# I Think McDonald's Ad Agency is in Cahoots with the Trial Lawyers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 12, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-mcdonalds-ad-agency-is-in-cahoots-with-the-trial-lawyers/344150 "2006-02-12T20:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-mcdonalds-ad-agency-is-in-cahoots-with-the-trial-lawyers/344150/1 "2006-02-12T20:40:09Z")
I saw a billboard yesterday evening which gave me a “WTF???!!!???” moment that nearly caused me to drive off the road. It was for McDonald’s new Spicy Chicken™ sandwich, and depicted a man shooting a fire extinguisher into his mouth. Now, I understand that the billboard is supposed to convey the idea that the sandwich is hot_hot **hot** _; but didn’t anybody at the ad agency stop to think that someone with the intelligence of asparagus[SUP]\*[/SUP] is bound to try this stunt and then sue McDonald’s for a gajillion dollars? And that even though McDonald’s will almost certainly prevail, the cost of defending against said lawsuit has to come out of _someone’s_ pocket? Even if the agency didn’t consider this, someone at Micky-D’s had to sign off on the idea—someone who, at least in theory, had the company’s interest in mind. Where was his/her mind? (In a similar vein, I live a couple blocks from a “multi-ethnic”—i.e., primarily African-American, with a smattering of Southeast Asian—part of town. There’s a 7-11 around the corner that had an ad for a new line of baked goods above the gas pumps. The ad showed three attractive black women, with the caption, “Fresh brownies are here! Enjoy one today!” At the risk of sounding like a racist, I kind of wonder why the store hasn’t burned.) Anyone else have such a moment involving an ad/billboard/whatever? Or is it just me? [SUP]\*[/SUP] The sort who reenacts wrestling “moves” with folding chairs, then can’t figure out why his buddy doesn’t just bounce up off the floor with all teeth still intact ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-mcdonalds-ad-agency-is-in-cahoots-with-the-trial-lawyers/344150/2 "2006-02-13T03:04:35Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > I saw a billboard yesterday evening which gave me a “WTF???!!!???” moment that nearly caused me to drive off the road. It was for McDonald’s new Spicy Chicken™ sandwich, and depicted a man shooting a fire extinguisher into his mouth. > > Now, I understand that the billboard is supposed to convey the idea that the sandwich is hot_hot **hot** _; but didn’t anybody at the ad agency stop to think that someone with the intelligence of asparagus[SUP]\*[/SUP] is bound to try this stunt and then sue McDonald’s for a gajillion dollars? And that even though McDonald’s will almost certainly prevail, the cost of defending against said lawsuit has to come out of _someone’s_ pocket? > > Even if the agency didn’t consider this, someone at Micky-D’s had to sign off on the idea—someone who, at least in theory, had the company’s interest in mind. Where was his/her mind? > > (In a similar vein, I live a couple blocks from a “multi-ethnic”—i.e., primarily African-American, with a smattering of Southeast Asian—part of town. There’s a 7-11 around the corner that had an ad for a new line of baked goods above the gas pumps. The ad showed three attractive black women, with the caption, “Fresh brownies are here! Enjoy one today!” At the risk of sounding like a racist, I kind of wonder why the store hasn’t burned.) > > Anyone else have such a moment involving an ad/billboard/whatever? Or is it just me? > > [SUP]\*[/SUP] The sort who reenacts wrestling “moves” with folding chairs, then can’t figure out why his buddy doesn’t just bounce up off the floor with all teeth still intact OK so you’ve noticed too. Seems like all of the ad agencies have taken leave of their senses and make the most inane ad vidios anyone can imagine.