Should America Fire Ronald McDonald Order Instructions: Please read below for information concerning assignment. Support responses with examples and use APA formatting in the paper. You may access the school’s website by logging into:
https://mycampus.southuniversity.edu/portal/server.pt
Please note that when you log into the website you must click launch class, and on the next screen click syllabus to view this week’s readings (week 1) and Academic Resources to access the school’s library.
To support work, use the course and text readings and also use outside sources. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
Should America Fire Ronald McDonald?
There are ethical issues and potential ramifications to consider in marketing when unhealthy products (or those that would be unhealthy when consumed in excess) are sold. Examples could include some of the advertising used for sodas and sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and high-calorie “junk food.” A particularly sensitive topic is the issue of marketing to children. Think about how perceptions of “healthy,” what business practices are socially acceptable, and where responsibilities lie have changed over time. Several very good articles on this subject have been identified for you in the South University Online Library and are listed below. Review those and conduct your own research on this topic. Then respond to the following:
• Ronald McDonald has been a staple in advertising McDonald’s fast-food restaurants since the 1960s. What ethical issues do you see in using Ronald McDonald or McDonald’s new mascot, Happy, to market to children?
• Is it ethical to use either Ronald or Happy in McDonald’s charitable efforts? What issues concern you?
• Should McDonald’s and other food sellers do more to make their menus healthy?
• What changes do you think should be made to try and resolve some of these issues, and how would you go about implementing them?
Be sure to cite appropriately from your reading/research in your post and responses. As you respond to your peers, debate the resolution of ethical dilemmas based upon your reading, research, and experience; consider the issues from multiple perspectives and the problems that can arise when trying to resolve these issues.
You may use these references as you begin researching this assignment:
• Baker, A., & Vitell, S. J. (2010). The ethics of food advertising targeted
toward children: Parental viewpoint. Journal of Business Ethics,
91(2), 299–311. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0084-
2
• Beaubien, G. (2011). Ronald McDonald’s role reduced in image revamp.
Public Relations Strategist, 17(1), 27.
From the South University Online Library, use the following references:
• Hansen, D. (2006, June 5). Ronald McDonald fronts 2010 Olympic fitness
pitch. The Vancouver Sun.
• McDonald’s gives Ronald makeover for the healthier image. (2005, June 10).
Kamloops Daily News.
McDonald’s introduces new mission and image for Ronald McDonald.
(2014). Food and Beverage Close-Up.
Should America Fire Ronald McDonald Sample Answer
Should America Fire Ronald McDonald?
This essay responds to a variety of issues concerning Ronald McDonald. It examines the ethical issues that this writer sees in the use of McDonald’s new mascot to market to children. It also assesses whether it is ethical to use either Roland McDonald or the mascot in McDonald’s charity efforts and identifies the issues that are of interest on the matter. This response also answers the question of whether McDonald’s and other food sellers should do more to make their menus healthy. The changes that should be made in attempts to resolve some of these issues and how I would go about implementing them are also discussed.
The ethical issues on the use of McDonald’s new mascot, Happy, to market to children are that advertising to children makes it difficult to make the right choices for healthy foods. The use of the mascot to advertise to children makes them form unhealthy opinions about food items because as a result of their lack of exposure they are susceptible to different forms of influence (Bakil and Vitell, 2009).
It is not ethical to use either McDonald or the mascot in McDonald’s charity efforts. The reasons behind this are that advertising to children promotes unhealthy worldviews such as materialism, consumerism as well as provides misleading information. The gains that would be achieved by offering charity would be eroded by the negative consequences of children consuming unhealthy foods that could expose them to health problems such as obesity (Bakil and Vitell). Other issues that are of interest in the matter are the long-term effects of destructive ads and the economic costs of lifestyles that are motivated by advertising campaigns.
McDonald’s and other food sellers should do more to make their menus healthy. Healthy menus would be beneficial to children because they help them to have strong bones, have a healthy weight, stay active, and concentrate at school (Nutritionist Resource, 2016).
The changes that should be implemented in trying to resolve some of these issues are promoting healthy eating among children and restricting the access of certain ads from children. The way in which I would go about implementing them is through detailed explanations to children on why they should make the right diet choices and regulating their access to media outlets that promote unhealthy foods.
In conclusion, it is evident from this essay that food selling business is a complex undertaking. The ethical issues identified and discussed in this essay demonstrate that skill is required in the running of food selling enterprises especially regarding marketing.
Should America Fire Ronald McDonald References
Bakir, A., & Vitell, S. J. (2010). The ethics of food advertising targeted toward children: Parental
viewpoint. Journal of Business Ethics, 91(2), 299-311. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/
s10551-009-0084-2
Healthy Eating for Kids. (2016). Nutritionist Resource. Retrieved from http://www.nutritionist-
resource.org.uk/content/healthy-eating-for-kids.html
