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Obligatory ads
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Dec
3
What’s it mean?
Filed Under Stace
Written by: Stace Where we are: Baltimore, MD
A while back I wrote a post about ads on the XM. Someone commented about not understanding some ads, and I agreed. There was one ad in particular I tried to remember, but couldn’t remember for the life of me. I got my Aha moment the other day.
It’s the McDonalds slogan “I’m lovin’ it.” What does that mean? Is it some sort of silly, “I’m loving life, I’m loving the food at McDonalds” thing? That doesn’t make a bit of sense to me. What does “I’m lovin’ it” have to do with fast food? Does anyone over the age of say, 14 or 15, even LIKE the food, let alone love it? Oh, I eat it, but I don’t much like it. I used to like the french fries, but thanks to all the transfat hysteria, the french fries suck now.
The salad with the grilled chicken on it is okay, as far as salads go. But am I lovin’ it? Not really. Though in all honesty, that may not be McDonalds fault. You can take one look at my big gut and see that my relationship with leafy, green vegetables is iffy at best.
And who are these “global casting star” people they have plastered on the bags, etc.? What’s a global casting star? Seriously, what does that mean? And why should I care if some gal rides a bike or some fellow plays the saxophone? Is there a connection between these “stars” and loving something?
I fear the answers to these questions boil down to a simple, “Look, consumer, here are the pictures of people on our bags who have hobbies that they love, and they eat at McDonalds. You, consumer, have hobbies, too, so you should also love eating at McDonalds. Please associate the word ‘love’ with our food. Studies have found that the word ‘love’ makes people hungry. Thank you.”
I hope one of you out there will tell me my conclusion is wrong. Surely I’ve missed something here. It just can’t be that silly. Can it?
Hi,
I’m just getting started with my new blog. Would you want to exchange links on our blog-rolls?
BTW - I’m up to about 100 visitors per day.
Never thought of it, but hungry love makes sense! Thankfully since the economy went down the crapper, we don’t go there much. Actually, we haven’t gone to McDonalds but maybe 2x in the last 2 years….ever since we all watched that SuperSize Me Movie. OMG. YUCK!
I’m lovin’ it.
Maybe the corn syrup solids industry or healthcare in general actually coined the phrase? Healthcare is gonna make big bucks eventually off the McD lifestyle, a la Supersize mentioned above.
Because, as you’ve pointed out, virtually nobody goes to McDs for the food. (I do like their sundaes and apple or cherry pies, but that’s not their main line of business….)
Now the playplaces are a lot of fun for my nephews, and tolerable now that McD’s has upgraded its coffee. (Chuck E Cheese’s serves wine, and is even more tolerable.)
But lovin’ it? Uh uh.
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Hedon: I sent you an email with further inquiries on November 30 or so. Shouting out in event email landed in your spam folder.
Safe travels to you all.
Don’t you see… The fact that “I’m Lovin’ It”, is so non-committal and grey is exactly the beauty of it!
Ronald knows that he will never be able to prove that anyone actually loves the “food” available at McDonalds, so if hard pressed he can always claim that the jingle doesn’t necessarily refer to his food, rather it refers to “It”… “It” can be anything…
It’s genius!
Dang. That’s good.
Are you a lawyer?
Nope, you are exactly right. It’s called consumer brainwashing and we’re all to believe we love their food even if we don’t.
I think I’ll start a little jingle about my blog. Maybe something like…..”I’m lovin MLS”. Kind of catchy, right? no? o.k. damn
I think you would get more fiber from the bag with same casting star on it. When I was driving OTR I occasionally ate a McD’s salad but that’s it. Until then I hadn’t darkened their door for more than 25 years.
Not loving anything about them or their advertising machine.
I keep telling Stace that I’m a Global Casting Star but she won’t believe me. I wish we would have gotten one of the bags with me and Maggie on it. I remember they asked us what we “loved” and we answered “toe licking” and “long naps” so maybe now that I think about it we didn’t present the right image for the “Being active but still eating at McDonalds” campaign. Damn! Should have said running through the woods chasing rabbits.