Day 006 - 05 Jul 94 - Page 34


     
     1        that ronald mcdonald's is there to encourage children to
              want to go to McDonald's so their parent will spend money
     2        in McDonald's. Is there any difficulty about that?
              A.  No, sir.  I do not have any problem with that per se,
     3        other than the statement was made he sells- it was implied
              that he sells things.  He himself has never been a sales
     4        person.  He represents an image; he represents a fun
              character, but he is not directly a salesman a la -- what
     5        is another character -- Tony the tiger on the cereal box,
              who basically says: "Hey, kids, they are great", implying
     6        you should buy them -- Ronald has never been used that
              way.
     7
         MISS STEEL:  Ronald has never said anything about your food
     8        being great?
              A.  I do not think so.
     9
         Q.   Or about the experience being great?
    10        A.  I think he has been shown having a good time in
              McDonald's, yes.  Ultimately, regardless what he may say
    11        about the food, this has been our opinion all along;
              ultimately, whatever he says about the food, people have
    12        to like it or they do not come back.
 
    13   Q.   So you would agree that ronald mcdonald's is a useful
              marketing tool?
    14        A.  Would agree to that, yes.
 
    15   Q.   He is a marketing tool directed at children?
              A.  It is directed at children and their families.
    16
         Q.   Do you not consider it to be cynical exploitation of
    17        children to use ronald mcdonald, a well known clown, to
              drum up business for your company?
    18        A.  No.
 
    19   MR. MORRIS:  This ronald mcdonald's character, the clown, he is
              not involved in the promotion of- you say he is not
    20        directly saying, "Come in and buy"- you are saying he is
              something more than that.
    21        A.  It may cover that in an indirect way but it is
              certainly is not- I have never seen a McDonald's ad
    22        involving Ronald where he ever said, "Come buy this."
 
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are you going to achieve any more than Miss
              Steel has achieved?
    24
         MR. MORRIS:  Maybe.  I want to ask one question.  Is there more
    25        than one ronald mcdonald in this country?
              A.  Yes, there is- well, historically there has been one 
    26        used on television, just one. 
  
    27   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You mean one actor?
              A.  One actor used for television.  There may be 6 or 7
    28        involved in personal appearances around the country.
 
    29   MR. MORRIS:  So the one that is on television, he is the main
              one or something?
    30        A.  As I said, historically in Britain we have used one
              actor playing the parts of ronald mcdonald on television.

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