McDonald's: Lovin' It To Death

Can advertisers for social causes go to far? This precise question continues to be debated following the release of a controversial anti-McDonald’s advertisement. In a video advertisement that could “kill your appetite”, created by the Washington-based health lobby Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), (check out the link here) an overweight, middle-aged man is seen lying dead in a morgue holding a half-eaten hamburger as a woman weeps over the linen-clad body. In a cheeky ending, McDonald’s ubiquitous golden arches trace the dead man’s feet as the text “I was lovin’ it,” stings across the page. As the ad ends, a voice over states, “high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian.”  The advertisement, which is controversial and has subsequently gone viral on the internet, takes aim at McDonald’s high-fat menu. According to PCRM, they created the advertisement with the goal of drawing Washingtonians’ attention to the city’s high rates of heart disease deaths and its high density of fast-food restaurants (as well as attention to the larger national issue of heart disease death and fast food consumption). The ad directly attack’s McDonald’s credibility, and links McDonald’s menu directly with death. While the content of the ad is relevant, debate continues to rage over the advertisement’s graphic and suggestive nature. Has PCRM gone to far? Does the ad apportion undue blame on McDonald’s when other factors contribute to obesity? Why are other fast food retailers not mentioned? Or, as some have suggested, should this ad and future anti-obesity ads be more graphic, particularly because the link between fast food consumption and obesity has been illustrated.

While most corporations would usually ignore such spoof advertisements, McDonald’s leadership responded aggressively following the advertisement’s release. According to a McDonald’s spokesperson, McDonald’s as a company believes that, “this commercial is outrageous, misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonald’s trusts our customers to put such outlandish propaganda in perspective, and to make food and lifestyle choices that are right for them.” But has PCRM really gone to far? Is the commercial really outrageous, misleading, and unfair. The bias of the creators clearly shines through, but the advertisement does tell a compelling story that illustrates the dangers of fast food consumption. Despite McDonald’s aggressive response, PCRM continues to stand its ground. In their press release, PCRM’s leadership noted that Washington has more McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC outlets per square mile than eight other cities with similar population sizes.Yes, other fast food chains are contributing to this epidemic. Unfortunately, they argue that McDonald’s leadership within the fast food industry makes them a fitting target.

Despite the criticism leveled at its brand, McDonald’s continues to experience strong global growth. Other the last year, McDonald’s has seen its earnings grow despite a global economic crunch. Just over a week ago, McDonald’s reported that its same-store sales for August were up 4.9 per cent globally year-on-year. In Australia for example, one country among where McDonald’s has entrenched itself, a record 1.7 million Australians visit McDonald’s each day. This figure represents an increase of over half a million people since 2007. The restaurant giant has has opened 50 new restaurants across the country in the past three years to meet the increasing demand, and currently operates over 810 outlets. During its recent news release, McDonald’s attributed its growth to the rise in popularity of its “healthier choices” menu. Despite this, most marketing experts and analysts have attributed growth not to the menu, but rather, to the company’s clever marketing and competitive pricing. In fact, many believe that the popularity of McDonald’s is growing globally as consumers become more value conscious. In general, fast food tends to be an attractive alternative when the economy is tough. In fact, a number of marketers have argued that McDonald’s focus on its “healthier choices” menu is simply a ploy to lure customers through the front doors & encourage them to to buy more traditional menu items. Their marketing, rather than drawing healthy eaters, taps directly into consumers deep need for highly processed, fatty, salty, sugary foods. While endorsements from the the Heart Foundation provide brand credibility, marketing experts argue that, by emphasizing these tactics, McDonald’s is simply trying to lowering your defenses.

Orignal Source: www.justmeans.com/McDonald-s-Lovin-It-Death/31246.html