[TOPIC 01] McDonald's apologizes after Big Mac ad parodies 'You're Not Alone' mental health
McDonald's has come under fire for a recent ad campaign which compares the desire for a Big Mac to mental illness.
The ad, which appeared on the Boston transport system last week, shows a woman covering her face with her hand next to the slogan: 'You're Not Alone'. Underneath in smaller text are the words: 'Millions of people love the Big Mac.'
The 1-800 number on the bottom of the ad connects to a McDonald's customer helpline.
Not loving it: McDonald's latest Big Mac, pictured on the Boston subway, has drawn criticism for its play on a mental health ad
Commuters posted the ad to Twitter where it has drawn criticism for its apparent attempt to make light of those suffering from mental health problems.
Law professor David Yamada wrote on his blog Minding The Workplace: 'The ad writers and executives in McDonald's high-priced marketing operation missed the boat badly on this one.
I'm sorry, but the ad is just too close to the real thing to be funny.'
The 'You're Not Alone' poster appeared as one of a number in the carriage which played on well-known ads to advertise McDonald's including one for an adult education program.
In a statement to MailOnline, McDonald's said: 'A local print ad displayed on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was recently brought to our attention.
Campaign stunt: Another McDonald's burger ad which parodies a college promotion
Leaving a bad taste: McDonald's apologized for a recent ad for the Big Mac (pictured) which caused outrage for
its insensitivity to those with mental health issues
'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, our agency did not follow that process.'
Arnold, the advertising agency which created the ad, stated: '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 it's 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.'
1. What are the common advertisements (posters, billboards, etc) that you can see in your city?
2. What ads or commercial has recently caught your interest?
3. Do you think that the ad is really inappropriate? If so, why do you think so ?
4. In your opinion, what do you think are the important factors to consider when making an advertisement?
5. Is depression a serious issue in Korea? If so, what is/are the reason/s behind it?
6. How do you think can society be more supportive/helpful to people with mental illnesses?
[TOPIC 02] Hate Doing Laundry? You Are Going To Love This Shirt!
Given that most of the work is done by machines, doing laundry is relatively
effortless. Yet, most people hate the chore with a passion, which is probably
why this new shirt unveiled by American apparel company, Wool & Prince, is
generating so much interest.
According to Mac Brown, the entrepreneur behind the idea, the button-down formal
shirt can be worn for 100 straight days without washing! Of course, any shirt
can be worn for that long, if odor is not an issue. However, the Wool & Prince
shirt is different because it remains as fresh smelling as it was, the first day
it was donned. And if that is not enough to get you jumping off your seat, how
about this? It never needs ironing, because it never wrinkles.
While that may sound magical and even impossible, the manufacturer is quick to
assure, it is neither. The secret to their success lies in the raw material used
to make the shirt - Wool as opposed to cotton.
Not only are wool fibers about four times stronger than cotton, but thanks to
the natural crimp, they also does not wrinkle as easily. But more important than
that, especially in this case, is that the fiber is better at allowing moisture
to escape. Because apparently, sweat in itself is not smelly - It just gets that
way when in contact with the human skin. Therefore, the fact that the fabric
allows it to dissipate gives the shirt the 'super power' to stay fresh after so
many wears.
To prove their claims, the company that spent six months creating this new
Cotton-Soft wool material, dispatched their testers to do all kinds of things
from backpacking in the Andes to dancing in crowded New York nightclubs. They
all attest that the shirt remained really fresh. As for the no-iron claim? One
of them repeatedly crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it into his backpack -
And, it came out nice and crisp, each time!
Whether real users will feel the same way remains to be seen - But before they
can do that, they will have to come up with $98 USD which is the current selling
price on fund-raising site Kickstarter. The company hopes to use the funds
collected to begin manufacturing the shirts for the mass market. And in case you
are wondering, if things go well, Wool & Prince is planning to introduce other
clothing including, similar attire for women.
1. Do you think many people will love this shirt? Why or why not?
2. Would you like to wear this shirt? If yes, how long do you plan to wear it?
3. How do you feel about doing the laundry?
4. How often do you do this chore?
5. What housework do you like? What about the housework that you dislike?
6. Are you fashionable? What types of clothes do like to wear?
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감사합니다 ^^
수고했두~ ㅎㅎㅎ 이번주는 꼭 참석해보아야겠끈여~ ^^