I accept that you like boys,’ dad tells son in new McDonald’s ad

[whirlygigspin]

Source: Fusion

"The same week China banned depictions of gay people on TV, McDonald’s unveiled an ad in neighboring Taiwan that depicts a son telling his father he likes boys...The 90-second McDonald’s ad released Friday shows what appears to be a tense conversation after a son hands his father a McCafé cup with a note that reads “I like boys.” The father walks away from the table but comes back with a warm message.
The father then “writes three characters on the coffee cup which make the sentence read, ‘I accept that you like boys.’”

Shanghaiist points out at least one religious group has condemned the ad.

“Because McDonald’s is frequented by many children, it is especially important to oppose the promotion of same-sex behavior,” wrote the head of the Alliance of Taiwan Religious Groups for the Protection of Family. The group’s leader said the organization “rebukes and boycotts all enterprises that are polluting the next generation...Even if you want to just take a leak at a McDonald's bathroom, you can't help but feel polluted," a rep from the Alliance told local media. (What an odd thing to say to the press.) The rep also accused McDonald's of "openly promoting gay issues" and miseducating children on sexual behavior.

Read more: http://fusion.net/story/277636/son-comes-out-mcdonalds-commercial/

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perhaps you may wish to contact them to share your opinions
https://www.facebook.com/protectforfamily

[retrowire]

1. I'm totally for LGBT equality.

But this is corporate pandering to a demographic for monetary reasons.

Shouldn't an ad just be selling fucking coffee? McDonalds please, shut the fuck up. If you want to make a difference, give your money to charities where it matters and keep up the non discriminatory hiring practices.

ETA: Maybe it can start productive conversations for people. I dunno. Sorry, I'm grouchy whenever I sense corporations cashing in on a certain demographics issues.

[tomm2thumbs]

2. you didn't seem grouchy :)

but I do think it is a step to simply acknowledge a market exists to the people who are a part of that market. And I do think young people seeing others like themselves in more than just a TV shows does go a long way to making them feel a part of the real world. I personally was touched by the ad's tone so I give it credit for that. I agree with hiring practice comments you made and charities as well.

[MisterFred]

3. I'd agree with you.

But only in the U.S.

In many other countries, including Taiwan, it's a take-what-you-can-get situation. Taiwan may be liberal-for-Asia, but McDonald's is still being somewhat risky with the ad. I'm sure they thought the association with a certain cultural outlook would be good for their bottom line, but still a risk.

[RufusTFirefly]

4. +1 Totally agree

To believe otherwise is similar to believing that Goldman Sachs paid $200K+ to Hillary because they thought she was a great speaker.

McDonalds only cares about LGBTQ equality if they think doing so will sell more burgers.

Often it's worse than that. Some time back a cracker company came out in support of same-sex marriage in order to draw attention away from growing complaints about a terrible smell and bad taste.

[whirlygigspin]

6. if it's any consolation...

...they won't be pandering to anyone in China--it's now illegal to show gay people on tv there.

-pandering problem solved- Behold the perfect Hello Kitty bubble of cultural neoteny where no 'others' exist and one can breed in peace until extinction or exhaustion of all the planets resources

[Iggo]

21. Hoooo-yeah! China knows how to tell someone to shut the fuck up!

Yup.

Problem solved!

[joshcryer]

9. You could just as well complain about Taiwanese nationalism.

Since that's obviously why this ad was created.

You could complain about western cultural imperialism, with western society "forcing its norms down the throats of other cultures" through our consumer and corporate behavior.

Or you know, you could think the video was touching, and be glad that it's out there, and maybe it'll comfort LGBT that want to come out there but can't, or that it might, the consumerist piece that it is, actually heal wounds with LGBT who have come out and have been disowned, etc.

[GreatGazoo]

13. Good point about Taiwanese nationalism

A friend of mine from Taiwan talked a lot about how many of the better chefs of China emigrated to Taiwan to escape the Communist government and its austerity. He also mentioned that in Taiwanese culture being gay is acceptable, not preferred or even equal but acceptable.

ETA: Didn't mean to imply that those chefs are now working at McDonald's in Taiwan. Only that Taiwan prides itself on its differences with China.

[joshcryer]

14. It's actually kind of sad.

I don't want to generalize or make statements here, but anyone can google the bridge between Taiwanese and Chinese. It's ultra nationalist and even, arguably racist (though they have no true race difference).

Taiwan is very heavily western influenced, arguably more so than South Korea, imho.

[LanternWaste]

19. that is both the purpose and the mechanism of all advertising.

"this is corporate pandering to a demographic for monetary reasons..."

For all intents that is precisely the purpose, the form, and the mechanism of all advertising.

[Iggo]

22. They're doing a good thing for the wrong reason?

I can live with that.

[retrowire]

23. Check my ETA. nt

[Iggo]

25. .

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

26. I was hoping they were going to go with

'I accept that you like boys' written on one side, but 'But I can't accept that you like Wendy's' written on the other!

[retrowire]

27. HA. nt

[JI7]

29. businesses always target demographics. it's a good thing that lgbt are being targeted this way

[Half-Century Man]

5. I have an irrational hatred for McDonald's advertising.

However, it is a good story told in 90 seconds. I like the story and despise the source.

[C Moon]

8. +1

[starroute]

7. This backfired in Franch a few years back

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-mcdonalds-gay-ad-in-france-pissed-off-wait-for-it-gays/

It's no surprise that right-wing pundits are in a lather about a French McDonald's ad in which a gay teen and his dad dine at the golden arches. But would you believe it's angered gay-rights groups as well?

It turns out that shortly after the French ad began airing last week, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce sent McDonald's (MCD) a scathing letter that severed its ties to the company and rejected any future financial support the company might offer. The letter calls the French ad "blatant geographic pandering to the LGBT community... while McDonald's has continued to distance itself from the LGBT segment in the United States." . . .

While some might see the French ad as a step forward in reaching out to the community, the fact that the ad is French-only enraged the NGLCC.

"The French TV ad has truly been the last straw," the group wrote. "To allow people to believe that McDonald's is the kind of partner portrayed in this ad would be a complete failure on our part to serve as an honest and trusted resource for LGBT people and our families to help make informed decisions in the marketplace."

[azurnoir]

10. so this won't be airing in the US, that's really too bad it's about tme

[Optimism]

11. I applaud this ...

Incredibly brave (particularly in this part of the world), and even quite moving. And really, who the fuck cares if the bottom line is to sell some more burgers (which I don't think it is)? There are many other less risky ways to do that. When gay people are still being killed in so many parts of the planet just because of their innate nature, how can someone complain about an ad (or anything) that promotes further acceptance?

This was simple, moving, cross-generational, and important. Hell yeah, I hope McDonald's sells more burgers( well actually salads, as I don't eat meat), and I hope they use those profits to make many more commercials like this all over the world (Muslim countries I'm particularly looking at you). This is how worldwide societal change comes about, through little steps like this, and if it helps corporations earn some extra scratch as a result (it could well do the opposite), then so be it. I'm proud of McDonald's for doing this. Maybe I'll even think about buying some of their stock! (And a salad. Oh and some fries ... gotta have those fries!)

[Cavallo]

12. I think it's awesome. I'm sorry to hear China banned depictions of gay people on TV. Good

job McDonalds in Taiwan!

[IronLionZion]

15. Nice, I like their coffee

It would be great to have less bigots around when I buy it.

[Javaman]

16. now prepare for the right wing nuts to proclaim they are protesting mcdonalds...

I'm sure the nuts over at free republic are in their usual bigoted frothy rage.

[Vilis Veritas]

17. So China bans ads depicting gay people,

and then McD's (a large global US corporation) runs an ad on Taiwan TV depicting a gay person.

This is not about selling coffee...imo. I could be wrong.

[closeupready]

18. I like the Geico commercials - I'll stop the FF on my DVR to watch those.

But I FF through just about everything else.

Setting all that aside, I applaud any attempt, corporate or non, that can help gay people realize they don't have to always lie about their 100% lack of sexual or romantic interest in the opposite gender, which is what traditionally gay people have been compelled to do. Sometimes at the risk of death.

[lastone]

20. That is powerful.

I choked back a tear... I know a family that went through a very hard struggle with a gay son, dad disowned him initially and was a very large asshole. He's come around now but there was damage done.

I wonder the backlash by the "family value" hypocrites if this were broadcast in the US?

[MidwestTech]

24. That is so fucking awesome!

The father actor did a wonderful job with his eyes as he drank as if to say "you're my son, stupid... of course I love you!"
more than anything these quiet kinds of commercials are so powerful, because they force you to pay attention for meaning.

Words can often get in the way.

and +google to McDonalds. They may have flaws, but Accepting diversity has rarely been one of them.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

28. Such bullshit "but what about the children????"

Kids nowadays are much more educated and savvy about race, GLBT, sexism, and ageism that their parents. What they really mean to say is "WHAAAAAAA I DON'T LIKE GAYS. BECAUSE I'M AFRAID I MAY HAVE SOME HIDDEN HOMOSEXUAL TENDENCIES!!!"

Please ignore the bigots!

JUST TO BE CLEAR: Love the commercial, hate the Chinese responders from "Alliance of Taiwan Religious Groups for the Protection of Family".

[yardwork]

30. People may be cynical about this, but anything that normalizes us gay folks is a good thing.

Anything and everything that fights against the stereotype of gay folks as perverts is a good thing. Any advertising campaign that portrays us as ordinary human beings, with fathers, and feelings, is a good thing.

If you're being cynical about this it's probably because you are not in a position to be grateful for a positive portrayal in the media, even if it is advertising. I am grateful, and I'm grateful on behalf of lots and lots of young gay people who might have a slightly easier time in life because people saw this ad and see them as human beings rather than perverts.

That is all.

[greymouse]

31. very touching ad, I don't care why they did it.