Posted on 05/24/2005 11:24:34 AM PDT by Borges
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."
Borges wrote:
People need to learn to pick their battles. This one isn't worth fighting.
-- Don't forget: It's all for da children! /sarc
Professional busy-bodies.
There are mitigating facts though, like the following:
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.
OK. I could accept that. But then,
But Rolfe says "the tie-in is very specific to this film." Wrappers around Kids Meal toys all promote Sith, he notes.
My girls love Star Wars, but I won't take them to see this episode. I will buy them these BK kids meals and then tell them that we're not going to see this Star Wars episode.
While we are on the subject. What is in the newest movie that calls for the PG13 rating? My son has seen the previous movies with us at home. He wants to see the new one. The rating has given me some concern. If the movie is the same as the others than I won't have a problem taking him. Is there something really bad added that got the 13 rating?
It does seem odd to make children's toys for a film they shouldn't be watching. That's until you realize the money to be made!
Exactly. I wonder if the freckled hand of Brent Bozell (professional blue-nosed busybody) is behind this?
This whole campaign is just Jar Jar Binks out for revenge on Lucas for not giving him a speaking part in the latest movie. He can't figure out why that little muppet Yoda gets all the jedi chicks.
A little more violent and darker than the previous two.
This wasn't an issue in the 70s when Wiener King offered "Last Tango in Paris" toys...
I have seen it. There is only one really questionable sequence, where there are repeated views of a badly burned Anakin. If your child understands that you will be covering their eyes in this scene, then there really is nothing wrong (IMO), with this film. Everything is inferred, then spoken about.
Several cuttings off of arms and heads (which other SW movies have also had); at one point an implied murder (without showing the actual deed) of children, and later a vague look at a child's corpse. Those were what seemed worst to me.
So what is the issue? The set also includes characters from the new movie? Get a fricking clue people.
A bunch of busy-bodies with way too much time on their hands. Who are they to determine what is appropriate for other peoples' children? Personally I think people like this should be made to clean portapottys with a teacup and a toothbrush for a year. Give them some true appreciation for what $hit really is.
Although I hated BK, I would always bug my ma into taking me there just for the Empire Strikes Back Trading Cards.
Also there is a woman who has a traumatic child birth.
I thought maybe it was rabid Jar Jar Binks fans upset over his shoddy treatment.
"This wasn't an issue in the 70s when Wiener King offered "Last Tango in Paris" toys...
Didn't Wiener King offer a "Boogie Nights" action figure back in the 90s?
Dirk Diggler! That's a great movie.
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