Did you hear about the California mom who’s taking on the Golden Arches? Monet Parham is suing McDonald’s, trying to get the fast-food chain to stop using toys to market meals to young children. Parham says her six-year-old is so drawn to Happy Meals because of the toys, it’s a fight she just can’t win. “I can tell them no all day long,” says Parham, “but then they see commercials that convince them you’ve really gotta have this.” Forgive me, but isn’t that the mantra of just about every commercial or ad we see? They scream “You’ve really gotta have this!”
I have a beef with jewelry commercials. You’ve seen them. One starts with a man holding a jewelry box, with a surprised woman saying “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” Those commercials make me feel like a heel if I don’t buy my wife something so nice… and expensive. And they sure are convincing that “You’ve really gotta have this!” So does that mean I can sue the jewelry company?
Or how about those car commercials? I’m sure drawn to them because I love brand new and expensive cars. How about the one where the wife surprises her husband with the gift-wrapped new car in their living room (if you can fit a car in your house, with room to spare, you can probably afford a new one every Christmas)? I hope my wife knows that it’s something “I really gotta have”. And I wonder if she feels guilty for not buying one for me? So does that mean she can sue the car company?
Monet Parham “objects to the fact that McDonald’s is getting into my kids’ heads without my permission”. I know how she feels. I hear the voices too. And they’re saying, “It’s not your fault you can’t say ‘No’” Anyone know a good lawyer?
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- Calif. mom to sue McDonald’s to end meal toys (abclocal.go.com)
