In this 2010 French ad for McDonald’s, a teenage boy is portrayed secretly conversing with his lover over the phone, who we soon find out to be male. The boy’s father joins him at the table and remarks on what a shame it is that the boy’s classmates are all male – “you could have all the ladies!” Although the boy simply smiles and does not correct his father’s misunderstanding, the commercial ends with the phrase “come as you are” before transitioning to the McDonald’s logo.

discussion

Why do you think McDonald’s would choose to produce an ad in France that is explicitly pro-LGBT? What interests does it promote for the company?

Do you think the McDonald’s ad does a good job of promoting acceptance of the LGBT community? Why or why not?

critique

It is worth noting that the American LGBT community has scrutinized McDonald’s in recent years for pulling support from such organizations as the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in response to pressure from groups like the American Family Association.