McDonald's "You Better Don't" (lost "Defend Your Chicken Selects" commercial from fast food franchise; 2004)
The logo for the McDonald's brand circa 2004.
Status: Lost
In August of 2004[1], Mcdonald's introduced the "Defend Your Chicken" campaign to promote the permanent addition of Chicken Selects to their menu. The campaign centers around a series of people trying to defend their Chicken Selects by confronting people that come close to their meal, with most of these commercials following a person talking to themselves.
However, one commercial from this campaign, nicknamed "You Better Don't" by those who remember it, is currently lost, despite being commonly remembered[2] and referenced[3] for its stereotypical use of African-American Vernacular English.
The "You Better Don't" Commercial
"You Better Don't" follows a flight attendant collecting trash, who gets to a black woman eating Chicken Selects. The flight attendant, thinking the meal is trash, goes to discard it, to which the woman responds with "You Better Don't!"[4][5][6] The commercial received negative attention[7] for giving the woman a stereotypical black American dialect.
Availability
As of 2024, despite being referenced occasionally online as an example of black stereotyping in marketing, the commercial has not resurfaced online in any form. However, most other commercials from the campaign have resurfaced.
Video
See Also
- The Incredibles (found full version of McDonald's Happy Meal commercial for Pixar animated film; 2004)
- McDonald's "Archy Dancing" advertisement (lost commercial from fast food franchise; early 1960s)
- McDonald's (found "New Slang" commercial from fast food restaurant; 2002)
- McDonald's (partially lost early Japanese TV commercials for fast food chain; 1973-1976)
- Mcjuniorclub TV (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands/McDonald's live-action short series; 2008)
- Ronald McDonald and the Adventure Machine (found McDonald's animated video; 1987)
- YumChums (partially lost British McDonald's TV commercials; 2004)
- Valerie's Family Fire Prevention (partially found McDonald's sponsored TV ads; 1987)
External Link
Reference
- ↑ NBC News article that states that the McDonald's campaign will start airing on August 10th, 2004 Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ The Evergreen Speakers' webpage on "Diversity is the Future" that mentions the missing McDonald's commercial. Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ Erin Jackson's December 6th, 2008 blogpost on McDonald's stereotypical ad Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ StraightDope thread about You Better Don't" Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ TPWW Forums thread that recollects what happened in the McDonald's commercial. Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ ARS Open Forums with a message from the user about the missing commercial. Retrieved 29 Feb '24
- ↑ LipStickAlley threads on the "You Better Don't" commercial. Retrieved 29 Feb '24