Wow. I knew McDonalds was shameless in its attempts to put its brand in front of unsuspecting kids and undermine parental authority. For years, local McDonalds owners have been sending a guy dressed up as Ronald McDonald to local schools and libraries to talk about reading, personal safety and even physical fitness. The topic doesn’t really matter, it’s just a way to get kids into a restaurant that serves the worst food you could possibly serve to growing children.
Now comes news that McDonalds in Seminole, Fla. is advertising on report card envelopes of 27,000 elementary school kids. Get an “A” and get a free Happy Meal, the ad states.
Concerned parents should be angry for two reasons: First, mom and dad decide if there’s going to be a reward for good grades, not some corporate marketer who stays up late thinking of ways to reach the 4 percent of kids who don’t recognize the McDonalds’ logo. Second, many schools are including more healthful foods on menus and many parents want to improve their kids’ diet. McDonalds undermines each effort.
What’s the big deal, many may say. Happy Meals now come with apples and milk. That’s just a crass way for McDonalds to get some cover when the food police come calling. “We serve heathful food, see? Would you like fries with that?”
In reality, McDonalds is devious and manipulative. The company once promised that it would promote only healthful options for kids under 12 and it would have no ads in elementary schools. What do you call paying $1,600 to print up the envelopes with a likeness of Ronald McDonald? It’s called advertising. The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood agrees.
The schools have to take much of the blame. It’s easy for a school superintendent to accept the offer of a visit from Ronald McDonald. It’s free and there’s no work involved.How about a better option if the school has a rewards program: tickets to a baseball game, a museum or the zoo.
Anything but McDonalds.