McDonald’s Criticized For Olympics Sponsorship

The Olympic Organizing Committee is questioning McDonald's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics.  Today on 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' our guest Fraser Seitel pointed out the hypocrisy of the Committee's criticism.  Seitel is the author of "The Practice of Public Relations" and his new book "Rethinking Reputation".

Olympic officials are questioning whether it was appropriate to have McDonald's to continue to sponsor the Olympics amid growing concern with world-wide obesity.  With their continuing support of the Olympics Seitel says statements by the Olympic Committee are the height of hypocrisy.

Seitel said,

"You have to understand McDonald's has been a sponsor of the Olympics for 36 years.  Has four restaurants in the London Olympic Park including the biggest McDonald's in the world.  It just re-upped with the Olympics for another eight years and to sign on the dotted line it paid $100 million and the thanks it gets is the President of the IOC yesterday coming out and saying 'we're not sure that we should have them as a sponsor because they encourage obesity'.  You talk about hypocrisy".

Seitel went on to say that the IOC has a propensity for incompetent public relations.

Listen to the interview: