Did this 1980s McDonald's ad ‘dangerously mislead’ millions of Aussies?
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As we stroll down memory lane, many of us fondly remember the fads, fashion, and commercials of the past. However, some aspects of that bygone era might not be as rosy as we once thought.
Back in the day, things weren’t as regulated as they are now, including what information companies were allowed to put out about their products.
This was especially true back in the ‘80s – when, unlike today, advertising regulations weren’t as strict and health claims from food companies weren’t really scrutinised.
This makes the full-page colour ad that resurfaced recently on social media especially troubling. Created by McDonald’s, the ad promotes a meal that they were advertising as a 'healthy dinner option for the whole family'.
However, these days, everyone now knows that combining a Big Mac, a milkshake, and chips could never be considered a ‘healthy dinner option’. After all, this isn’t the 1980s anymore – we know how bad fast food can be for your health.
Not only was the meal they were advertising highly unhealthy, but the ad also featured a strange claim made by the fast-food restaurant: that the meal contained more than 55% of your daily protein needs.
On top of this, Macca’s also claimed that the meal contained a ‘higher level of many vitamins and minerals’ than the average Australian meal.
Unsurprisingly, health experts have been quick to condemn the wild claim made in the ad, calling it ‘dangerous’ and ‘misleading’.
Rebecca Golley, who is an accredited dietitian and professor at Flinders University, revealed that the ad not only fails to recognise the amount of salt, sugar, fat and calories in the meal, but it’s also ‘misleading’ because most Australians already meet their protein requirements.
Another issue pointed out by Professor Golley is how the serving size depicted in the ad isn't representative of a typical order at Macca’s. This has been an issue that continues to this day, as Professor Golley explains, with brilliant marketing tactics used to make consumers believe they’re making a healthier choice than they actually are.
The discussion around this advert serves as a reminder of how the food industry has changed over the decades and how, although most fast food companies are now much more regulated than in the past, some sneaky tactics are still being used.
If there’s one thing we hope you take away from this article, it’s this: you should always be wary of what’s in the food you’re buying.
Members, this isn’t the only strange marketing choice used by Macca’s, you might also like to read about the bizarre reason behind the iconic golden arches. You can find out here.
What do you think about this blast from the past, members? Do you remember when ads could be a little more… shall we say, creative? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Back in the day, things weren’t as regulated as they are now, including what information companies were allowed to put out about their products.
This was especially true back in the ‘80s – when, unlike today, advertising regulations weren’t as strict and health claims from food companies weren’t really scrutinised.
This makes the full-page colour ad that resurfaced recently on social media especially troubling. Created by McDonald’s, the ad promotes a meal that they were advertising as a 'healthy dinner option for the whole family'.
A Macca’s print ad from the 80s. Image Credit: Reddit
However, these days, everyone now knows that combining a Big Mac, a milkshake, and chips could never be considered a ‘healthy dinner option’. After all, this isn’t the 1980s anymore – we know how bad fast food can be for your health.
Not only was the meal they were advertising highly unhealthy, but the ad also featured a strange claim made by the fast-food restaurant: that the meal contained more than 55% of your daily protein needs.
On top of this, Macca’s also claimed that the meal contained a ‘higher level of many vitamins and minerals’ than the average Australian meal.
Unsurprisingly, health experts have been quick to condemn the wild claim made in the ad, calling it ‘dangerous’ and ‘misleading’.
Rebecca Golley, who is an accredited dietitian and professor at Flinders University, revealed that the ad not only fails to recognise the amount of salt, sugar, fat and calories in the meal, but it’s also ‘misleading’ because most Australians already meet their protein requirements.
Another issue pointed out by Professor Golley is how the serving size depicted in the ad isn't representative of a typical order at Macca’s. This has been an issue that continues to this day, as Professor Golley explains, with brilliant marketing tactics used to make consumers believe they’re making a healthier choice than they actually are.
If there’s one thing we hope you take away from this article, it’s this: you should always be wary of what’s in the food you’re buying.
Members, this isn’t the only strange marketing choice used by Macca’s, you might also like to read about the bizarre reason behind the iconic golden arches. You can find out here.
What do you think about this blast from the past, members? Do you remember when ads could be a little more… shall we say, creative? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.
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