Oh dear. Brandland…
I have such respect for the power of branding and marketing and also the talent for, as they like to refer to themselves, “creatives.”
But the line between pursuasion and manipulation is a thin one. So, too, between promoting and enabling.
I see so many young designers—and old ones, too— who want to help make the world a better place. But swirled into a “client services” mindset in a competitive field where the need for validation is a constant and the awards season is chronic, it is easy to find yourself “working in the service” of, well, crap.
I loved going to McDonald’s as a kid. But it was special treat, not the default. It was a little bit of adventure, too. What *was* that milk shake made of? And could I successfully extricate that annoying slice of pickle my dad liked? I didn’t eat enough of it to knock my metabolism off kilter.
It’s the oversell. The calculated “psychographic” targeting that’s the ethical cross-hairs.
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“ …That “human truths” idea — essentially, the genuine emotional resonance of eating McDonald’s — originated in part from Wieden+Kennedy and the Narrative Group, the two creative agencies that the chain hired in 2019 and 2020.
As W+K New York’s co-chief creative officer, Brandon Henderson, explained to AdAge in March, “When we first started with McDonald’s, they were hesitant to be themselves and had been listening to the haters since the ‘Super Size Me’ documentary. I think the big shift we gave them was to stop listening to the haters and listen to the fans.”
For the agencies, the lodestar of that strategy was the idea that ‘No matter who you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order’… ”
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*That’s* a “lodestar”?
The “human truth” is that too much of this food has lifetime health implications. It’s a lot salt and fat and sugar. Much of it wrapped in plastic.
The “fans” are addicted. The markets are selling to addicts.
The winners of a “culture war” are, in fact, losers. McDonald’s won’t be picking up the tab for diabetes and hypertension drugs. They won’t pay for Ozembic. They don’t really care how healthy you are, or aren’t.
And that’s a grim “human truth.”
We live in a time without nuance. You are for us or against us. Right or wrong. Winner or loser.
A McDonald’s hamburger every now and then, with a large side of fries and a shake, or a soda, can be a treat. When it becomes the best, most readily available, affordable option for food, that’s a problem.
As for the marketers who have been rewarded for their insightful genius, don’t be so sure you’re on the side of the angels.
https://lnkd.in/dy-UzDga
#branding #marketing McDonald's #fastfood #health #plastic
Senior Content Strategist | PXP (Part of Publicis Groupe)
1moSuch an entertaining way to reinforce finger lickin' good