December 5, 2007
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Josh Golin (617.278.4172;
jgolin@jbcc.harvard.edu)
CCFC Blasts McDonald’s Report Card Advertising
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free
Childhood is demanding that McDonald’s immediately stop
advertising on children’s report cards. Last week, students in
Seminole County, Florida received their report cards in
envelopes adorned with Ronald McDonald promising a free Happy
Meal to students with good grades, behavior, or attendance.
“This promotion takes in-school marketing
to a new low,” said Susan Linn, director of CCFC and a
psychologist at Judge Baker Children’s Center. “It bypasses
parents and targets children directly with the message that
doing well in school should be rewarded by a Happy Meal.”
The advertisement appears on report cards
envelopes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The
envelopes are used to transport report cards to and from home
throughout the school year.
“My daughter worked so hard to get good
grades this term and now she believes she is entitled to a prize
from McDonald’s,” said Susan Pagan, an Orlando parent. “And now
I’m the “bad guy” because I had to explain that our family does
not eat at fast food chains. I’m outraged that McDonald’s is
trying to exploit my daughter’s achievement – and that the
Seminole County School Board would help facilitate this
exploitation.”
While McDonald’s has pledged to only
advertise its healthier options to children under twelve, the
Happy Meal promotion explicitly mentions cheeseburgers, French
fries, and soft drinks as options. Happy Meals featured on the
report card can contain as many 710 calories, 28 grams of fat,
or 35 grams of sugar. McDonald’s has also pledged to stop
advertising all food or beverage products in elementary schools.
Added Dr. Linn, “Turning report cards into
ads for McDonald’s undermines parents efforts to encourage
healthy eating.”
