Disney Ends Ties To McDonald's

Wow. Disney is walking away from its long-term promotional tie-ins to McDonald's and their Happy Meals. This means Disney is leaving on the table some $1 billion in payments and -- especially -- the marketing muscle of McDonald's, which assured that every time a Disney animated movie was coming out that kids were reminded of that fact some ten zillion times via TV commercials, posters, toys, games and more. When DEisney can end its ties to McDonald's because of fears of being linked to childhood obesity, that's a major change in both how kid movies are marketed and America's attitude to junk food.