May 9th, 2006
Jobs gets out of the Happy Meal business
Apparently Steve Jobs doesn’t care too much for the food at McDonald’s or at minimum he wants to stop using it to promote Disney/Pixar films to kids.
According to a story in the L.A. Times, Disney is not renewing a 10-year agreement with McDonald’s to include plastic toys in its Happy Meals:
Disney is not renewing its cross-promotional pact with the fast-food giant, ending the arrangement with this summer’s release of "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest."
The word is that Disney is trying to disassociate itself from high calorie and trans fat laden fast food peddled by fast food giants like McDonald’s. Times staff writer Rachel Abramowitz finds the timing the contract cancellation (reported to be worth US$1 billion to Disney) less than coincidental. It happened just as Steve Jobs becomes Disney’s largest shareholder after the acquisition of his Pixar Animation Studios.
During a conference call last year Jobs, who is a pescetarian (neither vegetarian nor vegan as is often reported), said "there is value" (in fast-food tie-ins) "but there are also some concerns, as our society becomes more conscious of some of the implications of fast food."
Health concerns haven’t stopped less obesity-conscious studios, though. DreamWorks Animation SKG has already jumped in to replace Disney in promotional tie-ins with McDonald’s for "Shrek 3" which is due out next year.
Maybe Shrek should consider a salad this go around.
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
Subscribe to The Apple Core via Email alerts or RSS.
