It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

McDonalds launches their 'McAfrika' burger...Corporate idiots

page: 1
0
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:12 PM
link   
In an attempt to squeeze capital and exploit a very fragile and vulnerable market, McDonalds launches their 'McAfrika' burger based on 'ancient African recipes' exclusively within Osolo, Norway.



"It's inappropriate and distasteful to launch a hamburger called 'McAfrika' when large portions of southern Africa are on the verge of starvation," says Linn Aas-Hansen of Norwegian Church Aid.
She stood outside a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Oslo this week, passing out free "catastrophe crackers" to passersby in protest. "This is a special, protein-rich cracker that we hand out to people in the hunger-stricken areas," she said.

Among those who got a taste of the crackers was an apologetic spokesperson for McDonald's in Norway, Margaret Brusletto.

She said McDonald's was sorry the name of its new burger, meant to reflect an African recipe, has negative connotations. "That wasn't our intention," she said. "At the same time, we acknowledge that we have chosen an unfortunate time to launch this new product."



www.aftenposten.no...


I guess McDonalds missed the memo that says that the majority of southern Africa is starving. Instead of self-education, they decided to capitalise on this opportunity and create a 'Tasty Burger' in their honor.

Here is a meal dedicated to you. I'm sorry that you can't afford it and your village is dying of starvation, but hey...we'll let you super size it for free.

This is The leviathan known as the corporation. It's bred to be a compassionless, thoughtless without moral or social responsibility. It's in its nature to earn profit.

Despite the fact that the McDonalds spokesperson said they will 'think about donating to small countries in Africa' it is not their responsibility. Actually, doing so will neglect the interest of the people that own the company (shareholders) and will be unacceptable business practice.

Let's hope the McAfrika doesn't make it across to the states.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:15 PM
link   
There are many Ethiopian restaurants in New York, should those small businesses close down just because some Africans are starving? I think not, I see no problem with this...



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:18 PM
link   
That would actually be a great campaign. McAfrica Burgers, where the profits on every burger sold goes to feed the hungry in Africa. They could only do this for a short time only though, otherwise they wouldn't survive.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:19 PM
link   
So, do you have any recent shenanigans from McDonalds, or did they learn their lesson from 3 years ago?

I wonder why the Norwegian news is reprinting stories from 2002? Guess it's a slow news day for evil American corporations




[edit on 4/4/2005 by eaglewingz]



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:20 PM
link   


That would actually be a great campaign. McAfrica Burgers, where the profits on every burger sold goes to feed the hungry in Africa. They could only do this for a short time only though, otherwise they wouldn't survive.


They could do a portion of the profits going to it though.
It WOULD be a great marketing strategy...



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:20 PM
link   
It sounds like they just made a burger using some African recipies and named it after the country of the recipies origins. I think people protesting this might be taking things a little to far in this case. It is just a name of a burger. The name implies no offence at the African nation. Besides, the burger looks tasty



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:23 PM
link   
Typcal Western Corporative Idea:

Make money on Food, while people die from Starvation.

[edit on 4/4/05 by Souljah]



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:24 PM
link   

Originally posted by djohnsto77
There are many Ethiopian restaurants in New York

I've eaten at many Ethiopian restaurants, they are tasty. But those companies are privately owned companies. They are not corporations. Not only that but they don't exert the heavy political/economic/social influence as McDonalds, no comparision.

To simply put it, a privately owned companies are completly different than a Corporations, its designs are alien to one another.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:25 PM
link   

Originally posted by infinite8
That would actually be a great campaign. McAfrica Burgers, where the profits on every burger sold goes to feed the hungry in Africa.


It wouldn't be a great campaign because McDonalds would lose money not only that but it wouldn't be in the best interest of the people that own the corporation since they will be losing money.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:28 PM
link   

Originally posted by Gazrok
They could do a portion of the profits going to it though.
It WOULD be a great marketing strategy...


It wouldn't actually be a great marketing stategy because they will be losing money and in a buisness sense, it would be morally wrong to the people that owned the corporation.

McDonalds has already established it's global dominance. I hardly think anyone is going to choose McDonalds over other fast food companies because they gave a few burgers to Africa. A large portion of McDonalds income comes from screaming kids in the back of their mothers car, People on the go who find McDonalds the most convient place to eat, or people that are addicted to the food.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:31 PM
link   
Sorry but I think it's hypocritical to say that small restaurants can sell African food, while corporations can't. All businesses are in business to make money for their owners (shareholders), the only difference is a matter of scale.

Anyway, as eaglewingz noticed, this appears to be a quite outdated story. Sorry I missed the Afrika Burger, it looks quite tasty. Yum!



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:31 PM
link   

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The name implies no offence at the African nation.


That was not the intention, It was just complete ignorance to the economic status of Africa. It's about the same as placing a Disneyland in Iraq and charging $100 admission.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:32 PM
link   
i must say "baaad timing" on the release of the mc africa burger. (looks like 2 patties side by side withflatbread instead of a bun). i will be honest it does not look like something i want .

anyone wondering if mcdonalds is in some finantual trubble? here we have in the past few years seen mc pizza (failed),mc salids (didn't they have salads years ago), mc wraps, "protein" meals, apple slices for the kids (carmel dipping sauce included), grilled cheese sandwiches, "white" meat mc nuggets, "white" meat chicken sandwiches, the mc grill sandwich(has slices of tomatoes and mayo on the burger), and the new toasted sandwiches. gee mc donald's is trying to become "health foods" oriented. sound to me like they are looseing business and are trying to recapture it, on the premis of healthyer foods. sounds like they are trying to salvage their market share to me



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:34 PM
link   

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Sorry but I think it's hypocritical to say that small restaurants can sell African food, while corporations can't. All businesses are in business to make money for their owners (shareholders), the only difference is a matter of scale.


All buisnesses are businesses obviously, but not all businesses are Corporations. Only corporations disperse their ownership to shareholders, it's the heart of a corporation. If a company is privately owned then they can feel free to implement their social/moral responsibilty but when a company becomes a corporation the sole purpose of it is to make money for the owners of the company. Anything else is malpractice.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:37 PM
link   
How about a nice rousing discussion of the War of 1812??


There is no "timing" to this story. It's from August, 2002, as from the website. I can't believe McDonalds, Halliburton, et al, don't have more recent news to discuss.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:38 PM
link   
I think, there isn't any problem among those, who consume these products. McDonalds is a subcultural restaurant chain, anybody involved there is not really interested in African starvation. Also, if any african food would be advertised by any other large restaurant chain, they would simply explain it away as McDonald's do.

The real attention is not at McDonald's, but at those who are trying to benefit from nibbling their advertisement. It is the reason why they will not withdraw that hamburger from their list.

Also, those who are thinking of starving Africans for the public, could actually have hostile reasons to do so, not to help them.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:40 PM
link   

Originally posted by Simulacra

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The name implies no offence at the African nation.


That was not the intention, It was just complete ignorance to the economic status of Africa.


And how does that tie into the name of the burger? Where does McAfrika imply they are ignorant of an economic situation? If you are 12 years old and have watched T.V. 3 times in your life you know that Afirca is not in the best economic shape. I would say the people who named this burger simply named it after the country of origin of the recipes. How is that a slap in the face to Africa?




It's about the same as placing a Disneyland in Iraq and charging $100 admission.


The burger wasnt released in Africa so your analogy does not work. You should have said "Its a bit like opening a theme park in Germany and calling it the African Safari." That would have been correct.

[edit on 4/4/05 by Kidfinger]



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:50 PM
link   

Originally posted by Vertu
It is the reason why they will not withdraw that hamburger from their list.


1. The article stated "no word" on withdrawal, not "no withdrawal".
2. I haven't found it yet, but I suspect the McAfrika burger is history. McDonald's tends to run these promos for a time, then they go away.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:50 PM
link   
Political correctness gone insane yet again. I would like to try McAfica, sound good to me even if it has meat in it. As long as its not "bush-meat" as in Chimp not 43.



posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 01:51 PM
link   

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The burger wasnt released in Africa so your analogy does not work. You should have said "Its a bit like opening a theme park in Germany and calling it the African Safari." That would have been correct.


True. Or more like opening a themepark in Sweden and calling it 'The Persian shoot out' (Still a bad analogy
)




top topics



 
0
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join