The first involves KFC. You all know KFC, right? Col. Sanders, the bucket-o-chicken, all that stuff? And some of you might remember back in the good old days when KFC was actually Kentucky Fried Chicken. To help refresh your memory or for those youngin's out there, here's what things used to look like:
Proudly displaying what it was they sold and what their product was.
Then, back in 1991, the company wanted to stop being associated with just "fried" foods and in an effort to remarket themselves (and, so they say, better express their expanding menu into "healthier" choices like grilled chicken and NOT as the hoax would have you believe they stopped using real chickens)) they switched to just KFC that we've grown to know.
But, they're attempting to remarket themselves again. Just recently a line of commericals is airing where they give a whole new meaning for "KFC" - Kitchen Fresh Chicken. Do they really think we don't know what it really stands for? Or that we're somehow fooled into thinking there's some nice, old, grandmotherly lady in the back making each of our orders with loving care? No, that's Joe in his hairnet and stupid paper hat making $5 an hour and he doesn't give a shit one way or another about your meal. He's probably either in High school (or recently dropped out) and since that five bucks isn't even enough for him to buy a bucket of the chicken, he sure as hell isn't making it fresh in a kitchen for your dining pleasure. It's just so absurd, it's hysterical.
The next on the list is one I just saw this evening for the first time. And it features everyone's favorite rat trap, er, fast food establishment, McDonalds. They're newest ad campagin features the unbelievably racist attempt at slang, "i'm lovin' it" (complete with lack of capitialization and abbreviated spellings)- as they attempt to somehow convince hip, urban youngsters that they're cool. Yeah so cool, we hate it...
(As a side note, McDonald's is running similar and equally offensive ads as part of its "I'm Lovin' It" campaign. These ads show that being black and dirt poor is actually fun, like when you have to choose between buying gasoline or eating at McDonald's. I love it when that happens!) -source
Now that their slogan is "i'm lovin' it," which is obviously directed toward African-Americans (hence the all lowercase letters and vernacular spelling, because everyone knows that blacks can't read or write properly), do you feel more "connected" to the McDonald's corporation? Just wondering. -source
They're touching on the 'urban youth' now with this one. In it, they have a bunch of kids with shaved heads and hot chicks in baby phat shorts all hot and bothered for the "two all-beef patties, lettuce, cheese, special sauce on a sesame seed bun." And of course, there's the obligatory scene with the two friends fighting over the food. .... And about the new slogan: "I'm lovin' it", be sure to place an emphasis on the fact that they left out the 'g' in "lovin" or else the millions of dollars invested in marketing by McDonald's will all be in vain. -source
Nothing screams 'hip' and 'cool' like a multinational corporation that specializes in mediocre food and service. Yeah, Mickey D's is the place to be.-source
The I'm lovin't thing with the rap is ridiculous. You can tell 40 somethings put that campaign together because it's a perfect example of an old guy (say someone like your 50 year old Dad) trying to be hip/cool. Everyone looks at him like he's a total idiot.-source
Anyway, I could go on, but I think it's pretty evident that everybody's hating it.
Which brings us to the latest installation:
Girl walking down street with guy. "Thinking" to herself via voice over about how great the guy is. he's cute and charming and blah blah blah, why isn't he married yet? THEN THEY WALK INTO MCDONALDS. At this point, you're supposed to go along with the notion it's not because he's a cheapskate with shit for taste who just took his DATE into MCDONALDS for fuck's sake, but rather, the fact that he tries to order for her. Yeah, he's single because he tried to order for her. No, dumbasses, he's single because he took her to craptastic mcdonalds on a date. Please.
Wow. Guess my ranting at the commercial stupidity of both KFC - that's KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN and I'm not fooled - and McDonalds - NEVER appropriate food for a date with a girl over the age of eight - took a little more time then I suspected. Just been annoyed at the idiocy of these for awhile now. *chuckles* Let's not even get to the plague-rat looking Quizno's ads...*gags* New slogan for Mickey D's: As If
That's it. I'm out.
Thanks to FriedmanArchives.com for the old KFC photo above.
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 2/15/2004 11:10:38 PM ~
~
