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McDonald's Sends Out New Message to the Fat and Down-Trodden
McDonald's has long been trying to expunge its role in the obesity epidemic that has crippled America. Things certainly seemed to be looking up, with the recently unveiled crown jewel of nutrition: the "Adult Happy Meal." Consisting of a salad, water, and a step-o-meter, top executives were sure this latest offering would breathe new life into the massive masses.
In reality, commercials for the "Adult Happy Meal" were met with serious backlash. The problem was traced back to the casting, as the actors featured were those loathsome, skinny-model types. To McDonald's, this approach seemed promising, since the underlying message was: "Hey you over there, elephant-woman, eat our salads and, oh yeah, try walking around a bit more, then you'll look like her, and you'll be 'lovin' it'."
A sophisticated campaign to be sure, but just a slight bit unrealistic. If McDonald's really hoped to make up for the carefree, grease-filled days of yore, it needed to better understand the plight of the gargantuan man/woman.
Well that's just what they've done, with the new "one day at a time" campaign. These ads will focus on a heavy-set couple and the modern-day tug-of-war between willpower and burning desires, when faced with that crucial "may I take your order?" moment of truth.
To combat this inner conflict, each commercial will show the couple taking one more baby step (i.e. Day 1: Diet Coke instead of regular, Day 2: one meal in lieu of two, etc.) towards eventual healthy choices.
The best part of the campaign is that McDonald's isn't just advertising a "do-it-yourself" approach, but psychological support as well, as the spots will feature anything from a cashier's nod of approval, to a warm hug from the 16-year-old assistant manager.
Simply put, this isn't a magical cure that will spell an end to the "super-sized humans" crisis, but instead it's a reasonable serving of gradual change and unconditional support. It's McDonald's way of helping people win the battle against...McDonald's. A noble cause if there ever was one.
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