UPDATE: McDonald’s Stops Advertising On Elementary School Report Cards
Health advocates are setting their outrage phasers on kill over a McDonald’s ad appearing on the report cards of Seminole County, Florida elementary schools. The ad promises free Happy Meals to kids with good grades, despite promises by McDonald’s that they would ” ban advertising to children under 12 or limit them to food and snacks that meet certain nutritional guidelines.”
From ADWEEK:
The Seminole County district said it has created such partnerships for years. Pizza Hut had been a partner for a decade and opted not to participate for the 2007-08 school year. McDonald’s took its place. Under the terms of the deal, McDonald’s fronted the bill ($1,600) for the printing costs associated with produced report cards for 27,000 students.
“McDonald’s has a long-standing and rich heritage of supporting education and academic excellence,” said William Whitman, a rep for McDonald’s USA, Oak Brook, Ill. “McDonald’s does not advertise in schools. However, we continue to support education initiatives in the communities we serve.”
We were able to get cheeseburgers and other various and sundry delights for good grades while growing up in the McD’s homeland, but they never actually printed Ronald McDonald on our report card envelope. We find it hard to get upset about treating kids who have worked hard to a free Happy Meal, but the envelope thing is kinda tacky.
McD’s Report Card Ads Draw Fire [ADWEEK]
McDonald’s Ads Hit New Low [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo:Chicago Tribune)
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@mopar_man: I loved Book It!
The major prob I have with this is that they’re advertising on an official paper from the school district. It doesn’t look official, it looks like a McDonalds ad. I’d be calling the district to find out what the deal is (And claim that McDonalds is a religious cult and the school district shouldn’t be endorsing them).
@Kezzerxir: I remember they taught me proper grammar.
/asshole
@dmc: I can assure you that this wasn’t done because the Seminole county school district is hurting for money. I do plenty of work up there, and the place is stuffed to the gills with multi-million dollar homes. In fact it’s generally a selling point for real estate here to be within the Seminole school district; it has a reputation for (generally) good schools.
I cannot imagine why the district sought or allowed this endorsement. I can only speculate that perhaps a McDonald’s franchisee sits on the board or the PTA.
Reward yourself with a triple bypass, from being a lardass!
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’M LOVIN’ IT!
F
AT
FAT!
@MYarms: Bribing? I call it due compensation. Children spend an absurd amount of time in school with little or no motivation.
That’s not a report card. I agree that McDonalds needs to stay out of our childrens lives but claiming this is an actual report card makes this a bad report. its a normal 9 x 11 sheet of paper with no grades on it made in the style of an old fashioned report card.