Can’t Make This Up

25 May 2005



Dove Foundation Slams Burger King for Star Wars Kids Meals

“The Dove Foundation is a non-profit organization established to encourage and promote the creation, production and distribution of wholesome family entertainment. The Foundation, free from commercial pressures, awards a blue and white Dove Seal to any movie or video that is rated ‘family-friendly’ by its film review board.” That’s what the website says, and good on them for it. But the same organization is attacking Burger King for its latest Kids Meal hype because the “Star Wars” movie tie-in relates to a PG-13 rated film. Getting laughed at doesn’t help the organization or its mission, but it is hard to respond any other way.

“Revenge of the Sith” does carry the PG-13 rating, which for readers outside of America is defined by the Motion Picture Association of America as "Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.” But this rating only came into existence in 1984 – after the first three “Star Wars” films came out (Episodes 4-6). Is this film any more violent, or otherwise unsuitable, than say “The Empire Strikes Back?” Suitability is in the eye of the beholder.

But let the Dove people have their say. "When Burger King puts that [Episode III toys] in a Kids Meal, there's an implicit endorsement of the movie," according to Dick Rolfe. Actually, it’s explicit, but fair enough. Should a film subjectively more suitable for those over 13 be marketed to children 4-9 (the target group for the Kids Meal)? Why not?

The result will sound like this. “Mom, Dad, can I see ‘Revenge of the Sith’?” “No, you’re too little.” “Please?” “I said ‘no.’” “But Tommy saw it.” “If Tommy jumped off a bridge . . .” The point is parents need to talk to their children, and sometimes they have to make unpopular choices. That said, the resident 10-year-old at Kensington who saw the film said, “It was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.” Burger King never entered into it, and the message from one family at least, is "the Dove Foundation can mind its own business."

The Dove Foundation’s mission is an admirable one. Family entertainment is just as vital and important to a healthy culture as the freedom to produce less child-focused fare. But the Burger King tiff begs the question, “If they’re so worried about kids, why aren’t they complaining about the marketing of the Kids Meal entirely?” One is less worried about the effects on kids seeing Anakin Skywalker getting burned by lava than by them eating 650 calories, 220 of which are fat, along with 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 960 milligrams of sodium and 24 grams of fat in a hamburger, small fries and a small Coke (see Burger King’s website for the "nutritional" value of larger meals).


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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