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Following a complaint from one of Wycombe Wanderers FC's supporters (see in
full, below) about a planned pre-match 'entertainment' visit of 'Ronald
McDonald' (McDonald's marketing character) on 10th January 1998, a remarkable letter (enclosed in full) was sent to the club from Steve
Sutherland, Marketing Executive of the Football League.
Mr Sutherland acknowledges the 'forthcoming match-day promotion with McDonald's' and says he read the complaint and 'fully appreciates his sentiments'. The complaint had stated: 'The ruling of the judge in the McLibel trial was that McDonald's advertising and marketing strategies "exploit children by using them, as more susceptible subjects of advertising, to pressurise their parents into going to McDonald's". This damning legal finding from a High Court judge after voluminous evidence on the subject (including from the most senior marketing chiefs in the US and UK companies) refers not just to McDonalds' advertising but their local marketing strategies to target children and community events - especially their use of Ronald McDonald as a salesman, masquerading as a clown.' 'We need to protect our local children from such corporate exploitation, so I urge you to reconsider allowing Ronald McDonald to appear at the game against Wigan and hope that you will not allow McDonald's to employ any marketing strategies at future matches and other club events.' It should also be noted that McDonald's also force all viewers of Premier League matches, in the stadiums or on TV, to continually view their advertising, strategically placed behind every single goalmouth. And the company often places its commercials during matches shown on TV. A veritable bombardment of corporate propaganda. But Mr Sutherland explained in his reply that: 'McDonald's are a major corporate supporter of professional football in this country' and 'will feature heavily in 1998 World Cup Promotions'. He states that clubs 'have a duty to be mindful of their position in the community, however I do not believe that it is a football club's role to act as self-appointed censors for their supporters'. But this is untrue as clubs have been actively supporting the 'Kick Racism Out Of Football' campaign, including aiming to suppress offensive racist chanting and activity inside grounds. So why not Kick Exploitation Of Children Out Of Football? He further explains the reasons: 'McDonalds's is one of the World's largest companies and children and young adults are their target consumers. Of course we, in football, do not condone blatant exploitation of children but [!!!] we are in a competitive world and the Youth Market is where the most intensively contested marketing activities are conducted. In fact, I well remember the criticism that my previous employers, Midland Bank, received regarding the marketing of our accounts for children and students.' 'As major sponsors of football, McDonald's are playing a vital role in ensuring the survival of the sport as football clubs can no longer be sustained by gate income alone. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be wrong for a football club to adopt such a high moral stance as advocated, rather unrealistically, by the complainant.' 'In our way we 'exploit' our links with children much the same as McDonald's by marketing ourselves as a 'family sport'. By doing this we attract sponsors. You would not be doing your job properly if Wycombe Wanderers did otherwise.' So there we have it - the Football League needs the money and McDonald's have it, so ethical concerns about the protection of vulnerable children are ignored as ' a high moral stance'. In fact, he admits that clubs' 'exploit' our links with children much the same as McDonald's' - which means targetting them to get their parents to shell out large amounts of money for hugely overpriced and constantly changing merchandise. That's on top of the fact that they've been forced to pay ticket prices which are ludicrously expensive, and that in any case we're talking about a working-class sport which many working-class people are no longer able to afford to attend. If anyone wishes to campaign to Kick McDonald's Out Of Football, please contact us - feel free to use the enclosed information to write your own letters to clubs, the press, or to do your own leaflets to hand out at matches.
Letter from the Football League Ltd.(Commercial & Marketing Division) to Mark Austin, Sales and Marketing Manager, Wycombe Wanderers Football Club Ltd:Dear Mark, I refer to the letter you have received from Stuart Harvey, one of your supporters, and our subsequent telephone conversation regarding your forthcoming match-day promotion with McDonald's. Whilst I read Mr. Harvey's letter with interest and fully appreciate his sentiments, the fact is that McDonald's are a major corporate supporter of professional football in this country and they are actively involved both at Premier League and Football League level, in promoting the sport to family audiences by way of their sponsorship of Family Enclosures. They are also a major sponsor of International football and will feature heavily in next year's World Cup promotions. Obviously, professional football clubs have a duty to be mindful of their position within the community, however I do not believe that it is a football club's role to act as self-appointed censors for their supporters. McDonalds's is one of the World's largest companies and children and young adults are their target consumers. Of course we, in football, do not condone blatant exploitation of children but we are in a competitive world and the Youth Market is where the most intensively contested marketing activities are conducted. In fact, I well remember the criticism that my previous employers, Midland Bank, received regarding the marketing of our accounts for children and students. As major sponsors of football, McDonald's are playing a vital role in ensuring the survival of the sport as football clubs can no longer be sustained by gate income alone. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be wrong for a football club to adopt such a high moral stance as advocated, rather unrealistically, by Mr. Harvey. In our way we 'exploit' our links with children much the same as McDonald's by marketing ourselves as a 'family sport'. By doing this we attract sponsors. Mark, you would not be doing your job properly if Wycombe Wanderers did otherwise. As I said, I understand Mr. Harvey's points and, of course, he is entitled to his opinion. However, I would not advocate that you consider altering your plans for the Wigan Athletic match. Wycombe Wanderers F.C. have an excellent reputation within the Football League for the way they promote themselves and you can take much personal credit for this. Keep up the good work. Happy New Year, Yours Sincerely, STEVE SUTHERLAND MARKETING EXECUTIVE Complaint about Ronald McDonald visit from Wycombe Wanderers FC supporter Stuart Harvey, 29th December 1997Mark AustinSales and Marketing Manager Wycombe Wanderers Football Club Adams Park, Hillbottom Road Sands, High Wycombe Bucks HP12 4HJ Dear Mr. Austin, As a Wycombe Wanderers season ticket holder I normally look forward to forthcoming matches with eager anticipation. However I was horrified to discover that the club plans to allow McDonald's an opportunity to promote their junk food products and their public image during the game against Wigan Athletic on 10th January. In the recently concluded High Court case of McDonald's Corporation v Steel & Morris (dubbed the 'McLibel' trial), Mr Justice Bell found as a fact that McDonald's:
The ruling of the judge in the McLibel trial was that McDonald's advertising and marketing strategies "exploit children by using them, as more susceptible subjects of advertising, to pressurise their parents into going to McDonald's" [extract from the judgement dated 19/6/97]. This damning legal finding from a High Court judge after voluminous evidence on the subject (including from the most senior marketing chiefs in the US and UK companies) refers not just to McDonalds' advertising but their local marketing strategies to target children and community events - especially their use of Ronald McDonald as a salesman, masquerading as a clown. We need to protect our local children from such corporate exploitation, so I urge you to reconsider allowing Ronald McDonald to appear at the game against Wigan and hope that you will not allow McDonald's to employ any marketing strategies at future matches and other club events. I for one will not be attending the match on 10th January, and will be writing to the local press to express my concern. I will also be encouraging other supporters to do the same, and to make their feelings known by whatever means they find appropriate. Yours, Stuart |
