I’m often amazed at how much my younger son is influenced by television advertising. A colleague shared an article with me that further opened my eyes to the power of branding, particularly among young children. (You can read it here.)

A pediatric researcher from Stanford University ran a series of tests with children ages 3-5 to determine their taste preferences for food. The trick was that researchers presented the same food—only in different wrappers. The results:

• Seventy-seven percent of the kids said the same French fries from McDonald’s tasted better when they came from a McDonald’s bag instead of a plain one.
• Sixty-one percent of the kids said milk tasted better in a McDonald’s cup.
• Fifty-four percent said carrots tasted better in a McDonald's bag.