Driving home today I committed to read each and every billboard on my stretch of the freeway. It's my solemn duty as an American, and even after living in Provo for 4 years I'm still amused at how all those sneaky marketers try to target Utah residents so differently than the rest of the country. We're like a different species.
But what really got my attention was a McDonald's advertisement. The biggest fast food corporation in the known universe still pays good money to have a presence on freeway billboards all over the world, I would assume, to advertise what? Coke.
It's true. The entire billboard was dedicated to the fact that at McDonald's for one dollar you can buy a cool refreshing fountain pop. Or "soda", for the rest of you.
Not only that but it's on the internet, radio and probably the T.V. but I don't have one. We're talking about a lot of money here. I mean I saw advertisements from them when I was in the most obscure little villages in Oaxaca, Mexico. Granted it is Mexico, not --[insert random 3rd world country here]--, but still, where there was no McDonald's store for about 50 miles, everyone still knew what it was.
So I suppose my real question is, why on earth would they waste their advertising dollars on sending this message to 20-somethings driving home from work:
"Come on in to McDonald's where you can buy exactly what you can also buy at the nearest gas station, or grocery store, or every other fast food restaurant in the state. And it even tastes exactly the same because we didn't make it! Coke did!"
And then of course I felt like I simply had to tell someone about this, as if no one else ever sees the same billboards that I do, and that, my friends, is why I decided on a whim to start this blog today. Welcome to the world of Ginko Dew and Universe Juice. If you don't where that title comes from, we're not friends.
To conclude I would like to take a moment to tell all 2 or 3 of you that read this that today I drank an entire 3 liters of pure fresh all natural Utah tap water from my boss's (bosses'?) sink, and I'm feeling very hydrated. Granted, it's no Washington water, but then again, it's not Mexico water either.
Have a lovely day.
Welcome to blogging! You're right, it's "boss's" (not bosses' because the would be if you had multiple bosses and they shared in the possession). Honestly, I figured the post was going to end with you going to McDonald's and buying an ice, cold, refreshing Coca-Cola for $1. Disappointing. :)
ReplyDeleteSouth Carolina water is better. It's sweet.
ReplyDeleteOver here in the mid-west, McDonald's actually has a clever billboard. It has nothing to do with soda.
ReplyDeleteWas that the salad one that has grass actually growing on the billboard?
ReplyDelete