Hi – I can reccomend paying a visit to www.makeupyourownmind.co.uk – a site set up by McDonalds that allows you to ask them any question, and promises an honest answer – the one below seems relevant to your query.

# how do you justify your huge advertising spend aimed at children?

1. McDonald’s UK actually spends around five percent of its annual media budget on advertising messages directed to children. McDonald’s also realises that marketing to children is a sensitive issue and the company is careful to talk to children in a responsible way. A lot of time is spent considering the opinions of parents in order to create marketing and advertising that conveys positive messages to children about food choices, using their imaginations and taking part in physical activity.

Also – I’m fiercly opposed to this idea of a ‘nanny state’ – parents need to take a responsibility for their kids, and get them off the sofas and out kicking a ball around or riding bikes. A parent that allows their kid to watch tv all day cannot blame junk food adverts for making them fat.

It’s all too easy to blame corporations for our social problems – stopping ads on tv isn’t going to stop a kid wanting a pepsi – we live in a media and image saturated world – pepsi sponsors pop stars, there’s a McDonalds on every corner…TV makes up such a small aspect of our life, that in my opinion, the removal of advertisments would do very little to help the problem

Alternatives like taxing fast food etc more heavily, making them less available for pocket money prices, reducing serving sizes etc etc are possibly better courses of action.

Sorry if this doesnt make a lot of sense…but I’m both a sociologist and a professional athlete. I eat a bit of fast food, as well as a healthy diet – and have done all my life. It can be done. People always want a scapegoat, and I would argue that TV advertising is simply an easy target.

If I can help any more, just drop me a note.

EDIT – OK well just to put some concise points in, I’d use the following:

1) Fast Food et al is a business and should not be discriminated against. Some could argue advertisments for Rap Music or violent computer games could be equally damaging. I find it far worse to see some of the sexist trash that comes on when I’m watching TV with my nephew.

Look at the site I suggested and back up your argument with figures – I think it’s like only 5% of McDonald’s media spend goes on Children’s TV ads – you could argue this is sufficiently small enough not to evoke concern?

Maybe reach a middle ground – a good debate will acknowledge the opposing side’s argument – is there anything you WOULD change about fast food adverts today, that might encourage people to be more accepting of them? The introduction of health foods into store lines etc?

If we ban that, where do we stop? Why not stop all alcohol adverts during adult’s TV because some of them are alcoholics?

Or adverts for casinos when some people have gambling problems?

Adverts don’t make social problems, PEOPLE DO.

Because this is a free country and the networks and advertisers should be allowed to advertise just about anything they’d like as long as it doesn’t violate current FCC regulations. While some may argue that the networks and advertisers have a social obligation to look after the welfare of the children, I believe the onus belongs on the parents. The parents should teach their children the harmfulness of such foods and the health problems associated with obesity.

There is no way that i think junk food should be advertised on tv during kids shows are children have enough problems today with overeating and obesity and by adding these commercials for our kids to watch they only make this problem worse for all who are suffering from being overweight because the kids will see the commercials and go right to the fridge for a snack.I dont think that many parents pay attention to their children like we used to it is a two parent working society now and most children age 8-15 are left home alone to fend for themselves and sometimes thier younger siblings as well so thier is alot of over eating done before mom and dad even make it home and then alot of parents are cooking up pre packaged dinner adding to the obesity but no i dont think they should advertise all the crap thats out their at all and if they wanted people in society to be healthier and thinner they would make diet food cheaper and more accessible for families but i cant even afford diet food and that makes it hard to stay healthy as well because its alot cheaper to make our kids fat then it is to get them to stay thin this is a huge issue today i think you will get many different answers to this

Well, there is really no answer, unless, the advertiser has some kind of quota that he needs to make…..because it’s not like junk food will make kids wiser, so why sell it?

i would have to say that is the way it sells

most parents will get @ least one junk food that their child likes , so if they show it while a kids show is on & the child sees it , then begs his parent for it the parent will most likely get it & the

item gets sold , then the child tells a friend & so on & it gets sold even more

Not a reason as such, but it happens because advertisers are prepared to pay huge sums to have it done!!