New Marketing Subgroup

Sometimes my children shock me.

Yesterday we were reading a new book- a rather good book. A rather good book, whose name has left me at the moment. I love the premise of the book- a child climbs into his grandma's lap as she tells him a story. The child shares with us that "On my grandma's lap, I can go anywhere...swim to the bottom of the ocean, float on pink cotton candy clouds, travel on an african safari..." Love, love, love the imagination of this book.

Then I turned to the last page and ran across this picture...

and I wonder something...so I pose the question: Do you know who this is? Do you know where he works?

Now a bit of educational philosophy...the ability to "read" pictures and decipher information from them is an big emerging reading skill. We often play this game as we read books...tell me, what is that whale doing in the picture. When the child invents his idea based on the image he sees of the whale, he is putting together the skills necessary for one day reading letters and putting them together to create words and stories. Some of the first images children "read" and can decipher are fast food signs.

Back to the question...My curiosity was peeked because I know that while Ronald McDonald was a big part of my childhood, I don't know that I've seen him lately. Another layer to this curiosity is that my clientele is very crunchy granola. So while I know that occasionally they will stop at the common fast food establishments, I also know they are much, much, much more likely to eat at local, crunchy granola type restaurants.

So I pose the question and wait responses. To which I receive NONE. These children don't know Ronald McDonald. They don't know the Golden Arches logo on his shirt.

Perhaps the winds of marketing has shifted. In fact, I heard rumor they might 'fire' Mr McDonald b/c he makes kids fat.

But nonetheless my inner crunchy granola loving self is happy. Cause just maybe these children's taste buds are being exposed to more wholesome food. Cause just maybe these children will grow up eager to explore the mom and pop diner down the street instead of the McDs on the corner. Cause just maybe we are making a difference.