Media and Consumerism: McDonald's First Love

This commercial was created and launched by McDonald’s Philippines in 2003. McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948 they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using production line principles.

The creative techniques that used to attract my attention are: Association, Warm & fuzzy, Nostalgia and Symbols. First, McDonald’s uses Association as the creative technique as persuasion because Association technique tries to link a product, service  or idea  with something already liked or desired by the target, such as fun, pleasure and beauty. This commercial actually coincides with the I’m Lovin’  tag line of McDonald’s or simply in the Philippines “Love Ko To.”.  The commercial sent two messages to the viewers, being in love with the products and at the same time the personal love to each other since childhood. Second, McDonald’s uses Warm & fuzzy as the creative technique as persuasion because this technique uses sentimental images (especially of families, kids and animals) to stimulate feelings of pleasure, comfort, and delight.  Showing in the commercial how the store and the products used as their connection in their life since they were kids up  to the time they were grown up.

Third, McDonald’s uses Nostalgia; Nostalgia is the opposite of the New technique. . Many advertisers invoke a time when life was simpler and quality was supposedly better. In this commercial it uses “Ang Huling El Bimbo” as soundtrack by Eraserheads. Eraserheads is the most influential Filipino music artist of the 90′s and that song is one of the most memorable and popular from the band. Lastly, McDonald’s uses Symbols as the creative technique as persuasion because symbols are words or images that bring to mind some larger concept, usually one with strong emotional content such as family, nation, gender and lifestyle.

My feelings when I watched this commercial, first, I admire the effectiveness of the commercial in invoking the emotional engagement to the people. Second, I think using the act of dipping French fries into the hot fudge sundae as an essential part of the storyboard shows great market research and  excellent ideas in inviting the curiosity  of the consumer in doing such act,  from the marketing agency. Third, I think the universal appeal of “First Love” as the central theme of the advertisement actually coincides with the Tag Line of McDonald’s “ Love Ko To” in the Philippines. Fourth, I think McDonald’s First Love Commercial or McDonald’s Huling El bimbo Commercial is just that, the sad and good story is nothing about their products. Mcdonald’s done more than enough to expose their company beyond television. Lastly, I find the concept of this commercial catchy and effective.

For me, different people understand this commercial differently, first, people can’t help but admire the effectiveness of the advertisement in invoking emotional engagement to the audience. Second, my friend said he really liked the ad because it was not hard selling the brand, another one thought that it was very effective in appealing the emotions but was not really sure how it relates to the big picture.

Third, many people can relate in this commercial emotionally because it uses “Ang Huling El Bimbo” as soundtrack. We all know that Eraserheads is the most influential Filipino music artist during 90’s and early 2000’s and “Ang Huling El Bimbo” is one of most emotional, memorable and popular song from the band. Hearing “El Bimbo” immediately invokes a sense of nostalgia among the target market.

This message was created by McDonald’sand I admired  the marketing agency who conceptualized this commercial because they got the heart  and attention of all Filipino viewers every time this commercial is being aired  in the television.  Second, McDonald’s used a very popular song being sung by a popular band, admired not only by the youth but by all ages,  Ang Huling El Bimbo which relates to their childhood memories.  This invokes Nostalgia.  We all know that we Filipno are very sentimental. Lastly, hearing this commercial will be easily to remember by public because of its content and the background music that they used.