McDonald's cancels advert after protest by Philippine Bishops

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US fast-food chain McDonald's has scrapped a TV commercial in the Philippines after facing a barrage of criticism from church leaders.

In the ad, a girl who looks about 5 asks a boy of the same age if she can be his girlfriend. The boy curtly rejects her, complaining that girlfriends are too demanding.

But after the girl says all she wants are some french fries from McDonald's, the boy's face lights up and the ad finishes with the pair walking side by side, almost holding hands.

Church leaders complained about the advert, saying it sent the wrong message to children. Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, a senior member of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said concerns had centred on having very young children doing such an adult-themed commercial.

"We should be very sensitive and recognisant of the culture and the values of our country," he told AFP.

After discussion with the Bishops, McDonald's issued a statement, saying: "We recognise and respect the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and have stopped airing the said commercial across all television stations."

"We recognize and respect the stand of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and have stopped airing the said commercial across all television stations as of noon today," McDonald's Philippines said in a statement.

They said: "Over the years, we have strived to produce advertisements that highlight positive values like love for family and charity which mirror what the brand stands for. McDonald's remains committed in promoting positive values and will continue raising the bar to be better at what we do whether it is our food, our service, to even how we communicate to the public."

Source: CBCP/McDonald's