Choo choo, people — you’ve been knocked down, run over, and diced to bits by the runaway Hype Train. Hello and welcome to another special episode of How Advertisements Should Never Be Taken At Face Value. This time, we take a gander (again) at McDonald’s continued success in marketing, and the continued frustration of its customers taken in by hype.
Case in point: the new Cheesy Loaded Fries that were just launched today. Costing an affordable S$4.20, this clear-cut guilty pleasure promises to overwhelm your #foodporn cravings with a generous amount of nacho cheese, sour cream sauce and (halal chicken) bacon bits sprinkled around. The fanfare got a super-boost thanks to local Twitter celeb Xavier Lur, who received McDonald’s new entreé before everyone did, along with The Original Angus, but who cares about that dry-ass burger.
Just tried the new McDonald’s Cheesy Loaded Fries before they are out. Topped with chicken bacon bits, nacho cheese & sour cream sauce. Available tomorrow, 7 Dec. pic.twitter.com/Bz1aLXATyy
— Xavier Lur (@xavierlur) December 6, 2017
But reality, uh, finds a way. Thanks to the viral post, Singaporeans across the island rushed to McDonald’s outlets today to get their dose of cheesy carbs, and lo, they were in for a treat. A terrible treat.
When you were looking forward to MacDonald’s new cheesy loaded fries and you get this bunch of disappointment @RainyDespair pic.twitter.com/9jDwzEPKwo
— Shiying (@shinggx) December 7, 2017
While folks are understandably whining that the fries look nothing like what was advertised, we gotta ask — what were they expecting from a fast-food brand that prioritizes mass-production over quality? Of course they sent someone with huge clout levels an epic dish that’s designed to be photographed and shared on social media. Of course the real deal’s gonna look like someone spat little driblets of white and orange fluid on forlorn potato strips. This is McDonald’s we’re talking about, they ain’t got the time or essence to fulfil naive expectations. In fact, major props to McDonald’s Singapore for successfully baiting in people by the thousands. Hook, line, and sinker.
Here’s a lifehack: kindly adjust all expectations and allow the hype train to stop first before hopping on.
