Week 3

To collect my data this week, I asked my 15 year old brother, 18 year old sister, and mother after dinner. The first question had a response I expected. They told me they would never eat “dogs, cats, rats, cockroaches, or insects because that is just weird.” They found eating love animals to be really strange and also said many things that the Chinese eat are ridiculous. Their responses seemed typical and I probably would have answered the same way. The second question I asked was about body image and what foods might say about a person. My sister immediately answered “if they are overweight, they eat too much junk food, and if they are too thin then they are either anorexic or bulimic.” I was really surprised by this response, especially that my mom agreed. In the US, not many people would be comfortable answering his question or say “it depends on the individual.” I was surprised to hear my families assumption that every skinny person has an eating disorder. In the US, we tend to say that weight depends on genetics and a person was born a particular way. My Tica family said that weight directly correlates with food. I am not sure if it is just my family who has his perspective, or if it is just different in Costa Rica. I did learn through this experience that my Tica family is very honest and blunt.

For this first photo, I chose an advertisement of a KFC billboard. I found this sign very interesting because it looks like it is a sign found in the US. The photos of the wraps are large, with the flavors written above in English (Santa Fe, Cheddar, and BBQ). A consumer does not need to know any Spanish to read this sign. The audience is clearly directed toward Americans or Costa Ricans who desire American food. The food which is being sold is a status symbol. The food at KFC is desired because it comes from the US, and is a brand name.

The second photo is of another billboard, but this time it was located by the airport of San Jose. The audience is clearly directed to Americans or any other persons travelling. One half of the sign is for an American hotel, with a photo of a smiling daughter. The other half is for Denny’s, an American franchise. The advertisement shows a picture of pancakes, eggs, and toast. (American food) The billboard represents not only a status symbol but also convenience. When an American traveler sees an advertisement for both American food and lodging, the familiarity will likely make them feel comfortable and willing to buy the “known” product.