Group asks Burger King to halt 'Star Wars' deal
05-24-05, 12:44 PM
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Group asks Burger King to halt 'Star Wars' deal
By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY Tue May 24, 6:21 AM ET
The Force may - or may not - be with Burger King's latest Star Wars-themed Kids Meals.
One day after a record-shattering weekend for Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, an advocacy group is asking Burger King to stop the tie-in of its Kids Meals with the film because it is rated PG-13.
The same group, Dove Foundation, got McDonald's 13 years ago to apologize for "confusion" from its promotion of PG-13 Batman Returns with Happy Meals. Now, it's going after BK's latest Kids Meal promotion - targeted at kids ages 4 to 9. The meals feature characters from Sith or other Star Wars films.
"When Burger King puts that in a Kids Meal, there's an implicit endorsement of the movie," says Dick Rolfe, chairman of Dove Foundation.
This is no small matter. Product licensing and promotion is a $100 million annual business. Since the first Star Wars was released in 1977, the six films have racked up almost $9 billion in merchandise sales and product promotions.
For Burger King, the stakes are huge. The No. 2 burger chain is in the 16th month of a major rebound. The Star Wars promotion, dubbed "Choose Your Destiny," is the 50-year-old chain's first global promotion.
Burger King officials insist the promotion isn't specific to the latest film (the others are rated PG), but one that relates to the chain's long-term relationship with the Star Wars franchise. Executives point out that only four of the 31 Kids Meal toys are specific to Sith.
The toys "clearly celebrate not just one film but the entire Star Wars saga," says Edna Johnson, a Burger King spokeswoman. "The reception at our restaurants and from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive."
But Rolfe says "the tie-in is very specific to this film." Wrappers around Kids Meal toys all promote Sith, he notes.
Dove Foundation, a non-sectarian family advocacy group, sent an overnight letter to Burger King last Thursday requesting the promotion be stopped. It also conducted a national phone survey of 889 adults and says 83% felt the promotion was not appropriate for kids.
Another critic says the fault isn't that of Burger King but Star Wars creator George Lucas. "It's irresponsible of George Lucas to OK the marketing around this PG-13 movie to young children," says Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist and author of Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood.
"Star Wars is broader than a single movie," says Lynn Fox, a LucasFilm spokeswoman. "Parents know that Star Wars has been a positive influence."
The Force may - or may not - be with Burger King's latest Star Wars-themed Kids Meals.
One day after a record-shattering weekend for Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, an advocacy group is asking Burger King to stop the tie-in of its Kids Meals with the film because it is rated PG-13.
The same group, Dove Foundation, got McDonald's 13 years ago to apologize for "confusion" from its promotion of PG-13 Batman Returns with Happy Meals. Now, it's going after BK's latest Kids Meal promotion - targeted at kids ages 4 to 9. The meals feature characters from Sith or other Star Wars films.
"When Burger King puts that in a Kids Meal, there's an implicit endorsement of the movie," says Dick Rolfe, chairman of Dove Foundation.
This is no small matter. Product licensing and promotion is a $100 million annual business. Since the first Star Wars was released in 1977, the six films have racked up almost $9 billion in merchandise sales and product promotions.
For Burger King, the stakes are huge. The No. 2 burger chain is in the 16th month of a major rebound. The Star Wars promotion, dubbed "Choose Your Destiny," is the 50-year-old chain's first global promotion.
Burger King officials insist the promotion isn't specific to the latest film (the others are rated PG), but one that relates to the chain's long-term relationship with the Star Wars franchise. Executives point out that only four of the 31 Kids Meal toys are specific to Sith.
The toys "clearly celebrate not just one film but the entire Star Wars saga," says Edna Johnson, a Burger King spokeswoman. "The reception at our restaurants and from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive."
But Rolfe says "the tie-in is very specific to this film." Wrappers around Kids Meal toys all promote Sith, he notes.
Dove Foundation, a non-sectarian family advocacy group, sent an overnight letter to Burger King last Thursday requesting the promotion be stopped. It also conducted a national phone survey of 889 adults and says 83% felt the promotion was not appropriate for kids.
Another critic says the fault isn't that of Burger King but Star Wars creator George Lucas. "It's irresponsible of George Lucas to OK the marketing around this PG-13 movie to young children," says Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist and author of Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood.
"Star Wars is broader than a single movie," says Lynn Fox, a LucasFilm spokeswoman. "Parents know that Star Wars has been a positive influence."
It's amazing how easily some turn parenthood and responsibility over to the MPAA's ratings system.
05-24-05, 12:50 PM
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Have they actually SEEN the movie?
The only thing that a little kid couldn't handle would be
This movie is really a hard PG. I could totally see an 8 year old enjoying it.
The only thing that a little kid couldn't handle would be
Spoiler:
This movie is really a hard PG. I could totally see an 8 year old enjoying it.
05-24-05, 12:50 PM
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It's absurd because the toys themselves aren't violent themed. And a parent can always choose to eat somewhere other than BK (not a bad idea, in my opinion).
And hey, a parent can choose whether to let their kid see the movie as well.
-HM
And hey, a parent can choose whether to let their kid see the movie as well.
-HM
05-24-05, 01:08 PM
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I'd say there is some logic behind not marketing at PG-13 movie to young kids, though I can also see the point that the Star Wars phenomena as a whole is larger than just this one movie.
Last edited by silentbob007; 05-24-05 at 01:31 PM.
05-24-05, 01:14 PM
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Being a parent, I don't understand why other parents seem to have a problem telling their children "no". If I thought my kids were too young to see a PG13 movie, I'd tell them they couldn't see it regardless of how much the movie was marketed to them.
It is possible to resist marketing.
It is possible to resist marketing.
05-24-05, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by BigDan
Being a parent, I don't understand why other parents seem to have a problem telling their children "no". If I thought my kids were too young to see a PG13 movie, I'd tell them they couldn't see it regardless of how much the movie was marketed to them.
It is possible to resist marketing.
It is possible to resist marketing.
05-24-05, 01:48 PM
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I can think of some -REAL PROBLEMS- that need serious attention in this fucked up miserable World but this....isn't one of them. I guess it's easier to attack movie ratings and Burger King Profits than it is to deal with Poverty, America's poor education system, crime, violence against women, Job loss to foreigners in Blue collar and soon white collar areas, and other serious issues. 
Fuck these people.
Fuck these people.
Last edited by Giantrobo; 05-24-05 at 01:53 PM.
05-24-05, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by BigDan
Being a parent, I don't understand why other parents seem to have a problem telling their children "no". If I thought my kids were too young to see a PG13 movie, I'd tell them they couldn't see it regardless of how much the movie was marketed to them.
It is possible to resist marketing.
It is possible to resist marketing.
That's just it BigDan! Parents today are too busy trying to be their kid's "friend" instead of their Parent. Pop-psychology/culture tells parents it isn't right to make choices for them and that parents are nothing more the Genetic material donors when it comes to parenting. Kids NEED and WANT boundries set for them even if they don't realize it. Later on when they're adults they'll look back and appreciate the Boundries set out of LOVE.
At the very least if a parent allows a kid to see stuff like this they should discuss it. Talk about the differences between movie violence and real life violence, consequences of poor choices, and other important issues.
Last edited by Giantrobo; 05-27-05 at 12:28 AM.
05-24-05, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by twikoff
screw that group.. I took my 5 year old son AND my 2 month old daughter with me
Griffin loved it (of course, he LOVES all star wars stuff)
Griffin loved it
(of course, he LOVES all star wars stuff)Watch out Twikoff, you could be lynched for admitting you took children to a movie around here.
05-24-05, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Cusm
Watch out Twikoff, you could be lynched for admitting you took children to a movie around here.
Griffin was really good.. although he fell asleep for about half an hour near the start
and he asked a few questions to corrie's brother, who was sitting next to him.. but was really quiet about it and for the most part just sat back and enjoyed
05-24-05, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Giantrobo
That's just it BigDan! Parents today are too busy trying to be their kid's "friend" instead of their Parent. Pop-psychology/culture tells parents it isn't right to make choices for them and that parents are nothing more the Genetic material donors when it comes to parenting. Kids NEED and WANT boundries set for them even if they don't realize it. Later on when they're adults they'll look back and appreciate the Boundries set out of LOVE.
At the very least if a parent allows a kid to see stuff like this they should discuss it. Talk about the differences between movie violence and movie violence, consequences of poor choices, and other important issues.
Well said! As much as I like to play devil's advocate, I just can't take the side of the Dove Foundation on this issue!
Good relations with the whopper I have!
05-24-05, 03:37 PM
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It's all about the plot by Lucas to bring down the conservative government by the movie, they are just fighting back. 
Last edited by cactusoly; 05-24-05 at 05:56 PM.
05-24-05, 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Brain Stew
Have they actually SEEN the movie?
The only thing that a little kid couldn't handle would be
This movie is really a hard PG. I could totally see an 8 year old enjoying it.
The only thing that a little kid couldn't handle would be
Spoiler:
This movie is really a hard PG. I could totally see an 8 year old enjoying it.
hell, there was more blood in ANH. or has lucas edited that out of the cantina scene?
I agree with you about this being a PG movie. maybe pushing the limit of PG, but still PG
05-24-05, 07:48 PM
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I just don't get it. Are filmmakers and the MPAA supposed to take the responsibility that should go to Mom and Dad because parents are too busy working their day jobs to put effort into raising their kids nowadays?
05-24-05, 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr. DVD
I just don't get it. Are filmmakers and the MPAA supposed to take the responsibility that should go to Mom and Dad because parents are too busy working their day jobs to put effort into raising their kids nowadays?
05-24-05, 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by silentbob007
I'm not sure what the MPAA and the filmmakers have to do with this ... the "problem" is about how the film is being marketed, not about how it was made. Does anyone remember ... were there any toy deals like this with The Lord of the Rings?
Wonders how this group would've reacted to all the ALIENS (an R rated film)toys and action figures that were in stores years ago. Personally I thought those were kinda stupid.
05-26-05, 09:57 AM
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The Dove Foundation called my house this morning and asked to speak with my wife (they wouldn't speak to me) and when she said taht we had no children they didn't want to continue there poll or whatever it was they were calling about.
The funny thing is, I checked out the Dove Foundation website and they have a list of approved movies playing in the theatres.... and Revenge of The Sith was one of them! (although they recommend it for ages 12 and over)
The funny thing is, I checked out the Dove Foundation website and they have a list of approved movies playing in the theatres.... and Revenge of The Sith was one of them! (although they recommend it for ages 12 and over)
Last edited by cactusoly; 05-26-05 at 09:59 AM.