McDonald's apologizes after pit bull fans bare their teeth
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MCDONALD'S has apologized and pulled an ad that said eating a Chicken McBite was less risky than petting a stray pit bull, shaving your head, naming your son Sue or giving friends your Facebook password. It enraged pit bull owners and their supporters.
The radio ad for Chicken McBites only ran for a few days in the Kansas City area before complaints started on social media sites. And the apology was delivered the same way. People who called a well-publicized toll-free number got a recorded apology.
"The ad was insensitive in its mention of pit bulls. We apologize. As soon as we learned of it, we tracked the source and had the local markets pull the ad immediately. We'll do a better job next time. It's never our intent to offend anyone with how we communicate news about McDonald's," Ashlee Yingling, spokesman for McDonald's Corp, said on Monday.
"I found it extremely offensive and reckless," said Rachele Lizarraga of Sacramento. "Why would you try to promote the safety of food?"
Lizarraga, who owns a pet-sitting business and is social media coordinator for Chako Pit Bull Rescue, started a Facebook page called "Pit Bulls Against McDonald's," launched an online petition calling for an end to the ad and started one of many Twitter threads.
Many of the 8,200-plus people who liked the Facebook page said an apology wasn't enough - they wanted a donation to pit bull organizations and a McDonald's ad featuring a pit bull.
But others thought the apology was sufficient. "We are just asking them to promote positive pit bull imagery. We are not asking for donations. I don't think that should be a demand," Lizarraga said.
"It was stupid marketing, playing into the media hysteria about pit bulls," she added.
"The McDonald's response was immediate, unambiguous and apologetic - not sure what more anyone could ask," radio host and syndicated pet columnist Steve Dale wrote on Sunday.
The campaign against the ad built swiftly and fiercely last Friday. Then the ad disappeared, except on YouTube and online.
The radio ad for Chicken McBites only ran for a few days in the Kansas City area before complaints started on social media sites. And the apology was delivered the same way. People who called a well-publicized toll-free number got a recorded apology.
"The ad was insensitive in its mention of pit bulls. We apologize. As soon as we learned of it, we tracked the source and had the local markets pull the ad immediately. We'll do a better job next time. It's never our intent to offend anyone with how we communicate news about McDonald's," Ashlee Yingling, spokesman for McDonald's Corp, said on Monday.
"I found it extremely offensive and reckless," said Rachele Lizarraga of Sacramento. "Why would you try to promote the safety of food?"
Lizarraga, who owns a pet-sitting business and is social media coordinator for Chako Pit Bull Rescue, started a Facebook page called "Pit Bulls Against McDonald's," launched an online petition calling for an end to the ad and started one of many Twitter threads.
Many of the 8,200-plus people who liked the Facebook page said an apology wasn't enough - they wanted a donation to pit bull organizations and a McDonald's ad featuring a pit bull.
But others thought the apology was sufficient. "We are just asking them to promote positive pit bull imagery. We are not asking for donations. I don't think that should be a demand," Lizarraga said.
"It was stupid marketing, playing into the media hysteria about pit bulls," she added.
"The McDonald's response was immediate, unambiguous and apologetic - not sure what more anyone could ask," radio host and syndicated pet columnist Steve Dale wrote on Sunday.
The campaign against the ad built swiftly and fiercely last Friday. Then the ad disappeared, except on YouTube and online.
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