signs

During the football game today I saw the oddest commercial.

McDonald’s is featuring signs from local franchises:

Thank you veterans
#PrayForDrew
God protect the USA
Keep jobs in Toledo
All of us weep for the Columbia Families
We remember 9 11
[A pink sign with pink ribbons]
PRAY for the rescue of the MINERS
GOD GAVE US A MIRACLE
Boston Strong
We will be back soon [in a flood – this one is actually compelling]
We believe in you Crystal
Happy 30th Ed n Beth
It’s a girl Rosalie Kay
Hug those dads
Welcome home 442nd fighter wing
Happy 95 birthday Woody we love you
A little lovin can change a lot

About 20 seconds into the spot the kids and I started talking about how it should end. Maybe with a slaughterhouse and a giant PETA logo? Or perhaps with some stoners and credit to The Onion. We just couldn’t believe what a mess we were looking at so we never made it past the one about the miners. When I googled the ad and watched the whole thing I was still left with no warm feelings about it.

I guess I don’t think of McDonald’s as the heart of my community. I’d be totally depressed if my local fast food place celebrated the birth of my kid or my 95th birthday. Further, this image is everything that’s wrong with breast cancer awareness:

I guess for the people who didn’t turn away to mock the commercial after 20 seconds something might resonate. I’m guessing they’d have to be fans of the brand already or perhaps franchise owners.

Mostly today my family and I sat around mocking a McDonald’s campaign and wondered who thought it was a good idea to take a brand with declining sales and tie it’s commercials to a bunch of tragedies.