In this episode, we delve into the world of emotional advertising, but with an unexpected twist. We will explore a campaign that attempted to use pain and loss to sell a product as mundane as a Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Did it manage to move the audience or simply cross the line of advertising ethics? Join us on this journey through the dark side of emotional marketing.
McDonald's "Dead Dad"
In 2017, McDonald's UK launched an advertising campaign that sought to promote its Filet-O-Fish. The idea was simple but bold: to tell the story of a boy who remembered his deceased father through his favorite sandwich. The ad showed the boy asking his mother about his father, and discovering that they both shared a love for the Filet-O-Fish. The campaign culminated with the boy eating the sandwich and feeling an emotional connection with his absent father.
McDonald's intention was to appeal to the emotions of the public, creating an association between the Filet-O-Fish and family memories. However, the execution of the idea turned out to be highly controversial.
The campaign was withdrawn after a wave of criticism
The public's response was not as expected. Instead of being moved, many viewers were outraged and offended by the way McDonald's seemed to be exploiting grief and loss to sell a product. Social media was flooded with criticism, accusing the company of insensitivity and disrespect towards people who had lost a loved one.
Faced with public pressure, McDonald's was forced to withdraw the campaign and issue a public apology. The company acknowledged that the ad had been "misjudged" and that it had not intended to offend anyone. However, the damage was already done and McDonald's reputation was affected.
A tribute or an exploitation of pain?
The "Dead Dad" campaign raises a number of ethical questions about the limits of emotional advertising. Is it acceptable to use pain and loss to sell a product? Are there topics that should be off-limits to marketing? How far can brands go in their quest to emotionally connect with consumers?
Some might argue that McDonald's campaign was a failed attempt to pay tribute to deceased fathers and show how food can be an emotional bond with our loved ones. However, most of the criticism focused on the exploitation of pain and the lack of sensitivity towards people who had suffered a loss.
Th case reminds us that there are topics that should not be used to sell Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Grief and loss are deeply personal and painful experiences, and using them for commercial purposes can be seen as disrespectful and an exploitation of human emotions.
The question for the AI
What do you think of an advertising campaign that uses the story of a boy who remembers his deceased father through a Filet-O-Fish sandwich, seeking to evoke emotions and create a connection between the product and family memories?
The AI's response: The proposed campaign, while seeking to generate an emotional connection with the audience, presents several risks that could damage the brand's reputation and generate rejection:
Exploitation of grief: Using the loss of a loved one to sell a product can be perceived as insensitive and opportunistic, trivializing the pain of people who have experienced a similar loss.
Emotional manipulation: Appealing to emotions excessively can be seen as a form of manipulation, especially when it comes to sensitive topics such as grief. This could generate distrust in the brand and rejection of the product.
Lack of authenticity: If the connection between the product and the emotional story is not genuine and believable, the campaign could seem forced and artificial, which would be counterproductive.
Instead of focusing on grief and loss, the campaign could focus on more positive and universal values, such as the importance of sharing special moments with family and creating lasting memories. The Filet-O-Fish sandwich could be presented as an element that unites people and strengthens family ties, without resorting to painful topics.
In addition, the campaign could incorporate elements of sustainability and social responsibility, such as the use of sustainably sourced ingredients and support for initiatives that promote healthy eating in communities. This would not only generate a positive impact on society, but would also improve the brand's image and attract consumers who are aware of their impact on the world.
In short, it is important to rethink the campaign to avoid the exploitation of grief and emotional manipulation, and focus on positive values, authenticity, and social responsibility. In this way, a campaign can be achieved that connects with the public in a genuine way and generates a positive impact on society.
A Predictive Revenue Marketing proposal
Predictive Revenue Marketing is a strategy that uses data and analysis to predict consumer behavior and optimize marketing campaigns. In the case of McDonald's, after the unfortunate incident of the "Dead Dad" campaign, the company could use this strategy to achieve a similar goal, but in a more ethical and effective way.
Objective: To create a positive emotional connection between consumers and the McDonald's brand, fostering happy memories and positive associations with food, without resorting to sensitive topics such as grief.
Tools used: McDonald's collects data from various sources, such as social media interactions, purchase history, surveys, and demographic data. With this information, personalized narratives could be generated for each customer segment. These narratives would focus on happy moments and positive experiences related to food and family. Instead of a generalized ad, each customer would receive a personalized ad based on their profile and the narratives generated according to their interests. For example, an ad could show an image of a happy family enjoying a meal at McDonald's, accompanied by text that evokes positive childhood memories. The predictive analysis could also be used to identify the most effective times and channels to deliver personalized ads, maximizing their emotional impact.
Measuring success:
Increase in sales: It would be analyzed whether personalized campaigns generate an increase in sales of McDonald's products.
Improvement in brand sentiment: Surveys and sentiment analysis would be conducted on social media to assess whether brand perception has improved.
Increased engagement: The increase in interaction with ads and brand content on social media would be measured.
Important note: It is essential that McDonald's addresses ethical concerns related to data use and privacy. The company must be transparent about how it collects and uses customer data and ensure that all privacy laws and regulations are respected. Additionally, steps must be taken to avoid bias in AI algorithms, ensuring that campaigns are inclusive and non-discriminatory.
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