There's no denying that Americans are consumed in their love affair with all
             things fried, battered, and dipped.
             The yellow arches of McDonald's that smile at little Bobby or Susie in the
             backseat, the mature feelings for parents that come from Dairy Queen's "We Treat You Right" slogan, and Taco Bell's "Open til' 2 a.m. or Later" for the college student pulling the all-nighter. It's almost impossible to avoid the advertisements on bathroom stalls, billboards, buses, even pop-up messages on cell phones. They (the corporation) tell us (the almighty consumers) that happiness and satisfaction are both readily able to be purchased, and that we will lead a better standard of life by taking heed of what advertisements suggest we do, and be active patrons of their product. This is the ideology of consumerism: we are all equal in the eyes of the corporation that is seeking to gain our approval, and inevitably, access to our wallets. But, savvy consumers must wonder: have the over-the-top marketing strategies of the multi-billion dollar food industry gone too far to ensure that no man, woman, or child with access to media technology is left behind in the age of the fast food drive-thru? In a case study of the biggest pusher of fast food in America, Ronald McDonald and his golden yellow arches exemplify how marketing a product too aggressively can have adverse effects on its customers, and eventually, the business itself.
             The first McDonald's was opened in December 1948 in San Bernardino, California, by the McDonald brothers, Dick and Mac. "Quality, Service, Cleanliness, and Value" (Q. S. C. & V) immediately became the company motto. In 1963, the company's net income exceeded $1 million, 1 billion hamburgers had been sold, and the 500th restaurant had opened in America. Attractive marketing techniques such as the Dollar Menu (which features items for only $1), Super-Sizing, and Happy Meals erase social ...