April 6, 2004
i’m lovin’ it (so i’ve been told)
I like McDonald’s a lot. Always have. People who get all whiney about corporate greed, fattening food etc I have no time for. They’re just people who secretly hate their parents, nobody’s fooled for a second.
But this “I’m lovin’ it” tagline of theirs is unfortunate.
I guess they’re hoping it becomes a catchphrase. So the bus is coming. “I’m lovin’ it!”, you exclaim. The boss gave you the day off. “I’m lovin’ it!”, you holler. Sak’s is having a sale. “I’m lovin’ it!”, you scream. Suddenly the world of happy, day-to-day expression becomes a viral marketing campaign for Mickey-Dees on a grand scale. Right.
And who is this “I” in the “I’m loving it”? It isn’t McDonald’s Coporation (there is no “I” in “TEAM” etc). So is it supposed to be me? You’re trying to tell me what to say? Put words in my mouth, without asking first? That’s not very nice.
There’s no core belief in the phrase “I’m lovin’ it.” As a result the campaign has no soul. Only wishful thinking.
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Here in Quebec McDonalds have to advertise in French and their tagline is much nicer. It’s a visual pun on the scentence ‘Je t’aime’ (I love you) but they replaced the ‘aime’ part with the M of McDonalds (the golden arches).
So it’s “Je t’M” (I couldn’t find any pictures of it, sorry)
In France they use the much more boring “C’est tout que j’aime’ (It’s all that I love). But the French are way too serious to play with words…
I actually like the Je t’M or whatever. I’ve seen it. That has a wee bit more spirit to it.
Spirit– what the Chinese call “chi”… as in “Tai Chi” is everything in advertising. Soul, belief, connections… all that good stuff.
Howa ’bout some “Che” — as in “Che” Guevara. huh?!
maybe start a revolution.
No one should be “lovin’ it” at McDonalds, babe.