'Super Size' ads go big for bow
'Super Size' stunt
May 7, 2004
Ads for Sundance award winner "Super Size Me," a documentary that explores the issue of American obesity with filmmaker Morgan Spurlock eating a McDonald's-only diet for 30 straight days, will start running today in major U.S. newspapers with a "two thumbs down" quote from McDonald's and an offer of discount movie tickets for McDonald's employees.
"Super Size Me," which won the best director award at Sundance in January, opens today in 37 theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington. Distributed by Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn Films, "Super Size Me" goes into wide release a couple of weeks later.
The ads will run today in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post, among others. They started running in some local weekly papers and magazines Wednesday. A television and radio ad campaign launched last weekend.
Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn said the average $3 discount off the ticket price for McDonald's employees who present an employee ID at the theater boxoffice was intended to educate the fast food chain employees about the food they're serving.
"The whole purpose is not just to preach to the converted," said Shani Ankori, marketing manager for Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn. "It's to educate people who are in the fast-food industry so they know what they're dealing with. This will just bring consciousness and awareness to their own environment."
McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa Howard, who is quoted as saying "two thumbs down" in the new ad featuring Spurlock with his mouth jammed full of French fries, did not comment specifically on the ad but said of the discount offer for McDonald's employees, "It's just another gimmick, like his film."
Spurlock said he focused on McDonald's in the film, his first, because it is the leader in the fast-food industry and could most easily affect change by offering its customers healthier choices.
"They are the leader. Everybody follows the leader," Spurlock said. "I picked the company that could most easily, in my opinion, institute change."
He noted that two months after he won the best director prize at Sundance, McDonald's eliminated Super Size meal offerings from its menu. On Thursday, the company introduced adult Go Active Happy Meals, which include a salad, bottled water, a pedometer and an exercise booklet from Oprah Winfrey trainer Bob Greene.
"The film is already starting to have an impact," Spurlock said. "How great would it be if we could make people think about what they eat, and how awesome would it be if we could start to educate people about what they eat? Were going to see change come out of this, and we're going to see this film have an impact."
Howard denied that the film had any connection to the changes in the McDonald's menu and said they had been planned long before the film came out.
In the film, Spurlock eats only McDonald's meals three times a day for 30 straight days and alleges that as a result he gains almost 25 pounds, his cholesterol level rises 65 points and his liver fills with fat, reaching a toxic level. He said all his body functions came back to normal eight weeks after he stopped the McDonald's diet.
Howard alleged that Spurlock did no exercise, overate and snacked between meals, consuming 5,000-7,000 calories a day, twice the recommended daily allowance for adult males.
"I think once you see the movie, you'll understand that he distorted things and he played fast and loose with the facts," she said. "Our customers are very smart people, and I think they know what the truth is about McDonald's. Anybody who sees this film wouldn't take it seriously."
She said McDonald's was not concerned about the film hurting its bottom line. "We have had the best global results we've seen in one quarter for 20 years," she said, noting that McDonald's serves 47 million people around the world every day.
"Our customers trust McDonald's and will continue to trust McDonald's because all our food is nutritious and can fit into a healthy, active lifestyle," Howard said.
"Super Size Me," which won the best director award at Sundance in January, opens today in 37 theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington. Distributed by Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn Films, "Super Size Me" goes into wide release a couple of weeks later.
The ads will run today in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post, among others. They started running in some local weekly papers and magazines Wednesday. A television and radio ad campaign launched last weekend.
Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn said the average $3 discount off the ticket price for McDonald's employees who present an employee ID at the theater boxoffice was intended to educate the fast food chain employees about the food they're serving.
"The whole purpose is not just to preach to the converted," said Shani Ankori, marketing manager for Roadside Attraction/Samuel Goldwyn. "It's to educate people who are in the fast-food industry so they know what they're dealing with. This will just bring consciousness and awareness to their own environment."
McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa Howard, who is quoted as saying "two thumbs down" in the new ad featuring Spurlock with his mouth jammed full of French fries, did not comment specifically on the ad but said of the discount offer for McDonald's employees, "It's just another gimmick, like his film."
Spurlock said he focused on McDonald's in the film, his first, because it is the leader in the fast-food industry and could most easily affect change by offering its customers healthier choices.
"They are the leader. Everybody follows the leader," Spurlock said. "I picked the company that could most easily, in my opinion, institute change."
He noted that two months after he won the best director prize at Sundance, McDonald's eliminated Super Size meal offerings from its menu. On Thursday, the company introduced adult Go Active Happy Meals, which include a salad, bottled water, a pedometer and an exercise booklet from Oprah Winfrey trainer Bob Greene.
"The film is already starting to have an impact," Spurlock said. "How great would it be if we could make people think about what they eat, and how awesome would it be if we could start to educate people about what they eat? Were going to see change come out of this, and we're going to see this film have an impact."
Howard denied that the film had any connection to the changes in the McDonald's menu and said they had been planned long before the film came out.
In the film, Spurlock eats only McDonald's meals three times a day for 30 straight days and alleges that as a result he gains almost 25 pounds, his cholesterol level rises 65 points and his liver fills with fat, reaching a toxic level. He said all his body functions came back to normal eight weeks after he stopped the McDonald's diet.
Howard alleged that Spurlock did no exercise, overate and snacked between meals, consuming 5,000-7,000 calories a day, twice the recommended daily allowance for adult males.
"I think once you see the movie, you'll understand that he distorted things and he played fast and loose with the facts," she said. "Our customers are very smart people, and I think they know what the truth is about McDonald's. Anybody who sees this film wouldn't take it seriously."
She said McDonald's was not concerned about the film hurting its bottom line. "We have had the best global results we've seen in one quarter for 20 years," she said, noting that McDonald's serves 47 million people around the world every day.
"Our customers trust McDonald's and will continue to trust McDonald's because all our food is nutritious and can fit into a healthy, active lifestyle," Howard said.
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