As people, we generally stick to a routine we know best. Whether that may be drinking a warm cup of coffee every morning or taking the dog out for a walk, it's how we tackle down our daily tasks. One routine that's become highly popular in many Americans lives is stopping by a local fast food restaurant to get some breakfast on the go before starting a long day's work. Being the most popular fast food joint of all time, McDonald's gets the highest portion of costumers coming to their locations, especially for breakfast, putting their competition in a disadvantage. So naturally, as a way of retaliating from a borderline monopoly such as McDonald's, smaller companies like Taco Bell use propaganda to make the viewer feel like they're being controlled into purchasing their food, and to make them want to be an individual and order elsewhere.

Taco Bell's latest commercial is clearly attacking McDonald's famous 'Egg McMuffin' breakfast item, giving off a Divergent vibe the entire time. The dictator-like character in the commercial is even painted in clown make-up to represent Ronald McDonald, and use symbolism that makes you believe the customers are being trapped in a situation where it's all they have offered to eat for breakfast. But, the 'divergent' characters realize there's more out there than just the everyday breakfast item, and break free from the creepy clown government. This is significant because it sheds such a negative light on McDonald's, something that doesn't cross the average person's mind. Here in America, we are given endless amounts of options and choices every single day, yet millions of Americans decide to eat McDonald's because of its convenience and its something 'everyone knows about'.

Later on in the commercial, the man and the woman escape the clown controlled land and reach a sunshine-happy city, where you can see people eating different kinds of breakfasts and they all look pleasant while doing so. Obviously, that's supposed to represent Taco Bell, and how they claim to give more options than their competitors. Even while watching the commercial, a long-devoted McDonald's customer might think twice about purchasing again, because Taco Bell's commercial makes it seem like you're being controlled into the idea of purchasing their food, and since we are the land of the free, no one wants to feel like they're being told what to do.

The Ad itself immediately reminds people of totalitarian governments and what the United States has been fighting off since World War II  --  dictatorships and communism. When I first watched the commercial, my mind immediately compared the clown-dictator to a communist government, and how the goal is to control every aspect of their citizen's lives. America has a history of repelling against these natures, so especially when a passionate American is the viewer of an Ad like this, it puts them against whatever is being negatively represented, in this case, McDonald's. 

As far as comparison between how each company's food is presented, once again they put a negative light on McDonald's while Taco Bell makes their breakfast wraps look appealing. With McDonald's breakfast, each person is given the same meal and they wait in a long, structured line to get their food. Towards the end of the commercial when Taco Bell's food is introduced, different kinds of breakfast foods are shown, again making the viewer feel like they have options when they go to Taco Bell. There's no long lines to wait in, and the people already eating are patiently waiting for more people to come so they can share their food with the escapees. Almost immediately after watching, you'll get an unexplainable craving for Taco Bell, even if you haven't had it in ages or you don't like Mexican food all that much.

This craving so many people experience after watching food advertisements usually isn't because we're truly hungry, but because we have a visual representation in front of us and we picture the food in front of us. It's actually a very smart move, especially for fast food chains, because the viewer feels obligated to feed themselves, and since fast food is so easy to access, they feel like they aren't putting much effort into satisfying their craving. Although it's beneficial to the companies, it's not helping the health of our country whatsoever. Obesity has hit an all-time high in America, about 68 percent of our population is considered overweight and obese. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America, and we all know it's because of our diet and lifestyle choices, yet that doesn't seem to be stopping that 68%. The problem is the way we view food and the advertisement of it. 

McDonald's might be portrayed as a dictatorship in this advertisement, but if this was an accurate representation of how things really are, all fast food restaurant chains should be represented as a dictatorship. These companies have been fully aware of how their restaurants are affecting the general physical health of their customers, but they don't care because it's not stopping them from making money. It's about time that we break free from the pattern of our own 'social norms' and find a land that offers fresh, healthy food for people without breaking the bank, just like Taco Bell's advertisement claims.

