Day 054 - 24 Nov 94 - Page 26

     
     1        and three characters from highly advertised foods, Tony the
     2        Tiger, ronald mcdonald and Captain Birds Eye.
     3
     4        Of those six options, Tony the Tiger was the most popular
     5        and very closely followed by ronald mcdonald.  Teachers and
     6        fathers came next, with grandparents and Captain Birds Eye
     7        least popular.  This is a small scale survey.  Whilst
     8        I think one cannot attach too great a significance to it,
     9        I think it is, nonetheless, indicative of the popularity of
    10        cartoon characters.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  They have a strong appeal?
    13        A.  Yes.
    14
    15   Q.   I have to say that it occurred to me that you had to look
    16        at what the question is.  It does not mean to say they are
    17        actually more popular than their parents, because the child
    18        realises that mother and father will always be there and
    19        they will get some treats from them anyway.
    20        A.  That is right.
    21
    22   Q.   The opportunity to go with Tony the Tiger does not crop up
    23        that often; that is fair comment, is it not?
    24        A.  Yes, I think I would agree this is indicative of the
    25        appeal of characters such as ronald mcdonald.
    26
    27   Q.   It shows they have, you would say, a strong appeal?
    28        A.  Yes.
    29
    30   Q.   It does not show they are actually more popular than their
    31        own parents are?
    32        A.  Yes, I would agree they have a strong appeal.
    33
    34   MR. MORRIS:  Can you get bundle X, pink X?  Just before we go to
    35        the page -- it is, in fact, page 153 in that bundle --
    36        before you look at it, there are ITC guidelines, are there
    37        not, against exploiting children's emotions?
    38        A.  Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   And loyalty?
         A.  Yes.
    42
    43   Q.   This document here is the Internal Confidential Operations
    44        Manual of the McDonald's Corporation for their managers.
    45        If you look at page 153, on the right-hand side under:
    46        "ronald mcdonald Personal Appearances", this is about
    47        actually the use of ronald mcdonald's life, if you like.
    48        Would you like to read that first paragraph to yourself and
    49        make comments on it?
    50        A.  This would appear to me to be a direct exhortation to 
    51        the managers, you say --- 
    52 
    53   Q.   Managers probably and above.
    54        A.  -- yes, to use children's emotions and, particularly,
    55        their love for ronald mcdonald to bring them into the store
    56        and to bring them into McDonald's rather than any other
    57        restaurant.
    58
    59   Q.   Do you have any concerns about it?
    60        A.  Yes, I do not think it is ethical.