Dear ReadersMcDonald is running a very successful Meal for Toy campaign in Asia. Buy a Meal Set plus HK$6, the first 500 in each store get a Snoopy World Traveller collector item. The collection has 28 travellers from 28 cities. McDonald is asking people to eat McDonalds in 28 consecutive days in order to complete the collection.
Gee,, the campaign is successful that it created a 3-4 hours waiting queue in each McDonald shop in Hong Kong, and in many Asian cities which carry the same promotion campaign.
The success raised several serious issues about the campaign...
1) IS IT DIET HEALTHY TO ASK PEOPLE TO EAT MACS FOR 28 DAYS?
2) IS IT WASTING ETHICAL TO CREATE DEMAND BY
PURPOSELY CREATING SHORTAGE OF SUPPLY IN COLLECTION ITEMS?
3) IS IT WASTING THE CITY'S TIME AND RESOURCES BY CREATING QUEUES IN
ALL SHOPS OF MCDONALD?
4) PEOPLE GOT SICK ABOUT THE BIG MACS. PEOPLE SEND IN THEIR MAIDS AND
THE ELDERLY TO IN THE WAITING QUEUE. THEY JUST GET THE TOY AND
DISPOSE THE MAC. IS IT WASTING FOOD RESOURCES?
5) WILL THE CAMPAGIN EVENTUALLY MAKE MACDONALD LOSE BUSINESS BECAUSE OF
PEOPLE DEVELOPING AN ANTI-MCDONDLAD'S INHUMAN WAIITNG AND PLANNED
SHORTAGE OF SUPPLY?
Would other readers of other countries please update me on the situation in your countries. Is there an ethical marketing and ethical consumption issue of McDonald marketing?
Thinker
Hong Kong
thinker@wwchallenge.com
Oct 3, 98
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