ads — advantage: precise targeting and measurable performance (can quickly reach local demographics). Influencer partnerships — advantage: perceived authenticity and trust from the influencer’s followers, which can drive attendance and word-of-mouth.
Choose a well-known food mascot (not McDonald’s) and explain how it communicates brand values or product attributes.
Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes) communicates energy and strength—values linked to the cereal’s promise of starting the day strong; his athletic persona suggests vigor and appeals to children and parents.
Explain how advertising can create perceived social norms around eating (give one concrete example connected to convenience foods or fast food).
Ads depicting friends or families happily eating fast food at social gatherings create the impression that consuming those foods is normal and desirable, which can normalize frequent fast-food consumption among viewers.
Identify one way McDonald’s has adapted local menus in different countries and explain why this supports their brand recognition strategy.
Offering McAloo Tikki in India or Teriyaki burgers in Japan; local adaptations respect cultural tastes, increase relevance, and reinforce the brand’s global presence with local resonance.
Describe how co-branding with a well-known chef or farm could strengthen a new restaurant’s brand identity. Give one specific example of a tactic.
Co-branding transfers credibility and recognition from the partner to the restaurant, signaling quality and authenticity. Tactic example: Launch a limited-time menu item “Chef X’s Farm-to-Table Special” promoted with joint social media posts and in-restaurant signage highlighting the partner’s name and farm provenance.
Explain how A/B testing could be used to improve click-through rates on an online ad for a farm-to-table meal kit. Outline one variable to test.
Create two versions of the ad that differ in one variable, run them to similar audiences, and compare performance. Variable example: headline text (e.g., “Fresh Local Ingredients Delivered” vs. “Chef-Curated Meal Kits from Nearby Farms”) to see which yields higher clicks.
Evaluate ethical concerns that might arise when using friendly food mascots in marketing to teens versus children. Provide one mitigation strategy.
Concern: Mascots can blur lines between entertainment and advertising, disproportionately influencing children’s food choices toward less healthy options. For teens, mascots may still shape identity and norms but with more critical capacity. Mitigation: Use mascots to promote healthier options and include clear educational messaging about nutrition; restrict mascot-driven advertising within programming aimed strictly at very young children.
Discuss how repeated exposure to an ad claiming a product is "natural" could influence consumer beliefs—mention at least one cognitive bias involved.
Repeated claims of “natural” exploit the halo effect and availability/mere-exposure biases; consumers may generalize the positive connotations of “natural” to assume healthfulness, overlooking ingredient lists or processing.
Analyze how McDonald’s advertising could be studied to understand the influence of corporate marketing on young adults’ food choices. Suggest one research method.
Conduct a mixed-methods study combining longitudinal survey data on media exposure and dietary patterns with focus groups exploring attitudes; this reveals correlations and contextual insights into how ad exposure shapes choices.
Analyze how packaging design elements (color, typography, imagery) can create associations with sustainability and local sourcing. Include at least two design choices and the psychological associations they trigger.
: Earth tones and muted greens signal nature and eco-friendliness, creating associations with sustainability; handcrafted or serif typography suggests tradition and artisanal quality, implying local or small-batch production; photographic imagery of a recognizable local farm or a field implies provenance and transparency. Combined, these elements cue consumers to associate the product with environmental responsibility and local sourcing.
Create a brief three-step ad campaign strategy to raise awareness of seasonal produce from local farms, specifying channels, messaging, and one metric to measure success.
Step 1 — Social launch: short video stories on Instagram/TikTok showcasing harvest and farmers (channel: Instagram/TikTok; messaging: “From local fields to your table this week”); metric: video views and shares. Step 2 — Local targeted ads: geo-targeted search and display ads highlighting availability and pickup locations (channel: Google/FB local ads); metric: click-through rate and website bookings. Step 3 — Community events + email follow-up: partner with farmers’ markets for sampling and collect emails for follow-up promoting weekly boxes (channel: in-person + email); metric: email signups and conversion rate to purchases.
What outdoor apparel brand features a half-dome logo inspired by Yosemite's Half Dome rock
formation?
Norrth Face
Critically assess how marketing budgets and placement (e.g., near schools, on youth-oriented platforms) can contribute to health disparities. Propose one policy or school-level action to reduce the impact.
Large marketing budgets enable frequent, targeted placements in low-income neighborhoods and youth-focused channels, increasing exposure to unhealthy food advertising and contributing to higher consumption and related health disparities.
How many McDonalds in America
13,711