McDonalds's apologizes after leaving pig out of toy collection.
Asia-Pacific News
Singapore - Fast-food giant McDonald's on Friday apologized to Singaporeans and said it would bring a pig to its latest toy collection after the decision to leave the animal out stirred a controversy in the Chinese-dominated city-state.Just ahead of the Chinese New Year in mid-February, McDonald's had released a set of 12 soft toys representing the animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar.
However, the fast-food chain left out the pig and replaced it with the love god cupid as Valentine's Day also falls in February, arguing that the company did not want to offend Muslims.But the decision raised protests among Chinese Singaporeans who argued on internet forums that it would not make sense to collect the toys without the pig included because it was part of Chinese culture.
'We're sorry and we're grateful,' McDonald's said in an advertisement in Friday's edition of the Straits Times newspaper, adding, 'It was never our intention to offend anyone.'
As requested by customers, it would bring the pig into the collection in mid-April, owing to its production schedule, the company said.Muslims writing in Internet forums were relaxed about the whole issue and said the fast-food chain had overreacted.
'It is just a toy,' one wrote.
9 comments:
McDonalds is taken very seriously in China. I was in Beijing a few years ago when the government promoted an anti-McDonalds campaign because when children weren't taken to the golden arches, they cried and threw tantrums. The government, anxious to nip that in the bud, promoted protests and a boycott.
The might of the state against the preferences of willful children...
Who won? The kids.
McDonalds might care what Muslims think, but I can tell you that the Communist Chinese government doesn't give a pig's curly tail how Muslims feel about anything.
Thanks for your insight, LL. Perhaps China's waking tiger is their children.
Wetzy, McDonald's sells food. If they think a decision will help them sell food, they'll probably make that decision.
But, following that line of thinking... Why does the Big Mac taste like crap? We'll, I guess it's because people like it.
When Nickie Goomba finally runs this nation, all sandwiches will be on a warm crusty sourdough roll, and provolone cheese will be mandated.
There's Hope & Change you can believe in.
You'll need a Cheese Czar, Nick.
Let them eat pork ...
Now we'll all be wondering...
"LL, the Man of Mystery, what was he doing in China?"
Possible answers:
Implanting self destruct codes into the guidance systems of Silkworm anti-ship missiles.
Injecting LSD into tubes of Preparation H used to coat the gerbils assigned to play in President Hu Jintao's "Where In The Wide World of Sports Did I Leave That Rodent?" game.
Nothing anywhere near that dramatic. LL opened the first Kentucky Fried Duck franchise in Shenyang.
Rhod, your skill set might dovetail perfectly. BYO crackers.
Odie... Mu Shu is my middle name.
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