Do You Think McDonald's Needed to Apologize For This Parody Ad?

McDonald’s apologized on Wednesday for an ad that some say is insensitive to persons with mental-health issues.

The fast food giant claims that the following parody ad, which first appeared this month on Boston metros, was never cleared for release and was posted without the company’s approval:

The 800-number on the ad connects callers to McDonald’s corporate office. (@MzKeating).

“You're not alone. Million of people love the Big Mac," the ad reads.

McDonald’s responded to complaints by distancing itself from the ad:

We can confirm this ad was not approved by McDonald’s. And, as soon as we learned about it, we asked that it be taken down immediately. We have an approval process in place, with our marketing and advertising agencies, to ensure that all advertising content is consistent with our brand values. Regrettably, in this incident, that process was not followed. We sincerely apologize for this error.

Arnold Boston, the advertiser responsible for the ad, told Adweek:

Arnold apologizes for its mistake to McDonald's and to anyone who was offended by the ad. McDonald's did not approve the ad, and its release was our unintended error. We've addressed the issue and have improved our approval process to ensure this does not happen in the future.

“The McDonald's advertisement in question is part of a larger, unapproved, campaign that pokes fun at stereotypical subway ads,” Business Insider explains. “The personal injuries lawyer ad promises to ‘get you the sausage you deserve.’ The continuing education spoof reads, ‘It's never too late for an Angus Bacon Cheese.’”

Courtesy @foreveRizel.

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