McDonald's Australia has launched a two-week cinema andtelevision campaign labelling Super SizeMe filmmaker Morgan Spurlock as 'irresponsible' but which will, accordingto the film's distributor, merely boost the film's takings.

"This is publicity we could never have dreamed ofgetting without them," said Dendy Films general manager Andrew Mackie."What makes it so effective is that it brings the film to the attention ofan audience that would never have heard of it otherwise."

Mackie believes the final gross could get as high A$5m as aresult of the extra publicity, up from the A$3m that could be expected from therecord-breaking opening weekend. The weekend just gone, the film's second, sawthe gross increase by 33%, partly due to seven new screens being added to theinitial 26-screen release. A further seven or eight will be added thisThursday.

A McDonald's spokesperson today confirmed that Australia isthe only territory to launch a direct campaign against the film and said themove flowed from their own research: "Our customers were disappointed thatMcDonald's had not responded and saw it as an admission of guilt."

When asked whether McDonald's had considered that it wasgiving the film more publicity, she said "it was not about that, it wasabout protecting the brand."