Will A "Minute To Move It" Help Burn off those McNugget Bellies?

As part of their Madagascar 2 Movie promo, McDonald's is heralding a special promotion to get kids to take a minute to be active and exercise at various times throughout their days.

For those who don't immediately get the movie connection, Madagascar movies use the classic club song "I Like to Move It Move It" as a sort of anthem.

The project is clearly an effort to take a more prominent role in getting kids to lead less sedentary (read: obese) lives. Here's a portion of their press release on the promo:

"One Minute to Move It encourages kids to take the first step -- one minute -- to do something they love like dancing, planting a flower, reading or writing, with the hope that it will provide inspiration for many more minutes to come," said Mary Dillon, Global Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald's. "This 'fun-with-a-purpose' program represents a fresh new approach to our ongoing commitment to children's well-being."

First-of-Its-Kind Global Research

McDonald's One Minute to Move It program is based on key findings from a first-ever global research study, reaching over 5,000 children ages 6 to 12 and parents across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the United States. Through an independent research company, Just Kid, Inc., McDonald's conducted the study to determine what motivates kids to be active, both physically and mentally, and what role McDonald's can play in helping kids lead a balanced lifestyle. The results were clear and consistent worldwide -- "joy of life" such as laughing, having fun and experiencing new things, and feeling "empowered" to make their own choices ranked the highest for both boys and girls across all ethnicities, ages and geographies.

"Kids' health and well-being includes a number of dimensions such as laughing with their friends, having fun and helping others," said Professor Paul Gately, Carnegie Professor of Exercise and Obesity at Leeds Metropolitan University and a member of McDonald's Global Advisory Council, a group comprised of nutrition and well-being experts in the scientific and academic communities around the world. "One minute is a measurement that kids feel they can accomplish. This campaign focuses on the idea that in every hour there is one minute that we can make more meaningful."

Granted a minute isn't a huge amount of time to burn off those fried apple pies, but the availability of more nutritious food options, and McDonald's leadership in this effort, is a far cry from the company that used to ask us all to Super Size It.



A major portion of the promo is a redesigned happymeal.com which offers a variety of suggestions for what kids can do their moment. Dancing, creating ad endings, and a variety of other activities are highlighted. I like the idea of getting kids to be more active in a variety of ways, which is what this site redesign/reskin is all about.

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