So I heard that McDonald’s is one of the official sponsors of the London Olympics 2012. Somehow, such things invite the mockery upon themselves. There is absolutely nothing that I have against sponsorship deals, revenue generating marketing strategies or other plain-old farces. I am by no means a marketing genius to comment on sponsorship deals. I am yet to pass the sponsorship 101, but this is something which makes me think. Why you ask? Simply put, I find it difficult to digest Marlboro sponsoring school uniforms for a certain school for whatever reason and for whatever outcome. I would puke at such a sighting of irrationality.

So to speak, there is nothing wrong in sponsoring events. I have seen Coca-Cola banners at chemical engineering institutes. They are the ones who advice against excessive consumption of soft drinks, yet I’ve never objected. What gives me the right to comment on a multi-national company choosing to be one of the official sponsors for a major worldwide event when in fact, I’m a rather decently fanatic McDonald’s fan. The right that I am talking about is the right to expect rational, and sensible foresight from a company sponsoring the London Olympics. I heard someone say fuck you. I know! Let me explain.

Say I am the owner of a company which manufactures condoms – deliciously flavoured condoms. Where would you prefer to see my products being marketed? Hospitals, chemists, or even public posters/advertisements. No restrictions right? After all, I’m trying my best to convince people to get hold of condoms before their cloud-9 trips. Hell yeah! With this argument, to which most of you must have not objected, I state that I shall be marketing my product (the flavoured condom) in ice-cream parlors, in chocolate shops, at amusement parks, and in fine-dining restaurants as aromatic napkins. You get the hang of it? Sensible foresight I say.

I mean come on! What does McDonald’s expect to happen out of this sponsorship deal? Sell more Big Macs at the Olympics venue? Fine! But then, how come I never saw them become an official sponsor for any of the football leagues. In the Barclay’s premier league, twenty teams play thirty-seven matches each with an average crowd of more than 30000. That is just the top league I am mentioning in England. Let go of the numbers for a moment. How does McDonald’s associate themselves with the London Olympics? Which part of the entire event do they contribute to? Other than business, what is the point of having chosen to sponsor the London Olympics? And why, out of all those Fortune 500 companies, have they chosen McDonald’s?

Now, I don’t really have a clear conscience. But it doesn’t stop me from commenting on an incident in an event held on the world stage, an event which has ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius‘ as the motto. Does such a sponsorship send out a wrong message? Do we care about the message? Are our kids sensible enough to restrain from McGluttony? Am I over-reacting? Am I being overly sensitive and under-estimating the maturity of fellow Homo sapiens? Or have our brains chosen not to evolve the rationality quotient?

The way I see it, I go to watch the 100m sprint to support my favourite athlete and I would be greeted with the McDonald’s poster/message/stall. On one side I see power, athleticism, fitness, and physical extremity competing and on the other side I see burgers – Big Macs, fries and milkshakes are part of the official menu for the London Olympics. The choice is as simple as the red-pill vs blue-pill in The Matrix. Is it really simple, is the question! And have we been offered that choice is a supplementary question.

Leave your comments and enlighten me!