Why is McDonald’s getting rid of Ronald McDonald? Can it come back?
Uncle McDonald’s is the fast-food chain’s first and only iconic figure to date. However, you may find that it has rarely appeared or seems to have disappeared completely over the years.
If so, why is McDonald’s getting rid of Uncle McDonald’s? This article will reveal the story about it below this article. Read on to satisfy your curiosity!
Why is McDonald’s getting rid of Uncle McDonald’s in 2022?
The fact is that in 2016, the company’s mascot was completely removed in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. It has received a lot of criticism and opposition from the public due to the misuse of extremists and various acts of violence.
Others have used a similar shape and appeared with a weapon. It has spread rapidly as a trend and has instilled fear in many people. As a result, the company was forced to quickly reduce the mascot’s popularity, leaving it only in certain media.
The story of this clown mascot goes a long way. Therefore, you should read on to learn about “Why did McDonald’s get rid of Uncle McDonald’s? “
The Story of Uncle McDonald’s
This iconic aspect debuted in 1963 in a Washington, D.C. advertising campaign. Willard Scott, who played a similar role in “The World’s Most Famous Clown Bozo,” was voted the first person to play the role two years in a row.
The Joker debuted in a costume based entirely on typical McDonald’s dishes.
He would put on a hat that looked like a plate of hamburgers, milkshakes, and fries. His nose is covered with a small cup with the brand’s logo on it. The red and yellow striped suit is the company’s signature two colors, with a square white scarf around the neck.
The mascot frequently visits children in the hospital and regularly participates in related activities. At one point, the company had to recruit more than 300 clowns to appear at both external and internal events.
In addition, the company built Uncle McDonald’s House near the health care center as an overnight home for parents and children.
Why did Uncle McDonald’s leave McDonald’s?
The company had to hire nearly 300 people to pretend to be clowns and attend events in its heyday. so, Why aren’t there more McDonald’s uncles?
Since 2010, Boston, Massachusetts-based Corporate Accountability International has persuaded the company to drop its mascot because of childhood obesity. The group also noted that it is unethical to target children with fast food advertising campaigns. However, CEO Jim Skinner rejected the offer.
Instead, in 2011, the company reappeared in the media as The Joker, although it did not receive much positive response.
Until 2016, it was heavily criticized by health experts. Its image in the public eye was also diminished by camouflage. They disguised themselves as armed clowns and committed some shocking crimes.
Some of them try to scare others at night. The move became a trend and spread from the US to places like the UK. The children were even horrified when a clown chased them with a knife. And they may also face danger when they are lured into the forest by the character.
As a result, many people feel fear rather than joy when they see the McDonald’s mascot.
The real reason McDonald’s got rid of Uncle McDonald’s
common problem
Is Uncle McDonald’s famous worldwide?
Yes. This mascot is famous in many places where the fast food chain appears, such as the US, UK, Australia, Japan, China, etc. But in Japan, people usually call it “Donald McDonald” instead of the leading “R”. They find it difficult to pronounce it correctly.
The company also spends a lot of time promoting its icon alongside technology development.
In 1970, for example, Charle Comic published a comic book related to the character, which was sold until 1971. Since then, the company has launched multiple giveaways, featuring it as a protagonist over the years.
Its mascot also appeared in many animations from 1987, 1990 and 1998 to 2003. They range in length from 8- and 40-minute movies to a series of episodes broadcast globally.
Before that, the company also released a movie and a game series in 1988. Then, many other games featuring the Joker released in 1993 and 1994 came from various game studios. Well, it’s hard to imagine,” why they got rid of ronald mcdonald? ‘ as its fame spread across the globe.
Will Ronald McDonald be the Joker?
No, McDonald’s tried to change it early with many different images, like an astronaut or a cowboy. That was a time when America was investing in space and space exploration. The changes are designed to encourage and showcase the company’s innovation.
Later, instead of using the company’s signature dish, they just changed the clown’s outfit to look similar to the one above.
Will Ronald McDonald return?
Yes. Since 2016, McDonald’s has had to temporarily limit its Joker promotions. Public criticism of its adverse health effects and a general tendency to falsify it in negative ways used to be the cause”Why did they take Uncle McDonald’s away?.
Gradually, though, it regained its balance and reappeared on social media. It remains the only face of this company. Even so, the character can’t go back to its previous heyday, when it covered most of the media, appearing in games, movies, comics, and more.
in conclusion
The article answers this question: “Why McDonald’s Should Get Rid of Uncle McDonald’s? ”. Arguably, compared to the past, this mascot is not as famous. Its long-term disappearance is due to criticism of its negative impact on childhood obesity. Also, its image has been used by many for criminal purposes.
Today, the fast-food chain still uses it in its media and promotions. So you can hope for the return of this clown someday.
