Are Americans stupid people? Of course they are not. However, an isolated outside look at our culture might make Americans look simple minded. Our media sources, newspapers, magazines, and television programs appear to be aimed at specific target markets. Advertising and marketing are particularly dumbed-down. While most people are vaguely aware of the bias of advertising in the media, many do not often look at advertisements and realize how outlandish these ads are. Magazine ads for food exemplify this sort of ridiculousness. These ads try to misrepresent a food item as something sexy, healthy, or a vital part of having a wholesome family. .
An example of this misrepresentation can be found on the Stouffer's food website (www.stouffers.com). The website is marketing all sorts of ready to heat and eat meals. The ad in question is for chicken and vegetable stew that is supposedly a "Slowfire Classic". The pictures and the deceiving text of the website imply that this food is something you should eat when going on a camping trip or spending time with family. Large, succulent chunks of chicken, fresh, colorful carrots and tasty chunks of potatoes show this to be a healthy meal fit for the whole family. In fact, nowhere does the ad state that this is a frozen delight and is perfect for nuking in the microwave. It looks very much like a stew that one would expect to find simmering over a campfire. Does this frozen delicacy promote a good relationship between families? One might think so if they saw the ad before buying the frozen chunk of processed food from the grocery.
Most importantly, food advertising is deliberately targeted to give certain false impressions. Many people today are so busy that they must shop and eat with convenience, time, and efficiency in mind. Since today's working class families have so little time to cook they must sometimes utilize frozen dinners.
