McDonalds Ads - tell us how do you feel about them folks?

[JustineMumsnet]

Good day MNetters,
We've been asked if we'd host ads for McDonalds, so we thought we'd ask what you think. Would you object to banner ads (ie like the one at the top of the page) on Mumsnet?
Let us know.

@Eleison

Nope, I wouldn't have said it Justine. I dislike the equvocation of business and community entity and I think that consulting on something like the adverts you take is exactly such an equivocation.

I think there are two entirely distinct things: (1) a business owning a talk platform and selling ads; and (2) a set of talkers. I have never wanted a say in the business, because I have never wanted to pretend that a business can champion me. I only want to ensure that whenever the business claims to talk for the talkers, it does so on very good grounds. I would prefer it not to talk for us.

You sure the odd "shambolic handling" mightn't have slipped out?

@MilaMae

God is nothing sacred

Any Fairtrade companies in the pipeline?

I don't see how you're discussing it though if you're ignoring(and not addressing) many of the valid points that have been raised.

We had Shelter in the last newsletter... and Marie Curie and St John's ambulance (charities all get half price rate) and the Co-ops just signed up for a campaign.

I thought I'd addressed most of the points raised in my post, MilaMae and am still here...

I don't know what you mean: I said you were engaging in a nominal consultation which was in fact shambolic, and that the effect was that you co-opt MNers in as a supportive voice approving a decision that you then make. I don't think I sia dyou should have had a consultation: only that if you consult, you should do it well.

Well, I've only just seen this thread today for the first time, and have not read all 19 pages, so I may be repeating previously shared views.

BecauseImWorthIt makes a good point, I don't go hunting for threads from HQ and would have missed this altogether had it not turned up in Most Active. Maybe it would be helpful if there was a "MNHQ discussions" tab next to discussions of the day and most active so we pick this up more easily

On the McDonalds ad subject, I do think that putting up an ad implies an endorsement of the company. In this instance I would be a bit to see McDonalds on MN.

That said, I'm expecting and my biggest craving has been for McDo's quarter pounder with cheese, but I take full responsibility for my shameful actions

@Eleison

I don't know what you mean: I said you were engaging in a nominal consultation which was in fact shambolic, and that the effect was that you co-opt MNers in as a supportive voice approving a decision that you then make. I don't think I sia dyou should have had a consultation: only that if you consult, you should do it well.

We are genuinely interested in what MNetters think on this issue. Not sure how else we'd find out what they think other than discussing it on talk. 95% of action on MNet is on Talk. This thread has been live and in active conversations since last Tuesday - 6 days. There have been 2 other lively discussions along the same lines in AIBU.

Having said that I would never claim to be anything other than shambolic.

But Justine - in a survey, there are (usually) strict quotas set in place, in terms of representing the full demographic.

That's the point I'm making - those people who did post on the thread - how representative are they of the rest of MN?

Ooo good news re Co-Op quite like them....unless there is anything else I need to know?

Re the healthy eating Justine how on earth are you going to get involved in any future discussions regarding this issue? I feel when you're interviewed at the moment you/mn carry a certain amount of respect on issues you engage in,I fear this will be lost if you run a McD ad.

Also although you may not be condoning it do you not feel that promoting junk food on a parenting site is wrong?

ps Active Conversations is our busiest page on the site. Since Tues it has received nearly half a million page views.

Well, I think MNHQ has a tendency to overstate the democratic potential () of a chat thread. You often seem to talk like you were a membership organisation like the ones you campaign alongside. But if you were, then there would be a formal constitution, a governing body, votes, etc. etc. A chat thread isn't a survey -- which would be daft because you are a business. Perhaps a universal mailout to users would count as asking effectively? I don't know. I just want to talk among the other users.

Baring in mind that it's parents who provide children's food and in the vast majority of cases play a huge part in child obesity.

Whilst I think the discussion has been interesting, perhaps you could now do a poll? Post a link on the site to the survey.

That will then give you 'proper' statistics.

You could also publicise the poll in the round-up, or parenting news, or the other ways that you regularly communicate with MNetters.

Surely you could just send a round robin e-mail poll then you would know everybody had seen it,a link could get missed.

Would be interesting to see the results and very sad if the majority simply don't care.

Personally I still think an element of integrity is needed,you may not care but that doesn't mean it's right to run a McD ad on a parenting site.

Sorry but you still haven't said why you're prepared to alienate so many thinking mums by running these ad's when you could just as easily take another company's cash.

@Eleison

Well, I think MNHQ has a tendency to overstate the democratic potential () of a chat thread. You often seem to talk like you were a membership organisation like the ones you campaign alongside. But if you were, then there would be a formal constitution, a governing body, votes, etc. etc. A chat thread isn't a survey -- which would be daft because you are a business. Perhaps a universal mailout to users would count as asking effectively? I don't know. I just want to talk among the other users.

And all I want to do is to provide a decent platform for you to talk to the other users, make sure I can pay my staff (and maybe even turn a modest profit ) and not piss off all the users.

Never even notice the ads and couldn't say who does and doesn't advertise on here. Anyway this is a site for mums, not kids and I don't think there's one of us that would be swayed by an ad on here or not for McD's. It's not like they're not on every high street and we/our grots don't know about them. 2 out my 4 DCs can't stand the 'food' in there anyway. Don't give a stuff...

my five cents worth...

McDonalds are a distinctly unethical company who are heavily involved in the deforestation of the rainforests.

but... so many multi-nationals are also guilty of this and other equally abhorrent working practices - e.g coca cola re-routing water supplies.

not sure where MN would draw the line if ethics were the reason for declining their sponsorship.

the food is gross and i never eat there. i wouldn't want their money in my business either and I tend to lose respect for companies that do associate with brands like McDonalds.

Thought for one ghastly second you told me to piss off then, JM. [horror]

I do appreciate very much a lot of what you have done. I just fear the transition suggested bt Slim, from authentic voice of mothers to mothers, to projected processed voice of "valuable database" selling women's thoughts back to them. It seems inevitable, though. Perhaps it was never possible that it wouldn't happen.

This is interesting..

1)Have to admit to being pleased that you asked.My vote would be a no - I don't want to see McDonalds advertising on here, but would accept the majority rule.

2)I was of the understanding that by not allowing certain adverts, the ones allowed were then (in some small way) sanctioned by MHHQ, or were certainly there to appeal to the particular audience.

HTH

Polls are self-selecting too though unless it's a weighted survey, which costs £££. Talk threads have always been used by MNHQ for this stuff.

Anyone else remember when we used an MNHQ talk thread to let Justine know we didn't want to her to take MN to the Baby Show because it's organizers also organized arms fairs? DOn't remember people complaining about the process then!

Perhaps there would have been complaints about the process if the argument against The Baby Show or indeed Nestle hadn't gone down that route?

@Eleison

Thought for one ghastly second you told me to piss off then, JM. [horror]

I do appreciate very much a lot of what you have done. I just fear the transition suggested bt Slim, from authentic voice of mothers to mothers, to projected processed voice of "valuable database" selling women's thoughts back to them. It seems inevitable, though. Perhaps it was never possible that it wouldn't happen.

I just don't get this selling thoughts back business, sorry. How exactly are we selling your thoughts back to you?

I'm not complaining - I was wondering ...

Told you, Justine, you need that 'can't win' emoticon!

Or maybe that's what is really for

oh, not you personally. To the extent that it is a 'database' for advertisers, politicians, etc, it functions as a focus group? Refining their perception of what we want them to be? That educates the stance they take when they speak to us on webchats etc, and in the media. Some talk threads serve that function more than others, and I guess this is an example of a thread that advertisers will look at closely. Etc etc.

Have had enough of being a pita now so will piss off.