McDonalds fights off film attack

The Australian arm of fast food giant McDonalds has started an advertising blitz to counter criticism of its products in a hit documentary film.

The Australian arm of fast food giant McDonalds has started an advertising blitz to counter criticism of its products in a hit documentary film. “Seen that movie?” shouts the firm’s website, as part of an ad campaign that offers to separate “fact from fiction”. The documentary, Super Size Me, depicts the descent into ill health of a man who attempts to eat nothing but McDonalds food for an entire month. Upon its release, it broke box office records for a documentary in Australia. ‘Dismayed customers’ The film charts director Morgan Spurlock’s experiment in eating nothing but fast food for four weeks. As the month progresses, he puts on weight and develops depression, palpitations and sugar cravings. It broke box office records for a documentary on the weekend that it was released in Australia. Having initially tried to ignore the film, McDonalds then decided to attack it, according to a spokeswoman. “Our customers were dismayed and shocked that we had not responded and took it as some sort of admission of guilt,” Christine Mullins told the French news agency, AFP. First fight back The company is countering Super Size Me with a two-week ad campaign being screened on television and in cinemas. The ads and the McDonalds website feature Guy Russo, the firm’s Australian chief, accusing film-maker Morgan Spurlock of distorting the facts. He says Spurlock ate as much McDonalds food in 30 days as nutritionists say should be eaten in eight years. “Surprise, surprise, he finds it was an error, I could have told him that,” says Mr Russo. Ms Mullins said it was the first attempt by any national arm of McDonalds to hit back at the film. (Source: BBC News, June 2004)