McDonald’s Cardi B & Offset meal sparks franchisee outcry
Some McDonald’s franchisees have criticized the fast-food chain for featuring rapper Cardi B in its ads.
The black American singer starred in a Super Bowl commercial earlier this month that was about a couples meal. These shopkeepers say that tying a restaurant chain that serves families to an entertainer whose songs contain profanity and sexual content would damage the brand.
These franchisees also say the partnership violates the “Golden Arches Code” chain of marketing guidelines for store owners and employees.
“Partnerships with celebrities and influencers who have the potential risk of damaging our brand because of statements they have made or their positions on certain issues,” according to a 2021 copy of the internal code obtained by Bloomberg News has been reviewed, not allowed. Also prohibited are “music partnerships related to content containing offensive language in the lyrics.”
The Golden Arches Code, a global set of marketing, advertising, legal and branding guidelines, states that all McDonald’s employees, franchisees, agencies and suppliers have a responsibility to ensure full compliance with the Code. It states that violations endanger the brand and that anything that does not conform to the guidelines outlined in the document must be removed from use. In the US, franchisees own about 95% of McDonald’s stores.
“It’s kind of a culture shock when you look at the McDonald’s brand over the years,” said Dick Adams, a former McDonald’s restaurant owner and consultant to franchisees. “Especially if you’re a franchisee and you’re in your 50s or 60s, don’t have kids, and have never been exposed to any types of these lyrics.”
Introduction of the Cardi B & Offset Menu, from 2.14 pic.twitter.com/5gPR7F0yzu
— McDonald’s (@McDonald’s) February 12, 2023
The Cardi B promotion includes a so-called date night meal bundle for two people. During the NFL championship on Feb. 12, a commercial aired in which the entertainer and her significant other, rapper Offset, recited their favorite McDonald’s orders for apple pie.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of franchisees who are concerned about this, but it’s good for sales and the companies are supporting it,” Adams said. He acknowledged that while there is some grumbling and complaining, “I don’t think there’s much resistance.”
McDonald’s said it’s hearing support from owners and their employees and that its marketing collaborations are attracting a new generation of diners and boosting sales. The company said it is always thoughtful and careful about what is posted on its channels, careful to avoid language that could be offensive.
“We are focused on putting McDonald’s at the center of the culture,” said Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer for the US market, in a statement. “Cardi and Offset are an iconic couple who have their own date night tradition at McDonald’s that stretches back years. We are proud to share a little piece of it.”
The Chicago-based company has been promoting so-called celebrity orders from celebrities like singer Mariah Carey and K-pop group BTS — part of an effort to invest in “new, culturally relevant approaches” to marketing.
While updating the image and attracting more diverse and younger customers is important to McDonald’s success, it’s also a careful balance, said Mark Kalinowski, president of Kalinowski Equity Research, which publishes McDonald’s franchisee survey results quarterly.
McDonald’s “has been a family-friendly brand for decades, so managing that is a challenge,” he said in an interview. “You want to remain family-friendly while also appealing to younger generations who aren’t necessarily in line.”
Kalinowski said he’s heard some McDonald’s owners are upset about the sale of Travis Scott’s celebrity food in 2020. The company credited the partnership with the black rapper and hip-hop star with boosting business — McDonald’s said Quarter Pounder’s sales doubled in its first week of promotion. However, some franchisees weren’t happy with the connection due to Scott’s lyrics and vulgarity they felt didn’t resonate with the brand, Kalinowski said.
“We don’t live in a society where everyone likes the same thing,” Kalinowski said. “It’s really hard to please everyone.”
Representatives for Cardi B, Offset and Scott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McDonald’s is trying to diversify its restaurant owner ranks in the US, where it has about 13,500 locations. In 2021, the chain pledged to educate and recruit more minority and women franchisees with a $250 million loan program to help fund loans to underrepresented groups. But the plan has faced backlash from a group of Black McDonald’s owners, who said the chain needs to do more to reduce the disparities they face as current franchisees.
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