It is an example that markets, cultures are very different around the world. (For instance), I’ve never shied away from the fact that I’m a Christian. I have my own personal beliefs and I don’t impose those on anybody else. I’ve been in countries where the majority of the people in the country don’t believe in a deity or they may be atheist. Or the majority of the country is Muslim. Or it may be the majority is much younger skewed. So when you look at all these differences, it’s not that I’m to be the judge or the jury relative to right or wrong. Having said that, at McDonald’s, there are core values we stand for and the world is getting much closer. So we have a lot of conversations. We’re going to make some mistakes at times. (We talk) about things that may have an implication in one part of the world and may be the cultural norm in another part of the world. And those are things that, yes, we’re going to learn from. But, you’re right, that commercial won’t show in the United States.
—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]
KWil
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!”
KWil
Blah blah blah in short:
“Gay might be okay in France.
Gay is NOT okay in America.
Things are different all round the world.
We at MacDonalds loooove the world.
But, awwww fuck it. I am AMERICA and gay is NOT okay!”
KWil
^ spontaneous repetition fail :/ sorry
Jesse Helms
Yet another reason to avoid McDonalds here in USA. Homophobia, christer anti-ghey theology, and french fries that will **never** be as good as they used to be.
Sigh.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Most likely they were ascared of another “french fry” boycott……… :-p
jason
Don Thompson is a self-proclaimed Christian who helps to dispense tasteless dog vomit onto the world. The cardboard containers taste better than a Big Mac.
RyanTheHulk
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.
Toby
Yeah cause if you show a gay ad on Logo…people will freak.
alan brickman
Major GAYFACE in the Mchater!!! So obvious!!!
Jesse Helms
@PLAYS FREQUENTLY WITH OTHERS: Whoa dude, you mean “freedom fries.”
jason
I would never accept as progress this ad running only on Logo. If it were confined to Logo only, it would be a retrograde, rather than progressive, step.
We in the GLBT community are everywhere.
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.
Kieran
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.
Revemupman
To me the add is useless, I’m not thinking about political agenda’s when I’m ordering a number 7.
Jon
Hmmm fat angry Conservatives eat at McD’s. Why the heck would they wanna lose their ‘fat angry Conservative’ base? Lol’s
Tartuffe
Disgusting food, disgusting company.
Tartuffe
@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.
Cam
@tjr101: said…
No. 12 · 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.
______________________
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.
Eminent Victorian
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.
SSCHIEFRSHA
This interview of his could cost him A LOT! The Fool!
AJ
McDonald’s sucks anyway. I have only eaten it a handful of times within the past 3 or 4 years, and every time I do I get a bad headache. That’s sayin something.
Bill Perdue
Boycott McDonalds forever!
Ted B.
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”.
schlukitz
“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.
Andy
Can they get the blacks out of their commercials as well?
slobone
Crap, I like McDonald’s once in a while. But obviously I can’t go there anymore. He should have just kept his big friggin mouth shut and said No Comment.
Stepin Fetchit
@alan brickman: He do look like a queen.
reason
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.
Phil
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.)
Jimmi
You know he’s on the DL.
Jimmi
@Bill Perdue: I hate their crappy food. 😛
mojojojo
Just another sad example of the rampant homophobia of the black community!
jeffree
@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
reason
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.
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
@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.
jason
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.
jeffree
@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….
Hilarious
@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.
ewe
First of all, McDonalds food is POISON so second of all, i don’t give a shit.
jason
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.
jason
Well, I think I’ve made my point. Time for me to put on my adult diapers and cry myself to sleep!
jason
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.
Chris
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.
Nick
The use of the “but [you’re right, it won’t show]” at the end suggests that Mcdonalds would like to air the ad and are a gay friendly company, with this man presumably also being so.
Will it air in Britain?
Imma Gay Customer
after reading this….I will no longer eat at Mac’s