UK: MCLIBEL TWO HIT BACK AT BURGER GIANT'S KIDS ADS

By JULIAN LEE

Marketing; 26th Jun 1997

The McLibel campaigners who last week lost a record 313-day libel battle in the High Court brought by McDonald's are now turning their guns on the burger giant's marketing and advertising to children.

Defendants Helen Steel and Dave Morris are writing to the two key advertising industry bodies to demand McDonald's stops targeting children with its ads.

They will call on the Independent Television Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority to "investigate McDonald's practice of exploiting children in its advertising as a matter of urgency".

Any further scrutiny could put further pressure on the burger giant to review its £35m ad budget.

McDonald's was unavailable for comment on whether it would change its advertising strategy.

Last July, the ASA upheld a complaint against McDonald's for a direct-mail campaign addressed to a child.

However, McDonald's recent TV advertising has taken a 'zany' approach aimed more at the teen and young 20s market.


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