Final Word: Reading promo with McDonald’s causes complaints

This is not a joke.

I wondered the other day whatever happened to the group called RIF.

I remember very vividly, the PSAs that used to air when I was little, brought to you by a group called Reading is Fundamental.

RIF would push reading to kids, and I wondered the other day if it was still around, and if so, how was it being funded.

I don’t know that there is a big enough budget to encourage reading among U.S. kids today. There are way too many distractions and tablets to play with.

Lo and behold, the nonprofit literacy company is alive and well, and here is its latest effort: books instead of toys in Happy Meals at McDonald’s for two weeks in November.

For this, RIF is getting grief. You can see one unhappy customer in the video below.

Critics said that by associating reading with fast food, it’s tricking parents into thinking that McDonald’s has the kids’ best interests in mind. They said McDonald’s is trying to ingratiate itself to parents with the books.

Seriously?

Give RIF some credit. This might not be the best campaign ever, but those toys the kids usually get are worthless, and anything that gets books into kids’ hands is a good thing. Even if it’s in the car.

RIF has the toughest job in the world, second only to the parents.

Get off its back.

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