McDonald’s Escapes Grilling Over Fast Food Campaign
The Advertising Standards Authority has refused to censure a press campaign for McDonald’s Big Breakfast Bun despite complaints that it encouraged consumers to stop exercising and start eating unhealthily.
The campaign ran in Metro newspapers and featured an office worker sitting at his desk thinking: “Gotta cancel my gym membership and work through lunch. Glad I had that Big Breakfast Bun.”
Complainants objected to the ad, which also featured a picture of the Big Breakfast Bun alongside McDonald’s logo, on the grounds that it encouraged people to cancel their gym membership in favour of a high fat diet.
McDonald’s claimed the campaign humorously described a young office worker’s random thoughts and depicted a lifestyle that its target market could relate to. It also objected to the accusation that the ad depicted an unhealthy lifestyle.
The ASA recognised that the ad was indented to promote an individual product rather than a high-fat diet. It dismissed the complaints and concluded that McDonald’s was merely trying to present the a bored office worker’s thoughts in a light-hearted way.
The Government is currently holding an inquiry into the growing problem of obesity and is considering the possibility of a ban on advertising fast food products. The move follows research from the Food Standards Agency, which proves the link between food commercials and children’s deteriorating eating habits.
The advertising industry has warned against combating the growing problem of obesity with a ban on fast food commercials and has called instead for a long running campaign to promote healthier lifestyles (see Advertisers Warn Against Ban On Fast Food Commercials).
ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk
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