DUBAI: McDonald’s UK has apologized for a TV advert that critics are slamming as “inappropriate.”
The advert, released Friday, sees a young boy struggle to find a connection with his dead father before finding out that they both like the same McDonald’s sandwich: Fillet-O-Fish.
The campaign was conceived by London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett and was scheduled to run for seven weeks.
Many complained that they found the clip offensive, to which a McDonald’s spokesperson said: “This was by no means an intention of ours.
“We wanted to highlight the role McDonald’s has played in our customers’ everyday lives — both in good and difficult times,” the spokesperson added.
Bereavement charity Grief Encounter told the BBC it had received “countless calls” from families saying their bereaved children had reacted negatively to the advert.
Twitter users shared their thoughts on the campaign.
“Is it me or is the new McDonald’s ad with the mother & son talking about the deceased dad a bit weird ? #McDonald’s #weird #inappropriate,” one user wrote.
Is it me or is the new McDonald's ad with the mother & son talking about the deceased dad a bit weird ? #McDonald's #weird #inappropiate
— Paul O'Callaghan (@OPorloc) May 15, 2017
Others raised their eyebrows at the advert.
It's between the McDonald's ad abt a depressed child struggling for a connection with his dead father, finding it in a fillet-o-fish
— James (@JamesWithAnE) May 15, 2017
Trying to decide if the new McDonald's advert takes the crown for Most Poorly Conceived Advertisement or not
— James (@JamesWithAnE) May 15, 2017
The BBC reported that the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK said it had received complaints regarding the advert and plans to “carefully assess them to see whether there are grounds to investigate.”
