FAST food giant McDonald’s has dropped a new advert from TV screens and apologised for any upset caused after it was accused of exploiting childhood bereavement.
The campaign featured a child struggling to find something in common with his dead father until he ordered a Filet-o-Fish.
The decision came after a bereavement charity received a number of calls from the parents of bereaved children who claim their offspring have been left upset by the commercial.
The Advertising Standards Authority is also assessing complaints.
McDonalds said the British advert will removed from all media this week and it will review its creative process to avoid a repeat.
A spokesman said: “It was never our intention to cause any upset. We are particularly sorry that the advert may have disappointed those people who are most important to us - our customers.”
She added that due to lead times required by broadcasters, the promotion created by the London advertising agency Leo Burnett, would still air on Wednesday.
The company’s advert features a boy asking his mother questions about his dead father as he struggles to find things he has in common with him.
Once they arrive at a McDonald’s restaurant and the boy orders Filet-o-Fish burger, his mother says: “That was your dad’s favourite too.”
Shocked viewers complained on Twitter, saying using death to sell burgers was “disgusting” and “offensive”.
The Advertising Standards Authority said it had received about 100 complaints by Monday, with more coming in. A spokesman said:
“Complainants have objected that it is inappropriate and insensitive to use bereavement and grief to sell fast food. Some complainants have referenced the proximity to Father’s Day.
“We’re carefully assessing the complaints but no decision has been reached on whether there are grounds to launch an investigation.”
Last month, Pepsi withdrew an advertising campaign featuring Kendall Jenner after the company was accused of co-opting the imagery of protest movements to sell its products.
The soft drink multinational’s video featured the reality TV star and model Jenner joining a protest but then defusing a standoff with police by handing an officer a can of Pepsi.
The image of Jenner approaching police appeared to reference the widely shared photograph of Ieshia Evans, a black woman who stood up to riot police during a Black Lives Matter protest following the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by police in 2016.
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