Released in May 2010 on the eve of the launch of the Retire Ronald effort, Clowning with kids’ health: The case for Ronald McDonald’s retirement draws on a mountain of evidence – including findings from a nationwide poll commissioned by Corporate Accountability – to make the case that it is time for the most well-recognized American marketing icon to be retired. Retiring Ronald McDonald and ending McDonald’s predatory marketing of unhealthy food to children can protect the health of a generation of children.
This stunning report reveals, the character is the product of a well-orchestrated and shrewd marketing strategy by America’s king of fast food. By connecting its corporate image to a fun-loving clown, McDonald’s gains a tremendous amount of positive public relations. And what better way to bypass parents and market directly to children than through a clown – the icon of circuses and children’s parties.
