McDonald’s has tasked their marketing team with coming up with an out-of-the-box idea, and that brought us to an anime-inspired advertisement.
Soon the collaboration caught the eyes of people resulting in a sizzling debate ‘shifting dynamics of marketing, cultural sensitivity, and the power of viral content’.
People are also wondering whether anime and fast food can be part of the same conversation. But is there anything more to it? Well, let’s find out!
On 20 September 2023, McDonald’s Japan posted a 20-minute advertisement of an animated family of 3 people eating their McDonald’s feast. The advertisement was posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). The underlying message of having family time caught people’s eyes. Many were amazed by the message, contemplating that the USA has no such advertisements. While few analyzed the advertisement while commenting, “Looks like Japan isn’t in favor of commercials with interracial, childless or LGBTQ couples.”
What Is the Debate about the McDonald’s Viral Anime Ads?
McDonald’s never leaves a chance to surprise food lovers, from collaborating with Lupin to posting a wholesome anime advertisement. In a competitive fast-food industry, McDonald’s advertisements have consistently demonstrated the importance of staying updated with trends.
Recently, McDonald’s Japan posted a 20-minute animated advertisement featuring a family consisting of 3 people, a father, a mother, and a daughter. The advertisement showed the family spending time together while joyfully having their McDonald’s feast.
The video was posted on September 20, 2023, on X, formerly known as Twitter. Since its release, the tweet has garnered approximately 130.9 million views, along with an impressive 126.2K retweets and 602.6K likes. The numbers reflect the overwhelming response it received from the online audience.
However, this is just a single side of the story. The advertisement was highly criticized by a lot of people who felt unconcerned regarding the central idea of the advertisement.
The comparison between the advertisements of McDonald’s in the USA and McDonald’s in Japan was striking and quickly became a topic of discussion.
In contrast, American McDonald’s features advertisements focusing on topics like black transgender security, while Japan presents a family-oriented lifestyle. Therefore, people argue that Japan is facing a decline in birth rates. Hence, it is more relevant there than any other country. Netizens are wondering whether the audience outside the nation can relate to such tailored advertisements.
A few also claimed that the advertisement is inherently disturbing as it depicts some serious issues in Japanese society. One user said that the advertisement shows minority murder, while others commented that this ad is trying to appeal to pedophiles. Some even complain about how an anime is attempting to depict real-world families.
But, amid all these negative comments, many appreciated the idea. A few even favored the advertisement despite the rage, indicating the advertisement as fresh and new while saying,
“The reason this ad blew up is because it’s alien to us, for the West is no longer capable of producing basic messaging that speaks to the core of being human.”
Moreover, it can’t be denied that McDonald’s is definitely showing their best in marketing. Generating such innovative ideas with underlying social messages to promote the goods can be controversial but amazing.
What are your thoughts on this advertisement issue? Do you think people are over-analyzing the ad, or was it triggering enough? Share your views in the comment section.
