McDonald's launches TV ad campaign targeting gay men

 

 

By Ian Sparks

Last updated at 4:38 PM on 1st June 2010

 

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McDonald's is launching its first television advertising campaign targeting gay men.

The fast food giant's commercial - with the slogan 'Come as you are' - is to be aired on television in France.

It features a teenager sitting in a McDonald's restaurant gazing at a photo of his gay lover in a class photo, then phoning to say he 'misses him'.

 

Targeting the gay male: A new McDonald's ad campaign in France shows a father and son enjoying a meal. The dad is unaware of his boy's homosexuality

 

The youth's father then returns to the table with a tray of burgers, and says: 'It's a shame you're in an all boys college. You would have had all the girls chasing you.'

The gay son then gives a knowing smile as they tuck in to their fast food.

 

McDonald's said the ad was intended to show that it welcomed people from all walks of life.

A YouTube version of the advert with subtitles has so far been viewed more than 220,000 times in countries including Britain and the U.S., where it has not been screened.

 

International sensation: A YouTube version of the advert with English subtitles has been viewed 220,000 times in countries including Britain and the U.S.

 

One internet user in Los Angeles wrote: 'They could never show that in the States, or the Christian right would boycott the restaurant forever.'

Another in Memphis, Tennessee, added: 'I don't understand - McDonald's is simply saying that they will still serve you if you are gay.

 

'Thank you McDonald's, for not shunning people based on their sexuality.'

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1283148/McDonalds-launches-TV-advertising-campaign-targeting-gay-men.html#ixzz0pd17Kqb8

I appreciate that McDonalds is doing this sort of thing. It just goes to show that businesses don't require a government to prod them into being liberal and inclusive.

 

There's a common misconception here in the US that without certain laws (like the Civil Rights Act), businesses would turn away black customers in droves, or fire all their gay employees or whatever. This is just lunatic scaremongering. Government is never at the forefront of positive social change - it's always the last institution to be dragged kicking and screaming into it. And then it takes all the credit for positive social changes, teaching kids in schools that it is the reason there are no longer KKK rallies every week.

 

But overall I think it would be better to see ads that have gay men existing incidentally - not as gay men, but just as people. On the other hand, since gay men only comprise probably 1% of the population (max), there's really no need to inundate media with them. That would just be patronizing and needlessly annoy social conservatives.

 

EDIT:

 

I can assure you that as a gay man I have far better taste than to even consider eating in McDonalds

 

- Tony, Manchester, 01/6/2010 17:37

 

:laugh3:

 

Why are all the cute men gay? :bigcry:

 

 

 

But overall I think it would be better to see ads that have gay men existing incidentally - not as gay men, but just as people. On the other hand, since gay men only comprise probably 1% of the population (max), there's really no need to inundate media with them. That would just be patronizing and needlessly annoy social conservatives.

 

 

I agree, someones sexuality shouldn't be a pressing point of an advert, people should be treated as people, their race and sexuality etc isn't important.

 

Also I thought gays and lesbians account for more than 1% of the population, I was under the impression is was about 10%:confused:

 

Why are all the cute men gay? :bigcry:

 

It's an advert, he's an actor, he may well be straight you know:P

I'd agree it's pretty needless and patronizing, but also intrigued that McDonalds- of all the satanic corporations, are the first to really do this. If it was 15 or 20 years ago this may have been a statement, but I doubt there's homosexuals getting chased out of any McDonalds in France by staff or customers.

 

Hell, next they should do a commercial about black people eating in McDonalds. Yeah, just one black guy sitting there, eating chips, for 40 or so seconds, and then 'come as you are' written at the end.

They should play the song Come As You Are too, which is now in my head and I'm going to have to listen to.

It's an advert, he's an actor, he may well be straight you know:P

 

True. :wacky:

EDIT:

 

-quote-

 

:laugh3:

 

I would have thought they have better taste than to eat there too :lol:

 

They should play the song Come As You Are too, which is now in my head and I'm going to have to listen to.

 

NO MCDONALDS MUST MOVE ON FROM THE 90S AND LOOK MODERN

 

(I say this because every one of them has been remodelled to look more modern here in the past 2-3 years)

It's been the same here, with the remodeling, but the 90s was a great decade for music, I don't want them to move on:P

I miss when they had N64s with Mario Kart and Donkey Kong in the older style restaurants. That was kick ass.

Biggins Mac meal, anyone?:P