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McDonald's so called "brand transformation" isn't going so well. The struggling chain announced a new campaign earlier this month that aims to place an emphasis on the "lovin'" aspect of its slogan, "I'm lovin' it." As part of the campaign, the golden arches aired a commercial this weekend attempting to show people how much the company cares about its community, according to AdWeek.
The ad features McDonald's locations that have used their roadside signs "to support, celebrate or otherwise acknowledge local and national events, both happy and tragic" set over a sappy version of a famous pop song sung by a children's choir. Phrases shown in the ad included the announcement of the birth of an employee's daughter and "Boston strong" from the days following the Boston Marathon bombing. (There's also a Tumblr to explain the signs.)
It's hard to take the ad seriously considering the chain at one point recommended that employees take on a second job to make ends meet. Meanwhile, many McDonald's employees have participated in the Fight for 15 protests, demanding a "living wage" of $15 per hour. Many on Twitter agreed with one user even tweeting: "McDonald's is presenting itself as the face of corporate kindness? PAY YOUR EMPLOYEES A LIVING WAGE."
Some took to photoshopping their own marquee phrases:
Much better, @McDonalds pic.twitter.com/CrqXG7sR0l
— Wu-Tang Financial (@Wu_Tang_Finance) January 11, 2015
— darth™ (@darth) January 12, 2015
Hire me to tell your brand to go to bed pic.twitter.com/zLNbkKRczA
— meow meow meow (@SubtweetCat) January 12, 2015
Others simply found the ad to be tasteless:
@McDonalds I just threw up in my mouth watching your commercial during the #GoldenGlobes. Desperate attempt to rescue your image. Blech!
— Jessica Boaman (@JessicaBoaman) January 12, 2015
The McDonalds commercial that wants us to thank them for changing their signs during national tragedies is more tasteless than the McRib.
— Mike Polk Jr. (@mikepolkjr) January 12, 2015
More of Tina Fey in that outfit, less of that McDonald's commercial. #GoldenGlobes
— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) January 12, 2015
McDonald's is right. They're the real heroes.
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) January 12, 2015
McDonald's thinks it's a person, and the person it believes itself to be is a wet-eyed uncle who forwards inspirational/patriotic emails.
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) January 11, 2015
Don’t make us cry, @McDonalds. Just keep making us fat. #GoldenGlobes
— Tony Maglio (@AnthonyMaglio) January 12, 2015
I really feel we can all come together as a country over how offensively manipulative and cynical that McDonald's ad is.
— Erika Hall (@mulegirl) January 11, 2015
summary of the new McDonald’s commercial: McDonalds will be standing long after the apocalypse kills the rest of us
— BFF (@YrBFF) January 12, 2015
See the ad below:
