The Winter Olympics are officially over. However, I still can't stop thinking about the Orwellian false advertising.
Who were two of the most visible platinum sponsors of the fittest human beings on Earth? McDonald's and Coke. This is like Jack Daniel's proudly sponsoring Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAAD), your local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, or the show Intervention.
Technically, McDonald's and Coke are not falsely advertising because they are not making the claim that their products will turn you into an Olympic athlete. Further, the athletes are not technically endorsing Big Macs or carbonated sugar water. However, McDonald's and Coke are cleverly branding the Olympics with the most widely recognized symbols for fast food and junk beverages.
Given the outrageous obesity and diabetes issues plaguing many Western nations, the last thing we need is fat kids feeling OK with their Super Sized fries because they falsely believe Shaun White lives on crap too. The Olympic Committee should be ashamed of themselves. There are plenty of other companies which can support the greatest athletes in the world.
Just because something is "legal" does not make it right. In this case, you can't become an Olympic athlete eating McDonald's and drinking Coke. The Olympic Committee should stop projecting otherwise.
What do you think about McDonald's and Coke being featured sponsors of the Olympic Games? Share your thoughts in the comments below.