Day 300 - 14 Nov 96 - Page 35
1 been true.
2
3 But he went on to say that McDonald's advertised in the
4 cross-over time which was when both parents and children
5 would be watching the same television. Obviously it is
6 clear from that that the advertising which McDonald's claim
7 is being directed at adults is in fact being directed at
8 both children and adults, so, you know, it is fair to say
9 that it is aimed at children, even if it is also aimed at
10 adults.
11
12 The other thing was that when Mr. Preston came back to give
13 evidence - this is on day 246 - he was asked to read this
14 article and I asked him whether or not there was anything
15 that he disagreed with in the article or that he said was
16 inaccurate. And he said it is difficult to comment on
17 other people's quotes but he could comment on his own and
18 that he thought it tells part of the story. He said:
19 Certainly I would have said things like that but I think
20 I would have gone on to say more, but I would have said
21 many of those things, yes.
22
23 Then he was asked to read the paragraph which I have
24 already read out, and he said that with their very, very
25 first television advertisements, certainly they were played
26 in cross-over time, they were ronald mcdonald ads appealing
27 to the children. So there was a clear admission that the
28 children's advertisements are going out in adults' time,
29 cross-over time, and they are going to be counted in the
30 adult budget, no doubt.
31
32 He said they were ronald mcdonald ads appealing to the
33 children, where they were put in times when mum and the
34 kids would be watching together. He said: As for most of
35 our television commercials went out in the afternoon when
36 kids were watching, I do not know that that is true.
37 Because he said that they were limited periods of time when
38 you could buy the television advertising.
39
40 But, I mean, that is not the important part. The important
41 point is that the very first television advertisements were
42 ronald mcdonald ads which were appealing to the children.
43 Then he was asked about the second sentence: It was
44 pressure from kids which brought their parents into our
45 restaurant. And he said: I think kids do in most
46 families; certainly mine did when they were of Ronald
47 McDonald age. I might as well read all of it so I do not
48 get accused -- I mean, I was trying to cut out bits because
49 it is all a bit sort of anecdotal. I think kids do in most
50 families; certainly mine did when they were of Ronald
51 McDonald age. They would say, Mum or Dad I want to go to
52 McDonald's. I have to say I did not succumb all the time;
53 sometimes I did. I think most parents make the choice
54 based on sensibility. They have the ability to say yes or
55 no as appropriate.
56
57 I mean, we would say that is irrelevant. The question is
58 whether or not they are pestering their parents. It is
59 clear if he is not succumbing all the time, it must have
60 been quite a frequent request and this is to a President of
