McDonald’s: Dead father TV spot
Another ad to hit the UK market and cause public outcry was McDonald’s spot released in 2017. It might seem rather difficult for fast food to offend anyone, but McDonald’s succeeded it with a vengeance.
In the scandalous TV spot, a young boy is seen talking with his mother about his dead dad and some of the things they both liked. It just so happens that they both loved filet-o-fish sandwiches. What was meant to be a family spot, was deemed as a means to exploit child bereavement and grief to sell sandwiches.
People complained about the 90-second advert to the UK Advertising Standards Authority and the fast-food giant had no choice but to apologize and pull the commercial from the air. “It was never our intention to cause any upset. We are particularly sorry that the advert may have disappointed those people who are most important to us — our customers,” McDonald’s officials said in a statement.
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That McDonalds ad was not at all objectionable. In brief for those who haven’t seen it, a boy (maybe 10 or 11 years old) is asking his mom about his dead father. He is not bereaved, he does not even remember his father who died long ago. His mom points out a number of things in describing him. Each time, the thing about the dad is different than the son. (Sharp dresser, shiny shoes, good at sport, all the girls were attracted to him… while the boy notices his shirt untucked, his sneakers dirty, he kicks a soccer ball and flubs it, and some girls passing by only give him a look of disgust). But when they get to McD and he opens his fish sandwich box, his mom says ‘that was your dad’s favorite too’. For the first time he hears something he has in common with his late dad.
Not a thing in the world wrong with that and the people who spend all their time looking for reasons to be offended should get a life. Nobody was using bereavement to sell sandwiches.