Day 042 - 31 Oct 94 - Page 38
1 part of that, to make it more familiar, so that they
2 understand exactly what McDonald's is, what it represents,
3 so that they will want to get their parents to take them to
4 McDonald's.
5
6 MR. MORRIS: How do those advertisements, any advertisement,
7 that have been shown help to explain to children what
8 McDonald's is?
9 A. Well, you mentioned that is why we show the food. So,
10 for instance, to show a hamburger, to show fries and to
11 show a drink, to show the Happy Meal, as such, is one way
12 of representing what McDonald's actually stands for.
13
14 MR. MORRIS: Yes, one way. But you said that one purpose of
15 these ads was to show children what McDonald's is. For
16 example, I could think of lots of attributes of the
17 corporation that are not portrayed in the ads. You do
18 portray the McDonald's corporation and its stores as a fun
19 place to be, with singing and dancing, puppets and stuff,
20 but you do not explain various aspects of it, do you? For
21 example, you do not put in about, you know, the workers may
22 feel they get low pay; you do not put in-----
23
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Really, you have to work----
25
26 MR. MORRIS: No. It is a fair comment.
27
28 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just listen to me. You have to work on the
29 basis that I will assume that any advertising put out by
30 any corporation trying to make a profit is done with the
31 intention of making itself attractive rather than the
32 reverse. Please assume that I will take that for granted.
33
34 MR. MORRIS: Right. (To the witness) So, in other words, it
35 is a very particular, limited message of what McDonald's is
36 all about that you are putting over to kids; is that
37 correct?
38 A. It is exactly what we feel would most appeal to
39 children.
40
41 MR. JUSTICE BELL: All I am trying to stress is that some things
42 are just so obvious that they do not have to be canvassed
43 in evidence or put to a witness.
44
45 MS. STEEL: Sometimes it is obvious to us, as well, but it
46 appears that McDonald's are trying to deny the obvious, and
47 that is why we are putting it.
48
49 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not think they have said anything which
50 is denied, that their advertisements are designed and meant
51 to make McDonald's attractive to those who might be
52 watching them or reading them. (To the witness) Is there
53 any issue about that?
54 A. No, there is not.
55
56 Q. That is the whole point of it, is it not?
57 A. It is, indeed, my Lord.
58
59 MR. RAMPTON: I have opened the case on that very basis. The
60 only thing that matters is whether, when the people get
