Digital
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First Zomato, now McDonald’s under fire for questionable ads; McD's ad was labelled "cute" and "creepy"
Zomato and McDonald’s receive backlash for ads that seem to be normalising problematic behaviour and touching upon sensitive topics such as caste.
According to netizens, the McDonald's ad normalises “creepy” behaviour and creates a narrative that men can hit on women even in a professional setting.
After Zomato faced flak online for its "Kachra" ad, McDonald’s India seems to be on the receiving end of a backlash for its most recent campaign. The ad spot features a potential romantic story brewing between a male customer and a McDonald's female employee. In the ad, a male customer is seen visiting the restaurant and buying a meal. He is served by a female staff member who catches his fancy and the spot goes on to show a brewing romance between the two.
According to netizens, the ad normalises “creepy” behaviour and creates a narrative that men can hit on women even in a professional setting.
Sometimes, the greatest love stories start with the tiniest things – a glance, a smile, a meal. Watch this unusual date and find out how a meal can give you #MoreForLess at just Rs.179! Visit a McDonald’s near you and get McVeggie Meals @ Rs.179https://t.co/nXOWHHIgGZ
— McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) June 5, 2023
Netizens started sharing their discomfort over the ad. Here is one of the tweets which publicly held Mcdonald’s accountable.
This is outrageous and disgusting beyond words
— akshay sethi (@akshay_sethii) June 7, 2023
1. You are inviting your customers to hit on your employees
2. Creating potentially unsafe workplace for your female employees
3. Objectifying your female staff for profit by suggesting your customers can flirt and find a date here
One of the comments in the YouTube comment section for the ad was .”Wth, i mean its cute. But there exist many despo people who will take it as a new way to find girls. It would be a shame if the women who work there for their livelihood have to deal with stalkers. They smile not only at you but at everyone cause it is their job. But this ad can be taken in a different way which will be bad. If working women are to be disturbed now how will they do their job now.”
Recently, Zomato had to withdraw a “casteist” ad after social media backlash. The campaign featured Kachra, a Dalit character from Bollywood movie 'Lagaan' who was personified in the ad and shown to play the role of a lamp, stool and hand towel. The online food delivery platform was called out for being "tone deaf" to an already marginalised and oppressed section of society.
SPOTLIGHT
At the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spotlighted the critical role of traditional media in an evolving digital landscape. He emphasized that such gatherings can aid the govt in formulating more effective policies for a balanced and sustainable media ecosystem.
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