Send Ronald McDonald To The Cornfield!

Where's Timmy, from that classic Twilight Zone episode, when you really need him?

To me, it has always seemed that Ronald McDonald was like the obsequious, caddy, bad-dressing friend/uncle/co-worker, take your pick, that doesn't get it that he is not cool and hip.

Even that they have regulated him, primarily, to their charity work, he still pops up and it still provokes a gastrointestinal groan.



So, we have someone out on the front lines, looking to address the situation;

Group Aims to Send Ronald McDonald to Retirement Home ...Compares McD's Clown to the Late Joe Camel

One of the groups that led the ultimately successful campaign to banish Joe Camel from advertising now has a new target: Ronald McDonald.

"It's time that Ronald McDonald joined Joe Camel in retirement," argues Corporate Accountability International on its "Retire Ronald" website. "These tired mascots should be spending their golden years relaxing and sharing tales of their bygone days spent targeting children with deadly products."

(Here's CAI's website)

It's past the level that Ronald McDonald does a disservice to clowns, real, funny, entertaining clowns.

And, it has long been specious for McDonald's to target the youngest of our population with the use of a manufactured, second-rate, corporate clown.

A commentor, on Ad Age's site has it;

The clown is over anyway. He has no appeal to children and despite sad attempts to yank him into the 21st century (slimmed down, riding a skateboard and using 'hip,' txt-speak) he is not relevant or fun. I mean, have you EVER known a kid who was into Ronald? CAI's campaign could be great for McDonald's. They start a dialog, act all concerned, then phase out this outdated brand figure. Or better yet, retire him to some bronze plaque outside the Ronald McDonald House Charity.

If they don't retire him, at least they can change their signs to read "Over 1-Billion Duped".