McDonald's Singer Commercial Question

Cafe Society
1

Mods, apologies in advance if this is more of a IMHO, but I figured since it was a commercial it could belong here. It also doesn’t get any more mundane or pointless, but I’m doing the best I can here.

I’m having a disagreement with my boyfriend over the meaning behind the new McDonald’s commercial (I listen to NPR, I’m a law student, I post here, I really do have some depth to me).

In it, two guys are sitting in a music studio eating a new McDonald’s chicken sandwich while pop music filters through the studio and a young woman sings in the booth. One of the guys mentions something to the effect that all the sandwich needs is pickles and nothing more. The other guy agrees, accidentaly pulling down the lever and thus removing the backing track from the music that’s playing in the studio. This reveals the girl singing all by herself.

What is the significance of this moment? I’ve spoilered our thoughts on what we think the meaning is, because my boyfriend has demanded that if we’re going to conduct a decent poll, we had better not bias people.

My thoughts

She’s supposed to be a bad singer. When the back tracks are removed, it reveals that she needs all of the filler to actually sound good. This is supposed to be a contrast to the sandwich, which only needs pickles and nothing else to be tasty (by McDonald’s standards)

His thoughts

My boyfriend says: “Yeah, she’s a bad singer, but that’s not what the commercial is saying. Most people listen to that kind of crappy music and when the track drops out, it is supposed to reveal that the song is better without the background music, like the sandwich – simple, unadorned, bare. Of course she sucks, but McDonalds and most of the American public wouldn’t think so.”

So what say you, dopers?

2

I like yours- it’s a simpler path to the conclusion:

lots of filler = covering for an inferior product.

(Really, I have some depth too!)

3

Oh no, you’re right by far.

4

I’d be willing to bet that what he meant was, you shouldn’t say which was your idea and which was his.

5

You are by far the correct one.

6

Thanks everyone. The spoilers were more to avoid the power of suggestion than anything, but there’s not really a great way to do something like this with much scientific accuracy.

Unfortunately, boyfriend refuses to give up the fight, saying “It’s only four people.”

At least I know that I’m right–even if it is the most trivial of disputes.

7

Make that five people.

8

Six. He shoots himself in the foot by admitting the girl’s a bad singer. If she were a good singer, and removing the backing track let you hear it, then his version would make sense, but…it doesn’t, as it is.

9

Seven.

10

I thought the point of the commercial was that if you are dumb enough to eat McDonald’s you do other stupid things like accidentally hit levers and stuff.

Although, I could go for a 10 piece chicken nugget right now. Shit, just knocked over my soda.