McDonald's CEO says can't stop ads for kids

By Nichola Groom

LOS ANGELES, July 16 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp.'s (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) chief executive rejected cutting back on advertising to children, saying on Monday that a new program of promoting physical activity was the right thing to do.

The world's largest restaurant company, which has been criticized for contributing to an increase in childhood obesity by selling food high in fat and calories, has in recent years focused less of its children's marketing dollars on hawking Big Macs and french fries and more on advocating for kids to be physically active.

Many food and restaurant companies have been pressured to cut back on marketing to children.

"The idea that some people would have us go dark on communications to kids is a mistake because the communication needs to be positive," McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said in a telephone interview, adding that he was "very happy" with where his company's marketing is today.

Skinner also took issue with critics of the company's mascot, Ronald McDonald. Some have compared McDonald's clown to Joe Camel, the Camel cigarette mascot pulled from ads after drawing the ire of regulators for appealing to children.

"Ronald McDonald has never sold food to kids in the history of his existence," Skinner said.

In recent months, McDonald's has revamped its www.happymeal.com and www.ronald.com kids' Web sites to include games not tied to McDonald's food or brand. Some even teach children to juggle, double dutch jump rope, or engage in other physical activities.

As recently as last year, visitors to www.ronald.com could see McDonald's characters proclaim their love of milkshakes or play a game in which they squirt barbecue and mustard sauces onto Chicken McNuggets. Those games are now gone.