Thursday, September 8, 2011

On McDonald's Happy Meal

Who has the responsibility of making sure kids eat well? Sometimes we say the parents, sometimes we say everyone. Should Joe Johnston feel impelled to apologize for creating something parents voluntary decide to give their children?

Kids didn’t like McDonald’s hamburgers at the time, so we wrapped burgers and fries in decorated boxes in the shapes of trains and alphabet blocks.  Then we put them together in white sacks with games and puzzles printed on the sides.
—Joe Johnston, discussing his work in the advertising industry creating the ‘Fun Meal’, to which McDonald’s later added a toy and renamed it the ‘Happy Meal’.  The Daily O’Collegian.  September 8, 2011.  Page 3.

I deeply apologize.
—Joe Johnston commenting on his role creating the McDonald’s happy meal.  The Daily O’Collegian.  September 8, 2011. Page 3.