McDonald's &ldquodark marketing” strategy of diversifying the brand into

other products through the creation of the &ldquoMcKids” line of clothing,

books and toys as a way of circumventing any potential future

advertising restricitions seems less and less necessary. Concerned

noises from politicians aside, it's very much a case of business as

usual. Ofcom's assertion that the absence of a food classificatory

system makes a ban unworkable runs counter to the findings of a UK Food

Standards Agency report (&ldquoDoes Food Promotion Influence Children?”)

published last year which concluded that advertising does indeed impact

on children's preferences, purchase behaviour and food consumption.

Moreover, &ldquothese effects are apparent not just for different brands but

also for different types of food” said Professor Gerard Hastings the

report author. Commenting on the FSA's loss of nerve in calling for

voluntary agreements with the food advertising industry to be explored

before proposing new legislation, Professor Philip James of the Coronary

Prevention Group and IOTF chairman said, &ldquowe need even stronger action

to deal with marketing to children and not fudged options such as those

just suggested by the Food Standards Agency. Politicians need to

understand that regulation is required and that it is a popular move. It

is what the majority of parents in every country we work with places as

one of their top priorities. The issue then is whether governments,

local authorities and schools are working for the people or for

commercial interests.”

“This issue isn’t about any restaurant or any particular food, it’s all

about personal responsibility and individual decisions” said a

McDonald's spokesperson in response to the Cheeseburger Bill being given

the green light by the House of Representatives. But where's the

personal choice for children like the young readership of National

Geographic Kids' Magazine which has turned its pages over to Twinkies,

M&Ms, Froot Loops and Hostess Cup Cakes? Where's the choice for kids who

read in the same magazine that &ldquosome McDonald's restaurants are offering

Happy Meals with fruit instead of fries. Fruit will make the meal more

healthy, but will it make kids happy?” Where's the choice for kids who

read the May issue which came wrapped in an ad for &ldquoArby's Adventure

Meals” which resembled the actual magazine cover. &ldquoEach meal is loaded

with learning and trusted by moms” ran the ad copy – meals like chicken

fingers and french fries. According to the Publishers Information

Bureau, ad pages in National Geographic Kids grew 7.5% in the period

January to June (with advertising rates ranging from $31,825 to almost

$169,000).

Responding to criticisms levelled by the Center for Science in the

Public Interest, National Geographic Kids publisher Rainer Jenss pointed

to the magazine's dependence on advertising revenue in order to meet its

educational mission. &ldquoIf this helps us to fulfill our mission to get

information out to young people in a respectful way, and in a way that

adheres to advertising and editorial guidelines, we will continue to do

that” he said, without saying how Arby's Adventure Meals key into the

mission equation. In the UK, leading ad agency Abbott Mead Vickers-BBDO

were recently forced into making an embarassing public climbdown by the

Health Select Committe concerning a private brief made for Walkers

Crisps which encouraged children to believe that “Wotsits are for me. I

am going to pester mum for them when she next goes shopping.”

The fast food giants might be losing the battle thanks to the publicity

generated by the Schlossers and Spurlocks of this world, but

transatlantic government quiescence is continuing to help them win the

war. &ldquoYou pays your money you takes your choice” they say. Some choice.

William MacDougall lives and works in Berlin, Germany. He is a regular contributor to a number of lifestlyle and political publications and websites including Counterpunch (US), The List, (UK), MediaLens (UK), Outlook India, Seven Oaks (Canada), Underground Focus (UK), The Ex-Berliner and Z Magazine (US).