McDonald’s stands behind Ronald McDonald mascot
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McDonald’s has come out fighting to defend its brand ambassador Ronald McDonald after coming under pressure from lobby groups and health professionals to change its marketing.
McDonald’s chief executive Jim Skinner is reported as telling shareholders “Ronald McDonald is going nowhere…. {He} is an ambassador of McDonald’s and he is an ambassador for good.”
McDonald’s has been criticised by pressure group Corporate Accountability International, which has accused it of “refusing to address the dangerous toll that fast food and predatory marketing is taking on kids” and contributing to the rise of obesity and health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
The group wrote an open letter signed by 550 health professionals and also engineered a proposal at this week’s annual shareholder meeting to persuade McDonald’s to assess its “health footprint” and the damage caused by marketing to children.
The resolution only found 6% approval from shareholders.
Skinner said that the company uses Ronald McDonald in a lot of charitable work and argued that it offered plenty of healthy choices on its menus.
YouGov Insight:
British Health
· Over half of the adult population is either currently affected by or personally concerned about weight problems.
· 14% of men and 19% of women describe themselves as ’very overweight’, but the evidence suggests that many people may be underestimating the extent of their problem, particularly men.
· Men and women aged 40-54 are the likeliest group to see themselves as ’very overweight’. They are also the least likely age to eat healthily especially men.
· 53% of ABC1s take care to eat healthily compared to 40% of C2Des.
· 43% of ABC1s take regular exercise compared to 31% of C2DEs.
· Just one fifth of women in the UK are currently on a diet - double the number of men.
· Only one in ten adults agree that ’it’s more important to enjoy yourself rather than worry too much about healthy living.’
Readers' comments (1)
JSC0922 | Tue, 24 May 2011 3:34 pm
Ronald has been pushing happy meals for decades, but not until recently we have seen an increase in childhood obesity. Although it is easier for parents to point the finger at a clown, saving our kids' health will only come when we realize WE are the biggest influence. Be a healthy role model for your kids, then maybe they won't be so easily persuaded by a clown. http://blog.mydiscoverhealth.com/
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