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Do you want some fries with that video?


The success of Morgan Spurlock’s film Super Size Me has undoubtedly scared McDonald’s executives. Even before the film was released nationwide (but following its success at the Sundance Film Festival), the fast food chain announced it was phasing out Super-Size options by the end of the year, except for special promotions. But McDonald’s newest move to prove that the corporation is “health-conscious” is just laughable.

McDonald’s is in the process of making videos, which feature Ronald McDonald and his McDonald’s friends running around and playing. The videos will be sold at your local video store — unless of course it’s a really local — i.e. non-corporate — store.

I imagine these videos to be similar to, say, Barney or whatever the most hip PBS children’s show is today. Will these shows actually teach kids to run around and be more active? I kind of doubt it. After all, the time that kids spend sitting down watching these videos will be time that they could otherwise use to do active things.

Moreover, one of the most unsettling moments in Super Size Me was when Spurlock went into a classroom and showed students pictures of Ronald McDonald, Jesus, and a few other famous people. As a rule, the kids only knew who Ronald McDonald was.

So these videos will remind kids of who this Ronald McDonald guy is, probably inspiring them to want to take a trip to McDonald’s. And they’ll allow kids to have some quiet time in front of the TV. (Granted, I know that kids rarely sit still, but television shows seem to have an amazing way of mesmerizing them).

Call me crazy, but this doesn’t seem like the brightest marketing strategy for a corporation that is trying to reform its image and make itself appear more health-conscious …

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