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My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 12:37 am
by KK
BBC News wrote:McDonald's has apologised for "upset" caused by a TV advert that charity campaigners have said "exploits childhood bereavement".
The fast food giant's latest British advert features a boy who struggles to find something in common with his dead father, until it is revealed they shared the same favourite menu item.
The campaign has attracted criticism from widows who called it "offensive".
A McDonald's spokesperson said: "This was by no means an intention of ours."
"We wanted to highlight the role McDonald's has played in our customers' everyday lives - both in good and difficult times," the spokesperson added.
'Upsetting'
The campaign, from London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett, first aired on 12 May and is scheduled to run for seven weeks.
In the advert, the boy asks his mum about his absent dad, who then goes on to reminisce about him.
The boy is left to wonder whether he and his father had anything in common, until he arrives at a McDonald's restaurant and orders a Filet-o-Fish and the mother says: "That was your dad's favourite too."
Bereavement charity, Grief Encounter said it had received "countless calls" from parents saying their bereaved children had been upset by the advert.
Sarah Fox's husband died two years ago. The 37-year-old from London said her seven-year-old son, who saw the advert, had only just started to understand the implications of his loss.
She said: "The advert was confusing for him and really upset him. He asked me why the boy on TV wasn't 'sad' and how he could feel happy again?
"It's an unnecessary subject to exploit for the gain of a brand."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39921804Yet another successful advertising campaign from a brand and a marketing agency...
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:04 am
by Denster
Yet another instance where people wilfully seek offence.
If her kid was confused she should have said " the boy in the advert is an actor and not a good one - that's why he isn't as upset as you. Or he's happy because his dad isn't really dead.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:19 am
by Return_of_the_STAR
I can see how this could cause a bit of upset for someone who's recently lost someone but so can any show that features a death and there will always be at least one show on tv an evening where someone dies. In general people who are making a fuss about this ad probably haven't just lost someone and are more likely feeling offended on behalf of someone.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:04 am
by Dowbocop
To be honest when I saw that advert I thought it was quite crass and offensive. I obviously didn't complain, but I thought it was a completely unnecessary trivialisation of an exceedingly harrowing event for any family to go through. If I'd seen that advert soon after my mum had died I'd probably have been incredibly upset. I found it unpleasant enough to watch 20 years on to decry it as "needlessly heartstring-tugging bullshit" (or words to that effect) in front of the in-laws, and I didn't even know there was a backlash then!
I actually thought it was going to be an advert for a charity or public health campaign. That is not an appropriate vibe for flogging burgers which help contribute substantially to the aforementioned dead parents!
Return_of_the_STAR wrote:I can see how this could cause a bit of upset for someone who's recently lost someone but so can any show that features a death and there will always be at least one show on tv an evening where someone dies.
You can choose what you want to watch based on your mood, you can't choose which adverts pop up. Also, you'd hope a TV show would explore the issue in a slightly more mature way.
Denster wrote:Yet another instance where people wilfully seek offence.
If her kid was confused she should have said " the boy in the advert is an actor and not a good one - that's why he isn't as upset as you. Or he's happy because his dad isn't really dead.
And yours is, that's why you cry...It's easy to be matter of fact and glib when you're not trying to get through a bereavement. Seeing your child duped by snake oil merchants into wanting to go down a blind alley of fulfillment probably doesn't help.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:06 am
by Moggy
Denster wrote:Yet another instance where people wilfully seek offence.
Yeah I can just imagine it now. A 7 year old kid that has just lost his dad, scouring the TV channels in the desperate hope of finding something to complain about. You know what those moany bereaved 7 year olds are like.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:40 am
by Hexx
First of all you go to BK to fix grief. FoF will just stop constipation.
Also "countless calls" they received? strawberry float off
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:27 pm
by Ironhide
Not defending the ad here but isn't the kid in it asking about his dead dad because he never actually met him (and as such isn't as upset as if he'd recently died)?
There's a big difference between that and a real life kid who has only recently lost a parent.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:43 pm
by Blue Eyes
I hate every single MacDonalds advert and they've pulled this emotional blackmail garbage before. The comment from the MacDonalds spokesperson was a joke as well, saying "We wanted to highlight the role McDonald's has played in our customers' everyday lives - both in good and difficult times,".
strawberry float off. The only role MacDonalds plays in anyone's life is by helping them develop heart disease and diabetes.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:47 pm
by Ironhide
Blue Eyes wrote:I hate every single MacDonalds advert and they've pulled this emotional blackmail garbage before.
A lot of ads do that.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:49 pm
by Blue Eyes
Ironhide wrote:Blue Eyes wrote:I hate every single MacDonalds advert and they've pulled this emotional blackmail garbage before.
A lot of ads do that.
Not saying they don't but it seems particularly egregious and disingenuous in these stupid adverts.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:51 pm
by jiggles
I think the advert is pretty strawberry floating great, to be honest. And this "outrage" only serves to bring further attention to it, so good job all around.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 2:55 pm
by Moggy
Blue Eyes wrote:strawberry float off. The only role MacDonalds plays in anyone's life is by helping them develop heart disease and diabetes.
Absolute bollocks. They have helped me get through many a hangover.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:41 pm
by Denster
Moggy wrote:Denster wrote:Yet another instance where people wilfully seek offence.
Yeah I can just imagine it now. A 7 year old kid that has just lost his dad, scouring the TV channels in the desperate hope of finding something to complain about. You know what those moany bereaved 7 year olds are like.
It's the mother who is offended. As well you know. Many things will come up for her kid that will provoke questions. Most of them will be as harmless in intent as this is. It's a gooseberry fool situation that she and her son are in. Doesn't mean everyone is trying to cash in on it.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:50 pm
by Moggy
Denster wrote:Moggy wrote:Denster wrote:Yet another instance where people wilfully seek offence.
Yeah I can just imagine it now. A 7 year old kid that has just lost his dad, scouring the TV channels in the desperate hope of finding something to complain about. You know what those moany bereaved 7 year olds are like.
It's the mother who is offended. As well you know. Many things will come up for her kid that will provoke questions. Most of them will be as harmless in intent as this is. It's a gooseberry fool situation that she and her son are in. Doesn't mean everyone is trying to cash in on it.
She's offended because it upset her son. Has she "cashed in" on it? I doubt the BBC paid her.
I just find it bizarre how offended people get over other people being offended. McDonald's made an advert that was upsetting to kids, why be offended that the parent has complained about it?
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:56 pm
by abcd
I don't really like Filet-o-Fish
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:56 pm
by Denster
I'm not offended. Everyone trying to cash in was not referring to her. Read it properly.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:59 pm
by KK
abcd wrote:I don't really like Filet-o-Fish
Probably because it's pollocks.
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 5:00 pm
by Moggy
Denster wrote:I'm not offended.
You sounded quite offended.
Everyone trying to cash in was not referring to her. Read it properly.
It's the mother who is offended. As well you know. Many things will come up for her kid that will provoke questions. Most of them will be as harmless in intent as this is. It's a gooseberry fool situation that she and her son are in. Doesn't mean everyone is trying to cash in on it.
That read as "it's a gooseberry fool situation but most people wouldn't cash in". I guess you meant it more as "grief is serious but McDonald's probably weren't trying to cash in on grief"?
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 5:03 pm
by abcd
KK wrote:abcd wrote:I don't really like Filet-o-Fish
Probably because it's pollocks.
Not bad, cod do batter...
Re: My Dad's dead but I got over it with a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 5:06 pm
by Denster
Moggy wrote:Denster wrote:I'm not offended.
You sounded quite offended.
Everyone trying to cash in was not referring to her. Read it properly.
It's the mother who is offended. As well you know. Many things will come up for her kid that will provoke questions. Most of them will be as harmless in intent as this is. It's a gooseberry fool situation that she and her son are in. Doesn't mean everyone is trying to cash in on it.
That read as "it's a gooseberry fool situation but most people wouldn't cash in". I guess you meant it more as "grief is serious but McDonald's probably weren't trying to cash in on grief"?