ABSTRACT
Athletics at McDonald’s? One can’t help but smile at the idea. And yet the fast-food chain has been an official sponsor of the Olympic Games since 1976. This idea is not just a publicity stunt; it formed part of a broad global strategy, as the company whose image had taken such a battering, decided to go on the offensive. In 2004 it unveiled a new slogan, tested in the US and various other countries: ‘Go Active!™’. What this meant was that, not content with flogging us burgers and fries, McDonald’s now proposed to become our fitness coach. The Go Active kit consisted of a plate of salad, a glass of water and… a pedometer to add up all the steps taken in a day, enabling one to monitor one’s mileage. The package came complete with a little book of fitness tips. And, to enhance their image still further, the Golden Arches hired bevies of media-genic sports consultants and bought the endorsement of quite a few top athletes, such as the female basket-ball star Yao Ming.
