McDonald's moves to quell controversy over 'PLA' TV endorsement

<p>As a result of the furore, which was picked up by Apple Daily, The Hong </p><p>Kong Economic Times and Oriental Daily, McDonald's representatives met </p><p>with the PLA last week. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A story attempting to pitch McDonalds and the PLA up against each </p><p>other over Leo Burnett's 25th anniversary 60-second TVC has caused </p><p>significant controversy in the Hong Kong press. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The TVC, which ran on TVB and ATV, was Burnett's farewell piece for the </p><p>McDonald's Hong Kong account, which moved to DDB Needham last month </p><p>(MEDIA, December 17, 1999). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The furore centred on one frame in particular, which showed a small </p><p>child offering a french fry to an actor dressed as a uniformed, armed </p><p>sentry. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Through the course of the week, the official line on what precisely the </p><p>actor was meant to look like modified to "a representation of the </p><p>uniformed services"; however, initially, McDonald's Mayee Tang was </p><p>quoted describing the actor as looking "as much as possible like a PLA </p><p>soldier". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The story broke when a South China Morning Post reporter contacted the </p><p>PLA for comments on the TVC. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The article essentially implied that either the PLA, McDonald's or Leo </p><p>Burnett had contravened Article 18 of the National People's Congress </p><p>statute, which states that "garrison troops and related personnel shall </p><p>not engage in any form of profit-making business activities". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Directed by David Tsui and produced by Angie Lau, the TVC was, according </p><p>to McDonalds CEO Peter Tang, "Very McDonald's. We wanted to depict the </p><p>segment of customers we have served over the past 25 years and that </p><p>soldier represented a uniform - not identifying a specific unit. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It (the TVC) has everything that is McDonald's - that warm feeling, </p><p>endearment between customers and brand; it's about kids, adults, older </p><p>age groups. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"McDonald's is a very special place that hopefully you leave with a </p><p>smile. That's what it was about." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As a result of the furore, which was picked up by Apple Daily, The Hong </p><p>Kong Economic Times and Oriental Daily, McDonald's representatives met </p><p>with the PLA last week, and matters have been resolved. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>When contacted by MEDIA, a PLA spokesman said: "(The) McDonald's matter </p><p>is none of our business". </p><p><BR><BR> </p>