Day 044 - 02 Nov 94 - Page 42

     
     1        A.  I think that is part of it.  I think they also like
     2        McDonald's food because they enjoy eating it.
     3
     4   Q.   So you are basically, are you not, brainwashing children
     5        with ronald mcdonald to get them to buy McDonald's food as
     6        part of your long term objective of increasing your
     7        profits?
     8        A.  I would disagree with that.
     9
    10   Q.   What other explanation can there be for that, for the first
    11        two sentences in that paragraph?
    12        A.  I did not write it.  So, you know, from that
    13        perspective, I cannot give you the exact explanation.
    14        I can give you my interpretation of it.
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Give your interpretation, and then tell me
    17        whether what you objected to in Mr. Morris's question was
    18        use of the word "brainwashing" or something more general in
    19        the question?
    20        A.  No.  I think the word "brainwashing" was what
         I specifically objected to.  Obviously, that term is,
    22        I think, not accurate.
    23
    24   MR. MORRIS:  Did you give an explanation?  I did not catch it.
    25        A.  My explanation, again, is that the more that a child
    26        likes ronald mcdonald, obviously he is going to feel better
    27        about McDonald's and, therefore, if he likes the food as
    28        well, he is going to want to have, or she would like to
    29        have, a visit to McDonald's when the opportunity occurs.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you think children exert a "phenomenal"
    32        influence?  Would you agree with the adjective
    33        "phenomenal"?
    34        A.  Again, I think the adjective is a bit over-played, but
    35        they certainly exert influence over the visit.  I am trying
    36        to remember some of the information that I have.  But they
    37        play an important part in the visit about half the time.
    38
    39   MR. MORRIS:  So if I put it to you that you are also, in that
    40        sentence there -- "Children exert a phenomenal influence
         when it comes to restaurant selection.  This means that you
    42        should do everything you can to appeal to children's love
    43        for Ronald and McDonald's" -- that means that you are using
    44        ronald mcdonald to get their children to exert a phenomenal
    45        influence on their parents in order to get their parents
    46        into the stores, so that you can make profits out of them,
    47        too?
    48        A.  I do not follow that logic.  I do not think that is
    49        exactly true.  Children do exert some influence, certainly,
    50        on their parents; and, as I said, the latest information 
    51        I have is that they play an active role in the selection of 
    52        a restaurant when they go outside the home at about 40 or 
    53        50 per cent of the time.
    54
    55        I think it is very important -- and this was written for
    56        store owners and store managers, so that they knew the
    57        importance that a child should be treated as well in the
    58        restaurant as possible, and that Ronald should be also
    59        treated as well in the restaurant as much as possible, so
    60        that the child will have a good experience in the