I will be examining McDonalds’ advertisements and the strategies they employ to entice children, either by encouraging them to visit McDonalds or by delivering a message promoting health and physical activity. In response to significant media coverage in August 2004, McDonalds introduced a set of educational cartoon characters known as the Yum Chums, aimed at promoting balanced diets and exercise among children. This essay will explore McDonalds’ efforts to reintroduce their restaurant through an advertisement.
Britain’s largest commercial children’s television network has developed a cartoon series featuring a squad of monsters who promote healthy eating. The objective is to counter the backlash the network has faced for airing advertisements promoting junk food. Upon analyzing the ‘Yum chums’ advertisement, I noticed that the initial emphasis is placed on the characters employed as stereotypes, cleverly tailored to engage with diverse groups of children. The advert introduces these characters by zooming in on a clown, giving the illusion that it is entering Ronald’s stomach.
The text showcases a variety of characters, including a skater dude, a girly individual who enjoys dancing, a geeky character with glasses, a larger individual and a baby. These animated beings are fantastical and unrealistic, with some ideas inspired by Monsters Inc. The intention behind this is to captivate the interest of young minds. Moreover, the portrayal implies that people who wear glasses are always geeks and that all girls enjoy dancing, spinning and screaming. McDonald’s utilizes these stereotypes to resonate with and appeal to various children.
This would enable children to participate in singing with the characters and interact with them, potentially motivating them to dine at McDonalds. The characters move amidst vibrant and captivating patterns and shapes in the background, accompanied by lively music. The advert predominantly employs rainbow colors and hues preferred by children, creating a catchy tune that would linger in their minds throughout the day. The goal of the advertisement is to entice children to visit McDonalds, evoking a whimsical Alice in Wonderland ambiance.
The stomach of the clown features a vibrant background and contrasting colors to captivate children’s attention while the yum chums sing and run around. This display aims to dazzle the viewer with colorful, mesmerizing rainbow patterns that are sure to grab children’s eyes and keep them focused. McDonald’s advertising experts are well aware of how to captivate a child’s imagination, which is why they incorporate bold colors and shapes to exert influence over young minds. Furthermore, the use of unconventional camera angles in the commercial enhances the sense of zaniness and creates greater appeal for children.
The utilization of camera angles in this scene is both comical and eccentric. The filmmakers incorporate canted camera angles and zoom in on specific objects, such as the clown at the beginning, to create a sense of amusement. The way the cameras capture the clown makes him appear silly and playful, allowing the children to see him as a relatable and humorous individual. Furthermore, the lop-sided and canted camera angles contribute to the clown’s overall silliness and foolishness. Additionally, through the constant use of characters running towards the audience, the children in the scene are repeatedly put in situations where they feel attacked.
The camera continuously zooms in on the characters, spinning the image consistently. This spinning effect hypnotizes and fascinates the viewer, preventing the child from averting their gaze. However, certain messages conveyed in the advert are not fully absorbed and thus become lost. Towards the end, the clown’s energetic jumping and skipping serve as a reminder for children to remain active. Unfortunately, this message is overshadowed by the distraction of the clown’s excessive trampoline bouncing.
The ad for the yum chums features a mis-en-scene with a clown speaking, accompanied by a drum shaped like a drink and an object resembling a burger. Additionally, the pinball machine displays diagonal orangy-yellowy lines that resemble French fries. While children may not consciously notice these details, they may become hungry and develop a desire to go to McDonald’s. McDonald’s understands that children will pester their parents to get what they want, a concept known as ‘pester power’. The yum chums ad aims to trigger this behavior in children, encouraging them to persuade their parents to visit McDonald’s.
The intention of the yum chum advert is unclear. It is uncertain whether it is solely promoting healthy living or attempting to salvage their reputation following negative feedback from ‘super size me’. They are encouraging children to be more active while also suggesting that there are creatures in their stomach causing strange noises, implying that yum chums are promoting activity because McDonald’s understands how easily children can be influenced.
