Online Marketing
McDonalds France Makes a Bold Move With Latest TV Advertisement
Cultivating a strong cultural image with ties to the public is a very powerful tool in the marketing world and can build a long-standing platform for your business. These campaigns are generally on an organisations commitment to kids, families, love of a sport etc. Rarely do you find an organisation tackle anything close to controversial, after all, they’re trying to build global appeal, not take sides in a debate.
Then came McDonald’s new advertisement. In the latest TV spot, is portrays the story of a gay teen and his dad eating in at a McDonalds store. What was surprising however was that it has also been met with criticism by gay-rights groups.
Just after the Ad had started to air, McDonalds received a letter (Seen here) from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce severing all connections to McDonalds and refusing any monetary support from McDonalds in the future.
“Blatant geographic pandering to the LGBT community… while McDonald’s has continued to distance itself from the LGBT segment in the United States.” is how the letter describes the campaign. The issue of course being that this ad is only being aired in France.
The lesson being is that any kind of marketing campaign, whether it be a cultural image push or not, she always be carefully thought out to ensure that you aren’t separating yourself from a market segment. In fact, perhaps anything that is deemed to be controversial at all, should be left right alone.
LinxJuly 12, 2012 at 2:17 am
Interesting article. Thank You. I enjoyed reading and I also tend to agree with your conclusion. Sometimes one just does not know…certain territory can be fragile to enter. So best steer clear…or pay the consequences I reckon. Ouch. (-:
WaynefireJuly 12, 2012 at 7:03 am
Thank you for the article! I never eat at McDonalds anymore, but not for this reason. I stopped eating here because the foods are not the best and when I do eat them I end up getting sick later on in the day.
streakanimeJuly 12, 2012 at 8:02 am
Sadly, I just do not think society is ready for THESE kinds of advertisements. Unfortunately, too many people are still too close minded for this kind of thing. I personally do not see anything wrong with the article. I feel really bad for the song in the advertisement though. It is really awful that society would pass judgment and have a hard time accepting this kind of ad though.
youtubedominationJuly 13, 2012 at 6:31 am
McDonalds’ is definitely making a bold and controversial move with the commercial. I didn’t see a huge company like McDonalds wanting to get into these touchy subjects like JC Penney did with the whole Ellen issue.
Dr23July 14, 2012 at 2:33 am
Interesting. Personally, I’m not a fan of McDonald’s and I see that they, just like any other company, are simply trying to turn a profit. The odds of this being done purely out of good will is pretty low. Realistically, McDonald’s not only looked at this as a way to appeal to the gay community but it also was probably done to create a stir. We’re talking about it right now, aren’t we? Would we be if it was a typical ad with a family of four? Doubtful.
akanbiAugust 27, 2012 at 6:32 am
Good point D23. A corporation like McDonalds definitely needs to create an ad like this to do what they will believe drive more sales. I guess they thought they would actually attract the gay community in a good way. It’s probably best to leave sensitive topics out of a advertising campaign, especially if a majority of your customer base may be homosexual.
psmith140July 16, 2012 at 7:57 pm
It would be absurd to suggest that McDonalds really cares about the gay community or for homosexuals in general – it just wants to sell more cheeseburgers! It is interesting however to see how massive capitalist organisations are forced to be progressive, in the sense they have to reflect the taste of their customers to stay in business.
JoshTheBossJuly 16, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Just another ploy to sell another hamburger. It doesn’t really impress me. If anything, it saddens me. What kind of a society are we when FAST FOOD restaurants are among the first to be accepting of this type of lifestyle?
JoshTheBossJuly 16, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Just another ploy to sell another hamburger. It doesn’t really impress me. If anything, it saddens me. What kind of a society are we when FAST FOOD restaurants are among the first to be accepting of this type of lifestyle?
VellaJuly 17, 2012 at 12:41 am
Thats interesting and cool at the same time.
I just liked the way the commercial went.
It was cool to me.
LauraJuly 17, 2012 at 1:33 am
I really wonder what they were thinking… How can nobody notice that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea (or even actually a really bad idea).
LiquidatorBruntJuly 19, 2012 at 4:06 am
Shame on McDonald’s for taking an important human rights issue and trivializing it so it can sell more of it’s disgusting “food.” I thought the French had more discerning culinary tastes and would have banished all fast food from their wonderful country by now.
MacPodJuly 19, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Very interesting article. I just heard also that back when IKEA first came to North America, their first TV ad was featuring homosexuals and it got some pretty bad ratings. So bad that some people threatened to not do business with IKEA. I think in today’s culture, McDonalds is using the gay trend for people just to come and buy their unhealthy fast-food.
MoniqueSeibelJuly 21, 2012 at 11:31 am
I’m definitely not so impressed with this. I don’t like the idea of exploiting, or rather even just using a human equality or social issue to earn a profit, for something entirely unrelated to that issue. They are just a greedy, money-hungry corporation who are willing to say or do anything to earn an ever bigger profit than they already produce. Someones gender or sexuality is not relevant to buying a hamburger.
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FlipKupJuly 23, 2012 at 7:20 am
I do not like this advertisement at all. The LGBT community does not need to be singled out to promote a company’s products – and that’s what it looks like McDonalds is doing. Other than that, I guess its good that they are moving away from action packed commercials, to more mentally stimulating and debate-inducing ones such as these.
Magic PixelJuly 24, 2012 at 3:39 am
I don’t know how McDonalds can benefit from this. The ad doesn’t clearly show on which side McDo is. The young guy may be gay, but there is no openness in the video. Anyhow, you have to remember that this is Europe and in general things are much more relaxed than in the States.
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pinklilyJuly 24, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Interesting. But I do agree on the article that sensitive issue something like this should better left alone. Although I don’t find any fault in the commercial. It is a simple conversation with Dad and a discreet. Only, I observed the commercial lacks something. It hangs up, sort of ‘to be continued.’
ohiotom76July 24, 2012 at 11:33 pm
I’m gay and I wasn’t really offended by it at all. This is a common experience all gay people go through on a daily basis, and it’s nice to draw attention to it. It’s also targeting parents and reminding them to reach out to their kids and let them know they support them – instead of just assuming they’re straight.
BloomaticJuly 25, 2012 at 4:43 am
It´s curious that an advertisement like this has generated a controversy. I mean, clearly what is being sought with a warning like the above discussion is to install a certain sector of society, whatever their ideology. I like campaigns that appeal to the most intimate fibers of ties in family relationships, but I must confess that in this particular case did not understand the message. I do not know if the error is on me or is the patrimony of the people who made advertising. Anyway, this company has a habit of making these ads. In my country there were campaigns of this kind, and no civil association complained.
ARipenedPotatoJuly 25, 2012 at 5:09 am
McDonald’s advertising generally makes me laugh. Obviously this is pandering to the LGBT community, but does it really make a difference? At the end of the day, McDonald’s should be focusing its PR on bigger issues, such as their food that has become synonymous with disgust. Recently, I read an article regarding the company’s work to “modernize” uniforms. The company felt that by making the uniforms more stylish, people would have a better experience. However, at the end of the day, for most people there is no getting beyond the fact that the food is from McDonald’s, a chain with an awful health record and an almost worse taste record.
ashmonnJuly 25, 2012 at 9:06 am
Touchy subjects are never advisable marketing platforms for companies to launch their marketing campaigns from. It is impossible to satisfy all concerned parties in an single advertising campaign, this is why it is called a controversial subject. Thus, you run the risk of inevitable alienating a segment of the group, that you were initially attempting to entice with your offer. It is just too risky of a marketing strategy.
medicJuly 25, 2012 at 9:08 pm
I thought it was a well done ad and quite touching! Daddy dearest will find out soon enough that sonny is happiest where he is now as far as schooling is concerned. A very actual portrayal but a different issue entirely (IMHO). Although I don’t support the food, ya have to hand it to McDonalds. They do a great job in supporting a variety of community organizations and when things get a bit rough (ie the Christian organization–just nonsense if you ask me) they pull back a little, retool, and come back even stronger.
layzorJuly 27, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Wow that’s a pretty touching. Its good to see the world is starting to accept the LGBT community. It is a pretty bold statement and I applaud them.
jwdrumhavenAugust 1, 2012 at 7:16 am
That was a pretty interesting ad. Am I understanding correctly that the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is upset because the ad was shown in France and not the U.S.? I should think they would be happy that McDonalds aired the ad anywhere…. even if it wasn’t in the United States. Sometimes it seems these different groups just look for reasons to be unhappy or to complain.
TashWordAugust 1, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Interesting to see it and think about, thanks Aidan.
yes McDonalds is out to make a profit (is anyone in business NOT trying to make a profit?) and their marketing is based on that – I don’t have a problem with that. I do have problems with their “food” and ethics. They are very good as usinemodel to learn from in many ways.
Running a new style of ad in one place first makes good business sense to me – why spend $1b and have it flop when you could test it with $1m first?
But I had hoped for more from this ad when reading it was supportive of gays. What’s supportive about insinuating (rather than being direct) the kids is gay? What’s supportive about Dad not knowing the kids is gay?
You want to show gays are welcome in your shops, McDonalds? Have an obviosly gay couple be served politely and eat their meal – just like you do with more traditional customers.
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KennyKAugust 1, 2012 at 7:07 pm
I don’t see the problem at all with the contents of this commercial. I do wonder however why they feel it’s needed to cover this topic in a commercial for … food.
I think it would be better to focus on their product instead of trying to give some message to viewers that normally isn’t associated with food.
ohiotom76August 7, 2012 at 8:45 am
I’m fine with the commercial as well, it provokes thought on the parents part and identifies with the young guys point of view in a real life situation – a point of view we don’t often see portrayed at all, let alone realistically. Something like this could encourage parents to break the ice with their children about this and open a discussion with them.
arajooAugust 10, 2012 at 9:04 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with the Mcdonalds ad. I guess they just want to look plain interesting. They want to be talked about and I guess they succeed. However the issue is still sensitive and should not be handled too easily. I am not wishing that other companies follow their example any sooner
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KennyKAugust 12, 2012 at 12:40 am
They definitely did, it’s been discussed everywhere on the web. Mission accomplished, they got attention and I don’t think it’s bad at all. Of course, if it would be made by a small player, maybe nobody would care, but hey it’s Mc Donalds, so the media are watching every commercial with close attention.
gerkmeisterAugust 16, 2012 at 2:46 pm
First of all let me just say that I like McDonalds, though it’s been a while. I could eat four Big Macs right now.
They made an error here delving into a controversial area and now risk a potential backlash from the same larger, U.S.demographic group. OOPS!
dhintakaAugust 26, 2012 at 1:58 am
Creativity is the key , I agree & so is very subjective. Some must have liked this thought & therefore it was created. However, did it solve the purpose? Did McDonald’s gain from this commercial is something that I want to know? Personally, I like McDonald’s & this will not affect me much.
vida_llevaresAugust 26, 2012 at 12:32 pm
I agree that controversial issues should be avoided when making marketing initiatives if you do not want to get into trouble. Probably, McDonalds thought tackling controversial topics would cause a stir and would make their brand more unforgettable. However, it could also work the other way. After all, you do not have full control of how your target audience would interpret the message you wish to convey.
PaladinOctober 2, 2012 at 9:14 am
It would be absurd to suggest that McDonalds really cares about the gay community or for homosexuals in general – it just wants to sell more cheeseburgers! It is interesting however to see how massive capitalist organisations are forced to be progressive, in the sense they have to reflect the taste of their customers to stay in business.
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