Debra Galant Explains the Universe: Unnamed suburban mom blogger besieged with McDonald's press release

Unnamed suburban mom blogger besieged with McDonald's press release

Now that I've made Jay Rosen's site as an unnamed suburban mom and journalist,

(The press doesn't own journalism, entirely. And Big Media doesn't entirely own the press, because if it did then the First Amendment, which mentions the press, would belong to Big Media. And it doesn't. These things were always true. The weblog doesn't change them. It just opens up an outlet to the sea. Which in turn extends "the press" to the desk in the bedroom of the suburban mom, where she blogs at night.)

I'm going to be besieged with pr requests to cover bake sales and Chuck E. Cheese grand openings. Why it's already happening.

Look what arrived in my e-mail box just this morning, a press release from McDonald's!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE McDONALD'S® TEAMS WITH 4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT TO CELEBRATE 25th BIRTHDAY OF THE HAPPY MEAL® Promotion to Feature The Dog™ at Participating McDonald’s Restaurants Nationwide
Oak Brook, Ill., March 29, 2004 – McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) have teamed to celebrate the 25th birthday of McDonald’s® Happy Meal®. The special promotion will feature 12 breeds of the lovable Artlist Collection: The Dog™ inspired plush toys in Happy Meals beginning April 2, 2004 through April 29, 2004, at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

Officially licensed by 4Kids Entertainment outside of Asia, The Dog is a highly successful puppy photography franchise from Japan. The heart-tugging collection consists of more than 70 different breeds of puppies photographed with exaggerated proportions where the heads of the puppies are charmingly enlarged. The McDonald’s Happy Meal toys, modeled after the award-winning photographs, feature the same exaggerated characteristics.

“McDonald’s is thrilled to bring the most desirable new toys and characters to our young guests as part of our summer long, happy birthday celebration,” said Kathy Pyle, director kids and family marketing. “These toys will capture the hearts and imaginations of kids and delight collectors of all ages. The 25th Happy Birthday Happy Meal celebration marks a milestone in McDonald's history, and we are excited to begin our summertime lineup with the debut of The Dog.”

“We are proud to partner with McDonald’s in promoting the 25th birthday of the Happy Meal,” said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment. “The inclusion of The Dog in McDonald’s Happy Meals is testimony to the growing popularity of this property. McDonald’s is one of the top franchises in the world and we look forward to working with the company to celebrate this historic achievement and inspire puppy love for kids, collectors and puppy lovers alike."

Dog plush toys! In Happy Meals! A historic achievement! Wow!

Stop the presses!

Wait, I just remembered. Don't kids get fat from those McDonald's meals? Right, and they scream and yell in McDonald's and drive their mothers crazy if they don't get the happy meal toys they want. And sometimes they choke on them. And why dogs, for that matter? Why not cats? Is that fair? Is this an anti-feline conspiracy? I'll just have to ask some of the other suburban moms. Where's my Rolodex? This could be a great story...

March 29, 2004 | Permalink

Comments

I just love it when heads are charmingly enlarged! It's so exciting and wonderful!

Why, with information like this, you'll turn all of suburbia on its charmingly enlarged head! Argh!

Posted by: Jo | March 29, 2004 at 01:54 PM

I guess the only thing weirder than the press release is that grown people actually take this seriously and view it with significance. In the large scheme of things - or even in the medium scheme of things - of what real importance is "breeds of puppies photographed with exaggerated proportions where the heads of the puppies are charmingly enlarged."

I think the McD executives - and especially those in marketing - view themselves with exaggerated proportions where their heads are [perhaps not so] charmingly enlarged.

Posted by: Mark Federman | March 29, 2004 at 05:46 PM

Mr. Man and McDonalds divorced about three years ago. McD's stopped offering the Lego Bionicle critters. He was crushed and vowed never to return.

Currently Kirspy Kreme is the preferred franchise to clamor for. You get to watch the donuts being made which is much better than getting a stuffed dog.

Posted by: pops | March 29, 2004 at 05:53 PM

First off, you're not getting anything off on me. I see the banner, and it says "international blog comment week" [emphasis added.] Since when did you think you could inflate this thing to a week?

Anyway, you can now count yourself among the elite and proud. The rest of us poor bastards only get McDonalds 'infoganda' through melodious rap-ads, which are like, so hip and cool. They're speaking to my generation. The fogeys will never understand the highly processed hamburger. They just don't get it.

Actually I'm either entirely too crotchety, or those advertisements are aimed towards younger people with softer brains, brains they want to mold and murder with artery clogging fake-food goodness.

We're all fortunate to be able to listen to someone spastically sing, "I'm lovin it" while seizure patients writhe in what is meant to be dance, but only you and your brethen get the press releases as well.

Posted by: Ben | March 29, 2004 at 06:03 PM