Thursday, May 28, 2009

Final Project: "We are McLovin' the Evolving Fast Food Industry"

Topic: Growth of the Fast Food Industry (1970-1990)
Group members: Victor Zhu, Tiffany Chen, Brandon Cheung, Jay Dubashi

The theme for our final project is the evolution of the fast food industry over the span of two decades, 1970-1990. These years were critical in the development of this industry due to revolutionary technology, novel social ideals, and the increased influence of the media. To track the evolution, we researched the top three fast food restaurants: McDonalds, Wendy's, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). My group investigated the gradual changes in advertising techniques, popularity, and food products. We chose to research the fast food industry since now, more than ever, Americans are influenced by this business.

Our project was made using cardboard boxes, which we cut into an assortment of trapezoids and squares. Then, we taped them together using duct tape, known for its durability and support, into a McDonald's box-like figure. After painting it, the box looked similar to the figure shown below.


Additionally, we collected old toys and maps of fast food locations as decoration. Furthermore, we created "hamburgers", made out of cardboard, and plastered information onto them (timelines, pictures, slogans, etc.).

To obtain all the items, we used various sources. We looked through old collections of toys from these fastfood chains to find appropriate action figures. The website was also invaluable. From there, we printed many pictures representing the fast food industries. The supplies (cardboard, duct tape) were bought from Michael's.

I would not do anything differently. I feel that my group did a fantastic job and did the best that we could!

Some advice that I would give to next year's class is to do something you are passionate about. Do not pick a topic just because it is easy. Pick it because you want to truly learn more about it and share your new knowledge with your peers. This makes the entire project so much more enjoyable, and enthusiasm goes a long way!

1 comment:

  1. WOAH. niceeee.....

    incredibly original topic. :D
    That's actually incredibly BRILLIANT. must have been fun finding found art items.

    I wish that was my topic.

    ReplyDelete