Day 049 - 09 Nov 94 - Page 20
1 any problem with it; they think absolutely the opposite.
2
3 Q. I mentioned the statement by Michael Hayden, who did not
4 give evidence in the end but someone gave evidence in his
5 place. He states that ronald mcdonald is used at doctors,
6 dentists, school libraries and sports centres to
7 congratulate children on their achievements.
8
9 Do you just want to say what your feelings are about that?
10 You have mentioned a bit about your experience in that
11 area. Can you just say what your feelings are about that?
12 A. With younger children, the schools or, rather, the
13 dentists which have been mentioned the most frequently use
14 McDonald's as a reward scheme for when the children sort of
15 get through their experience of going to the dentist's.
16 What I am saying is that, obviously, McDonald's use
17 sponsorship as a form of advertising to make children
18 believe that McDonald's is all good, all pure; and the
19 children do believe that at the younger age. So that they
20 are, in my view anyway, sort of conned into believing that
21 there is nothing wrong with McDonald's whatsoever and,
22 worse than that, not only is there nothing wrong, they sort
23 of see ronald mcdonald as almost some kind of mini-god.
24
25 Q. It appears to them as though he is being sanctioned
26 by----
27 A. Well, he is being sanctioned, not appears; he is being
28 sanctioned by these dentists, and even by children's
29 hospitals. He is being sanctioned, so of course the
30 children think it is something good.
31
32 ronald mcdonald is like a Father Christmas figure to them.
33 He is something that would never do them any harm or commit
34 any harm. He certainly would not factory farm chickens; he
35 certainly would not slit the throats of cows. He certainly
36 would not cause them any ill health. Of course they do not
37 think those things. They think McDonald's is all good and
38 all pure.
39
40 Q. When you mentioned Santa Claus, I mean, what did you mean
41 by children think he is a mini-god? I mean, is that
42 something they have specifically said?
43 A. No. That is my impression. That is not a term they
44 used.
45
46 Q. Are you saying----
47 A. I am saying that they looked up to ronald mcdonald.
48
49 Q. They worshipped him -- or is that going too far?
50 A. I would say, the words I would use as most accurate is
51 they look up to ronald mcdonald as something to respect,
52 somebody to respect, as they would see it, as sort of a
53 good example to follow.
54
55 Q. You have mentioned this in your statement, but did it
56 appear that they realised what the purpose of the clown
57 was, in reality?
58 A. Younger children have not got any concept of being
59 given a reward at a dentist, meaning "go and buy
60 McDonald's". There is no way that they would make that
