McDonald’s in the UK has found itself in a bit of a PR pickle after an outdoor ad for a McCrispy Chicken burger was placed next to a sign for a local crematorium.
The offending image was taken in Cornwall, in the south-west of the country, and very soon went viral after it made the local newspaper, Cornwall Live.
Despite the obvious comedy value, the burger giant soon put on its serious pants and declared it no laughing matter.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said of the incident: “We were unaware of the road sign in the vicinity of this bus stop. However, in light of the concerns raised by Cornwall Live, we have asked for our advertisement to be removed.”
Very soon social media users were debating whether it was of poor taste or a comedy gem.
“Although I can see the funny side, it is tasteless,” said one person, whose mother-in-law was cremated there last year.
“I’m sure some grieving family members won’t like to see it when visiting Penmount for the funeral and cremation of a loved one,” remarked another.
“Fell off the chair laughing,” said one.
Another said: “Before this publicity, there probably weren’t that many people who’d even noticed it.”
And in yet further bad news for the brand, a British dating app has voted McDonald’s the second worst place for a first date ahead of Valentine’s Day tomorrow.
Dating app So Synced asked 11,000 of its users what they thought the worst first date experience was with cinema coming in at number one and McDonald’s taking the unwanted silver medal position.
According to the results, these are the top 10 worst first dates.
- Cinema
- McDonald’s
- Staying home
- Visiting a parent’s house
- Restaurant
- Pub/bar
- Swimming
- Watching a football match
- Attending a funeral
- A trip to a local park
Commenting on the results, Jessica Alderson, the CEO and co-founder of dating app So Syncd, said: “The goal of a first date is to work out if you both feel a connection and want to continue investing time in each other, and the cinema doesn’t allow for that.
“McDonald’s has a reputation for being cheap and convenient, which gives the impression that someone doesn’t care about impressing their date. Not only that, but the lighting is bright, it can be noisy, and there are often kids around.
“All of these factors aren’t conducive to a romantic atmosphere that enables you to feel a sense of intimacy,” Alderson said.
