(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)

According to the advertising industry journal Adweek,

Even as they promote healthier choices like salads, wraps and chicken sandwiches, America's fast-food chains are warming up to the fat, juicy burgers that put them on the map. "Burgers are back," says Ron Paul, president of Chicago-based research firm Technomic, who expects the major players to continue their monstrous investment in prime time this fall as they battle each other for market share at a time when business overall is sluggish.

In 2006, fast-food marketers spent $794.4 million advertising on prime time television. Yuma, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, spent $220.6 million. McDonald's was the second-biggest user of prime time in the fast food category, with expenditures of $164.9 million last year, a 13.5% increase over 2005.

Heavy ad spending continues as the industry finds itself under ongoing pressure. Books and movies like “Fast Food Nation” and “Super Size Me” have offered withering critiques of the fast food industry, illustrating the unhealthy impact of diets heavily laden with fatty fast foods. The E. coli scare at Taco Bell also has many diners wary of eating fast food.

According to an article that appeared in Brandweek , “It doesn't matter what McDonald's throws at them—be it premium chicken sandwiches or new salads—73% of lapsed patrons said the reason they don't go to the Golden Arches anymore is because they can't stomach the food.”

With America’s alarming childhood obesity rates, fast food marketing has come under fire in recent years. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that elementary school children see an average of 21 food ads each day. Regardless, McDonald's continues marketing to children with promotions featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while Burger King targets kids with SpongeBob SquarePants.

Time reports that in France, dissatisfaction with fast food restaurants has led to a growing number of quick service eateries with menus built around fresh foods. It would be a wonderful change if time-pressed families could find a convenient and healthy alternative to the fast food chains when dining out.

If you'd like to read the full article in Adweek go to: Special Report: Fast Food

If you'd like to see the Brandweek article on consumers who've left fast food chains behind go to: Why Consumers Don't Come Back for Seconds

If youd like to see the Time article on healthy, quick service restaurants in France go to: Anti-Fast Food in France

To see a previous post crticising the marketing of fast food to children go to:Selling to Kids