McDonald’s Won’t Risk Offending Your ‘Personal Beliefs’ By Airing Its Gay Ad
—Don Thompson, McDonald’s COO, on why the gay themed ad that aired in France won’t air in the U.S., noting the foreign spot has resulted in “no negatives” [via]
I think you may be missing one of the most telling segments of the quote: “at McDonald’s, there are core values we stand for and the world is getting much closer.”
I read that as: We like the gays here at McDonald’s and the world is starting to catch up with us.
Maybe I just try to see the best in people so I am reading it as: We like the gays, get with the fucking program, America.
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Major GAYFACE in the Mchater!!! So obvious!!!
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@PLAYS FREQUENTLY WITH OTHERS: Whoa dude, you mean “freedom fries.”
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I think what Don’s trying to say is that some countries in the world are more advanced and progressive places than others. You’ve got tolerant places like France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Canada in the world, and then you’ve got other places like Malawi, Zimbabwe, Iraq and the united states of America.
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@Tartuffe:
Ok.. perhaps a hasty overreaction. I know they do a lot of charitable work which is laudable, but I don’t think it’s right that they’re not running the ad in the U.S.
I absolutely stand by the first part of my statement though. The food is gross.
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@tjr101: said…
No. 12 ยท tjr101
Let’s face it, America is still too backassward for an ad like that. Probably a gradual roll out over the next 30 years would work.
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That was always the excuse for not having gay characters on TV shows or in movies. Hollywood and Madison Avenue are two of the most conservative places on the planet. This ad would have been noticed about as much as any other ad MacDonalds throws out there probably.
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The French McDonald’s ad is so nice, I wish it could be shown in the USA without a flap, but it seems “everyone welcome” still isn’t something with which this country is comfortable. Sad.
Keep in mind McDonald’s okayed this ad, which is a positive thing, just not for the USA. It’s dumb that such inclusive sentiment is only as good as its marketing potential in certain markets, but that’s the joy of business.
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Usually I just roll with these sorts of thing, but…
BOYCOTT !!!!!!
I just wrote McD’s CEO James Skinner that he’s not getting my $20-$30 a-week anymore if this continues, and mailed a copy to the local franchise-owner.
Mr. James Skinner, Vice Chairman and CEO
McDonald’s Corporation
2111 McDonald’s Drive, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
Even if you’re not a McD’s regular, mail him a letter anyway. And be sure to mention Don Thompson by name…Thompson deserves to be promoted to “unemployable”.
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“there are core values we stand for”
Are we preaching from a pulpit in Baptist church, or talking as the CEO of a company who takes money from gay customers, but bans acknowledging them in an ad?
And this, from a man whose own community suffered from bigotry, hatred and discrimination before the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Fuck you and your “Freedom Fries”, Don Thompson! You can shove them up the same place that your “McNuggets” emanate from.
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@alan brickman: He do look like a queen.
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A corporations loyalties lie with its share holders granted they will go bankrupt with out them. A company like McDonald’s is going to try to appeal to everyone in order to get the maximum amount of business (profits). If there is potential for controversy it’s in a companies best interest to stay as far away as possible, because like in this situation any news is bad news. Your going to piss somebody of if you weigh in or even do your best to give an equivocated answer. The safest bet would have been to avoid playing that ad anywhere. Two strikes for McDonald’s, one for not playing it safe, and the second for putting their Operations Officer, someone who irrevocably speaks for the company, on the front line.
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McDonald’s likes money. Airing that ad could hurt them getting money in the US. Honestly, I don’t care. They’re just eschewing possible backlash from a, and let’s me honest here, assbackwards country.
So yea, boycotting seems a rather egregious reaction. I’m glad that an ad that portrays ~The Gays~ in positive light aired at all. (Yay Levi’s.)
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@Jason mojojojo: Hi Jason! Your racist diatribes are getting old, tired & sad.
Things we know about you:
–You have at least 9 pretend friend sock-puupets.
–You hate women
–You rant nonstop about African-Americans
–You despise foreigners, and wish Morning Goods would feature only US-born people
–You have no sense of humor
–Your meds are not working.
–Your mom wishes she had used better contraception.
–You have no friends other than those voices in your head
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Wow, so much enmity here. Maybe I read the post wrong, but what I gathered is hey I am a christian but will not judge anyone based on my religion. I’ve been exposed to a diverse set of cultures to no well enough not to judge people for differences, after all some people judge me for my own beliefs or who I am. Here at McDonald’s I realize we have to be sensitive to the cultures in order to protect our bottom line so were not going to play these adds here (underlying meaning is, there is to many bigots in America but I am not going to say that out loud because I don’t judge people and it would be good for our bottom line).
It looks to me that people got angry when they read he is a Christian, if that is true, I have news for you, your a bigot also.
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@reason: Mojojo is Jason under a different name (he goes by Jesse Helms and Kevin C. as well as others) so just realize that he’s writing most of the racist crap on Queerty under different names. Apparently it’s Black people’s fault that he has absolutely no life.
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LOL. You just can’t accept that gay political correctness is being challenged by men like myself. You refuse to believe that my attitudes are correct and not confined simply to one isolated poster. That’s why you invented the charge that I’m posting under 5 or 6 different names.
Face it, stale guys, your time is over. We, the new gays, are putting issues before identity politics. We don’t believe in making nice with black bigots or anti-male feminists. We go on the issues, not the identity. We are as likely to criticize a black bigot or misguided feminist as we are a conservative religionista.
Join the club or risk being left behind. Your tawdry little slips with the yellow stains are showing. You’re so over.
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@james_from_cambridge: Queerty won’t stop Jason & its pretend friends from his rants.
The present “moderation” paradigm is failing miserably. The lunatics have taken over the asylum. It’s bedlam.
Time for people with Sense & Sensibility to find a better blog or alert advertisers/ GLAAD, other blogs as to the way this blog is collapsing under its own weight….
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@jason: Funny.
First of all take a look in the mirror. You are a bigot.
Secondly are gay black people bigots too then? What about the many straight black people with gay friends and family members whom they love?
You’re really going to claim everyone with brown skin hates gay people?
You know this how?
Bigotry has no face, skin color, or nationality, you sad and very pathetic moron. Grow up and get real. Face reality.
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James from Cambridge,
Your criticism doesn’t bother me. I have the hide of a rhino.
I also have the ability to discern on the basis of issues rather than identity. I don’t protect people simply because of their identity. Rather, I will look at their words and deeds.
Try doing it. It might make you a better person.
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sorry for being mean. my mom makes me wear superhero pajamas while she pretends to be lois lane.
we cannot afford my medication because the foodstamps doesnt cover that or the anti-racism pills i am supposed to take,
the doctor who the court appointed to be my guardian is a very hunky black guy and so yes yes yes i am afraid he will realize that he is my perfect man.
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Yeah, but all those HORRIBLE ghetto-tastic McDonald’s commercials are okay to show? THOSE aren’t offensive to taste? Fuck HIM. He needs to remember that MOST gays have enough taste and money to avoid the dog food that they’re serving there. Fuck him with a seven foot dick.
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Blah blah blah in short:
“Gay might be okay in France.
Gay is NOT okay in America.
Things are different all round the place.
We at MacDonalds loooove the world.
But, awwww fuck it. I am AMERICA and gay is NOT okay!”