McDonald’s: Kids love those Hummer toys So, about that McDonald’s toy Hummer promotion we wrote about last month: Enviroblog points us to McDonald’s corporate responsibility blog, where McDonald’s vp Bob Langert addresses concerns about it. “Most importantly, I do not see this promotion as a reflection of our commitment to strategies that will conserve non-renewable resources and reduce the environmental footprint of our restaurant business—and our supply chain,” he writes. He isn’t apologizing; he seems to be saying the promotion simply exists outside of McDonald’s environmental efforts. But then he writes: “Our company, including my staff, is deeply committed to the whole scope of corporate responsibility issues, including environmental protection. So I polled my staff who have or had children. One of them said her children enjoy the little Hummer replicas as toys, just as many kids like toy trucks, regardless of make or model. She drives a MiniCooper, walks with her children to get groceries, bicycles with them on weekends, etc. Another said her grandchildren absolutely love the toy Hummers—that they’re fun. Of course, there’s nothing scientific about this poll, but I think it makes an important point. Looked at through children’s eyes, the miniature Hummers are just toys, not vehicle recommendations or a source of consumer messages about natural resource conservation, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.” So there you have it. This promotion is not intended to benefit Hummer in any way. It’s all about making the kids happy. As Enviroblog says, this is either naive or disingenuous. —Posted by Tim Nudd

September 11, 2006 | Permalink

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Comments

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This is America. If people want to drive stupid cars that have bad gas mileage they're allowed to! It's not your money they will be spending on gas.

My son got a Hummer toy in his Happy Meal and LOVED it. It was a great toy. He has 13 more years before he can drive and probably 30 more before he could even afford to buy a Hummer (if they're still around then).

Get over it! It's a toy!

Posted by: Spicy McHaggis | Sep 11, 2006 8:15:18 AM

Respectfully, Spicy McHaggis,

It's not my money they will be spending on gas, but it is the air I breathe that they will be polluting, the lives of my armed forces they will be squandering, and the stability of my planet they will be upsetting. The costs of Hummers are so externalized they ought to be considered immoral. People other than the owners of Hummers pay the bulk of the costs of ownership.

By saying, "Get over it! It's a toy!" are you arguing that there are NO toys people should be upset over? I'm pretty sure I could come up with a spectacularly vile toy.

Posted by: Richard Daly | Sep 11, 2006 8:51:58 AM

Here here Richard. McD's would never give away toy guns for the same reason...

Namaste

Al

Posted by: Al | Sep 11, 2006 10:58:44 AM

I agree that it's "just a toy". However, it's a toy that's become laden with very bad symbolism and worse taste. Giving away dump trucks would be entirely differnt because no one will ever own a dump truck. Kids will pester their parents about owning hummers.

Anyway, if McDonalds were not trying to pass off an image of environmental responsibility then we wouldn't be calling their bluff on this one.

Posted by: Nick Aster | Sep 11, 2006 1:05:15 PM

based on the last few comments, it sounds like the mattel's hot wheels cars will soon be passé

Posted by: Wally | Sep 11, 2006 1:39:13 PM

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