FRANCE – A fast food giant has aired a new commercial that’s gaining a lot of buzz!
McDonald’s has a new commercial in France that is generating a lot of buzz and is producing mixed opinions. The new commercial is centered around their ongoing ad campaign theme “Come as you are” and is a gay-themed commercial.
In the ad, a teenage boy sits in a McDonald’s booth, looking at his class picture, when his phone rings. “I was just thinking about you,” he says with affection. “I miss you too,” he replies, and then says he has to go because his dad is coming. As his dad sits at the booth he asks his son if that’s his class picture. He comments that he looks just like he did when he was his son’s age and then admits he was quite the ladies’ man back then. “Too bad you class is all boys … you could get all the girls,” he adds. His son just sits back and smiles. The ad ends with the tagline “Come as you are.”
“We wanted to show society the way it is today, without judging … there’s obviously no problem with homosexuality in France today,” Nathalie Legarlantezec, brand director for McDonald’s France, told a French website.
The ad airs only in France as of now, but it has picked up serious steam over the Internet. The commercial already has well over a million views on YouTube.
“It’s great that McDonald’s is putting it out there, and kudos to the creative team. It’s certainly a step in the right direction,” said Helen Kennedy, executive director of EGALE Canada.
A poll conducted by the Brisbane Times found that 82% of people found the ad charming, while only 18% found it “alarming.” However, not everyone is impressed. According to the New York Times, Planet Homo, a gay website, “criticized the company for featuring a young man who won’t disclose his sexuality to his father.”
Conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly also had some choice words for the ad. Wednesday night on his show, O’Reilly wanted to know if the ad made Fox News anchor Jane Skinner crave a Big Mac. “Does that make you hungry when you watch?” he asked repeatedly. “Does it make you run out and want some fries?” When she pointed out to him that the ad is part of a broader campaign with the slogan “Come as you are” he asked if McDonald’s will also be airing an Al Qaeda ad.
See for yourself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xGRii6IA1M&feature=player_embedded]
jeez it's just kinda sad that he can't tell his Dad. It almost says to me "of course homosexuality is something you wouldn't disclose to your father", in a way I actually find it somewhat homophobic.
Great point by Bill O'Reilly! McDonalds "Come as you are" campaign, are they going to make an Al Qaeda advertisement! A shame to see McDonald's so blatently putting money before morals. Though not suprising.
he's a good-looking guy
I have been trying for quite some time to post a blog note and there is a glitch that won’t permit me.
Yea I can totally relate to the story,
And it is true, the comercial doesn’t make you hungry but more accepting as a person.
I myself have not told my dad about my homosexuality. But I am only 17 after all, if that’s any difference. And it sucks he can’t tell him dad, “hey dad, I don’t like girls but guys”. Overall, great article! And I really want to know the young actor’s name and travel to France to meet someone!