McDonald's Clowns Around With Moms and Words

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In an attempt to deflect criticism that its fast food makes children fat, McDonald's is recruiting mothers as "quality correspondents" to observe and report on its operations. In a message sent to "mother-oriented social networks and freebie product sites," McDonald's is offering mothers "behind-the-scenes access to the farms [where] our fresh ingredients are grown." The winning mothers "are expected to participate in as many as three 'field trips' lasting two to three days, and receive payment for 'reasonable travel expenses,'" reports AdAge. A McDonald's spokesperson said the company will then give the mothers "avenues to be able to share their findings." According to Time magazine, McDonald's is also "lobbying dictionary publishers to change the meaning of the word McJob -- or remove it altogether -- on the grounds that it denigrates the company's employees." McJob is commonly used to refer to "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects," as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary. McDonald's wants to redefine McJob as "a job that is stimulating, rewarding ... and offers skills that last a lifetime."