CASE - McDonald's and Obesity

Questions-

1. How should McDonald's respond when ads promoting healthy lifestyles featuring Ronald McDonald are equated with Joe Camel and cigarette ads? Should McDonald's eliminate Ronald McDonald in its ads?

2. Discuss the merits of the law proposed by France that would require fast-food companies either to add a health message to commercials or pay a 1.5 percent tax on their ad budgets. Propose a strategy for McDonald's to pay the tax or add health messages, and defend your recommendation.

3. If there is no evidence that obesity rates fall in those countries that ban food advertising to children, why bother?

4. The broad issue facing McDonald's U.K. is the current attitude toward rising obesity. The company seems to have tried many different approaches to deal with the problem, but the problem persists. List all the problems facing McDonald's and critique its various approaches to solve the problems.

5. Based on your response to Question 4, recommend both a short-range and long-range plan for McDonald's to implement.