Similar to as some would describe “business” & “ethics” as an oxymoron, McDonald’s has recently been caught in hot water when the company announced that it would continue to be the top sponsor of the Games (Sochi 2014, Rio de Janeiro 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and recently announced Tokyo 2020). This deal is estimated to be about $100 million every four years. However, with the reputation of being an unhealthy fast food joint, many people criticize McDonald’s for unethically linking itself to an athletic event as big as the Olympic Games.
Perhaps the greatest concern to most critics is the effect it will have on kids and the athletes of tomorrow. Ironically, in a statement Donald Thompson says “In keeping with McDonald’s ongoing commitment to children’s well-being, we will continue to communicate with kids about the importance of balanced eating and active lifestyles through our partnership with the Games.” According to Statistics Canada, more than a third of Canadian children are obese, which can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyles such as fast food.
Now a huge part of Olympic sponsorship is branding and PR opportunities for the companies. For McDonald’s, the question is, “Is it worth it?”. Amidst all the controversy and bad press, McDonald’s certainly has gotten its reputation tarnished turn and turn. On the other hand, I personally agree with the saying that “any publicity is good publicity” in this context. In fact, the controversy almost seems to cause more trouble for the IOC – an example is the protests in London prior to the 2012 Summer Games.
Main article: http://www.canadianbusiness.com/blogs-and-comment/mcdonalds-and-the-ethics-of-olympic-sponsorship/