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Perhaps I have a different perspective on this than a lot of people, but I'll explain it and hopefully you're all with me on this.
Star Wars is doing a Happy Meal promotion with McDonalds for their Clone Wars series starting Februrary 26th. (More information on that here). The 8 year old in me jumps for joy. The parent in me is filled with disappointment and disgust. My kids aren't allowed to eat food of such poor quality and now I'm going to have to tell them they can't have these Star Wars toys because I refuse to buy them junk food.
I understand that this makes sense from a marketing perspective, but the problem is that marketing junk food to kids with beloved characters and properties like Star Wars is morally reprehensible. I spent two years making a documentary about the American obesity epidemic called Killer at Large, and one of the things we found responsible for the sharp rise in overweight and obesity in today's children is marketing directly to them to get them to nag for food and products that aren't good for them (like McDonalds Happy Meals). We talked to Ralph Nader, Dr. Susan Linn, and Douglass Rushkoff about the insidious nature of these messages for the film and I'm convinced that they have no place in our culture.
So, my advice to you is that if you're going to fall into this trap, or you're going to let your kids nag you until you do, which is what will probably happen, just go in and buy the toys. Say no thanks to the food that will make your children part of a growing statistic and trend of increased weight in our population.
We need to keep our kids healthy and we need to keep them interested in Star Wars. I hope that in the future, the good to society is weighed a little bit more heavily in marketing decisions for a brand so beloved as Star Wars.
Comments
I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that I spend a lot less money on "crap" than the average American largely due to the fact that I have no TV and am not bombarded with commercials. And neither are my kids. I understand and agree with your logic about advertising aimed at children, but let's not forget that parents are responsible for what they allow into their homes.
I allow Star Wars in my home, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that even though we don't see a single commercial for these Happy Meals, every McDonalds in the country will have giant Star Wars logos all over the buildings and my kids will see them. You can only take parental responsibility so far when you have characters indirectly endorsing junk food like this. This is a very compelling reason to make it illegal to market anything to kids, especially since children under the age of 8 don't have the ability to understand the concept of persuasive intent.
You do know that you can just buy the toys without buying the food that goes along with them, right? I understand not wanting to support fast food/child advertising, but McDonald's and Burger King also don't force you to buy the meal to get the toy.
That was mentioned in the article, yes.
This makes me so sad.. :(
Oh good grief. The only problem with McDonalds is when it's not eaten in moderation. Take this opportunity to teach your child that, instead of some "bogey man" fear, and you'll have done them a better service.
Hey Bryan -
I agree with the whole McDonald's food being crap, and I am a stickler for healthy food at home... But I will take my three boys to get the new toys and I will probably do it the old fashioned way and get it in the Happy Meal:) I just don't think that the occasional trip to Micky D's is going to ruin their long term health forever. We'll choose the milk and apples to go with their nuggets, and the kids will think that they have won the lottery, just like I did when I was little and got to to to McDonald's. As for the other issue at hand, I do think that it is somewhat unfair to market to young children, but I also think that most of the responsibility to monitor these things falls to the parents - just say no!
"morally reprehensible"? stfu.
As a parent, it's your prerogative on whether or not to buy the kids Happy Meals or not. (You can after all likely buy the toys in-store or on eBay.) I've just lost almost 20 pounds and plan to lose more, so I'll stick with the regular hamburgers and apple dippers ;). In any case, fast food promos and Star Wars have been together as long as peanut butter and jelly, from the Burger King glasses 1977-1983 to the KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell promo for TPM to the ROTS promo back at BK to the McDonalds promo for the Clone Wars movie. Just the nature of the beast.
Interesting discussion, though, can we recognize the irony that it has now led to the mentioning of donuts?;)
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