Apparently now if you buy a Happy Meal in the UK, you get a pedometer to track your hops, skips and jumps in order to "help" the kid-friendly Olympic mascots get to the Olympic games (video posted down below, email subscribers need to visit the blog to watch).
Aside from the obvious cache of Olympic co-branding this campaign really typifies what's in it for McDonald's. Co-branding allows McDonald's to easily spread the idea that "movement" and "exercise" are what are required for health and silently imply that dietary discretion isn't necessary if you're active. But maybe that's just jaded, cynical, old, me, reading into messaging, though there's no denying that Olympic co-branding allows McDonald's to promote meals out and further the normalization of fast food.
Shifting the blame from dietary intake to dietary output and/or normalizing meals out for children all the while tapping in to the incredibly powerful emotions associated with the Olympic games - that's a gold medal win for McDonald's marketers.
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Co-branding allows McDonald's to easily spread the idea that "movement" and "exercise" are what are required for health and silently imply that dietary discretion isn't necessary if you're active.
ReplyDeleteThat's not such a crazy idea. I'm not a fan of MacDonald's food, but I'm pretty sure it's true that being active is indeed more important for health than eating "healthy" all the time. I'm also pretty sure that the gastro pub and Indian takeout fare that I enjoy occasionally is heavier than MacDonald's (although also arguably healthier).
Yes exercise is important and has health benefits other than those gained through associated weight loss.
DeleteHowever even if running 40 miles a week, which is certainly under 4000kcals burnt, can be quickly wiped out by some Mcdonalds meals. I went to Mcdonalds yesterday and ate just under 1200 kcals. I burn that much running a half marathon, just about.
Diet is paramount to getting the benefits of lower weight. McDonalds peddling the idea that one can offset regular unhealthy food with unhealthy exercise is wrong in my opinion.
Also, note you show awareness of the calories in the food you eat out. I suspect you factor this into your daily food intake?
No, sorry. I don't do the "calories in - calories out" thing. I listen to my hunger and satiety cues. If I eat a big meal, I'm generally less hungry for a couple of days afterwards.
DeleteI wonder how many hops and skips a kid would have to do to burn off the extra calories in a happy meal? Probably quite a lot.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a classic food industry tactic to take the attention off of their food, of which calories may be the least of their problems.
What are those Cyclops alien looking things? Those are the mascots? Why would anyone want to help them get anywhere, and why would kids want to go near them?
ReplyDeleteShifting the blame from dietary intake to dietary output ...
ReplyDeleteThat's a brilliant way of putting it!
This mom immunized her children against fast food: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p31RX6mesM
ReplyDeleteThe official restaurant of the Olympics you say? Well, first of all, it's a little ridiculous that the Olympics would be putting its name together with McDonald's. How many Olympic athletes are chowing down on the poor excuse for food that McDonald's serves?
ReplyDeleteGreat marketing, I suppose. On a human level, big fail.
Handing out pedometers with happy meals, is like giving out giving out bags of candy, along with insulin.
I don't know about you Yoni, but those mascots are terrifying. If they start chasing the kids (or me), I'm pretty sure we'll burn off thousands of calories!
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