Is it time to retire Ronald McDonald?
On Thursday, representatives from the non-profit group Corporate Accountability International will be attending McDonald’s annual meeting with plans to ask CED Jim Skinner to “retire” their spokesclown Ronald McDonald.
CAI says that Ronald encourages kids to eat junk food, contributing to a rise in childhood obesity and related diseases such as diabetes.
The group, which campaigned against the Joe Camel cigarette mascot in the ’90s and complained about Ronald as a role model at McDonald’s annual meeting last year, has stepped up its campaign. The group has taken out full-page ads Wednesday in the Chicago Sun-Times, New York Metro and four other papers to call for his head. The ads, signed by more than 550 health groups and professionals, carry the headline, “Doctors’ Orders: Stop Marketing Junk Food To Kids.”
What follows is an open letter to McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner, that says in part, “We ask that you heed our concern and retire your marketing promotions for food high in salt, fat, sugar, and calories to children, whatever form they take — from Ronald McDonald to toy giveaways.”
McDonald’s defended Ronald against the group’s attack at last year’s annual meeting and is adamant that it has never considered retiring or even downplaying their smiling mascot.
“It’s totally unfounded,” said Marlena Peleo-Lazar, the company’s chief creative officer, who describes Ronald as “a force for good.”
So….what do you think?
- Is it time to retire Ronald McDonald?
- Does Ronald, along with the Happy Meals toys and the entire kid-focused McDonald’s marketing campaign contribute to obesity?
- And if they do contribute to obesity, should poor ole Ronald be forced to “retire”?
- Is Ronald simply being used as a scapegoat?
- And aren’t parents ultimately responsible for what their children shove down their gullets?
- And from what I remember, Ronald started getting into exercise way back in the 80s. Doesn’t that count for something?
Source: www.hivehealthmedia.com/
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