Monday 5 April 2010

Time for Ronald to Retire!


If you're against the use of a clown character to encourage kids, and their parents, to eat fast food, sign the petition to Retire Ronald McDonald... it only takes a few seconds... and it's about time.

This initiative comes from Corporate Accountability International.

Click here to visit the website to sign the petition and learn more.

Click here to send a letter to McDonald's CEO, James Skinner, via the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

(I did both!)

Here's part of the Press Release:

After close to fifty years of hawking fatty food directly to kids, Ronald McDonald is being urged to retire.

The findings come amid growing recognition of the fast food industry’s primary role in driving the epidemic of childhood obesity and diet-related disease.

“This clown is no friend to our children or their health,” said Senior Organizer Deborah Lapidus of Corporate Accountability International. “No icon has ever been more effective in hooking kids on a harmful product. Kids have become more obese and less healthy on his watch. He’s a deep-fried Joe Camel for the 21st Century. He deserves a break, and so do our kids.”

For poll results, an analysis of Ronald McDonald’s pervasive presence on the American landscape, a background on the psychology behind children’s marketing and more visit www.RetireRonald.org.

5 comments:

Jme said...

Great campaign!

Rachel@Coconut Crumbs said...

hello! Just wanted to let you know that I posted a link to you "10 Recommendations for Blogging RDs" on my latest blog post. I really appreciated your advice, and wanted to share if on my blog. So thanks!!

Sybil Hebert, RD said...

Jme- I agree!!

Thanks Rachel... I really appreciate it! :)

Melissa said...

Of course, if McDonald's retires Ronald they will just replace him with another ad campaign marketing Happy Meals to kids. Their focus is to make money.

It is up to parents to teach their kids proper nutrition.

On a side note, I think they should retire Ronald...simply because he's kind of creepy.

tpq said...

Maybe parents should learn to say no and blame themselves for their kids habits. Just saying that your 8 year old doesn't have a job or car - you make the choice to take them there.