McDonald’s Injects Netflix’s ‘Emily In Paris’ With Real-World Sandwich Campaign
Images via McDonald’s France
While its rivals are exploring the metaverse, McDonald’s is straddling the real and reel worlds with a massive campaign baked into the plot of season three of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, which debuted on December 21.
The Golden Arches’ appearance in a romantic comedy about an American navigating life in France is pretty ironic, and it recognizes that. In the show, the titular character (played by Lily Collins) has the opportunity to handle McDonald’s marketing account land in her hands, thanks to a recommendation by her ex-boyfriend. She pitches taking on McDonald’s as a client to her boss at the luxury marketing agency she works at… and is met with disgust.
The fast-food giant gets its redemption arc, of course. Emily, short on inspiration for how to promote the McBaguette, is taken out to lunch by her chef friend and former love interest Gabriel to a McDonald’s in Paris, which serves fancy treats like caneles and macarons. It is there that she realizes the sandwich could be marketed as “un petit plaisir,” or a little indulgence.
Several “I’m lovin’ it” jokes later, the McBaguette is arriving in McDonald’s in France as part of a special Emily in Paris-themed menu that includes other petit plaisirs like raspberry and chocolate macarons, and a choice of a side.
The McBaguette first launched in France in 2012, and it has only been a limited-edition menu item since.
Like the scenes in Emily in Paris, the McBaguette is Americanized: The crusty sandwich is filled with two beef patties, lettuce, mustard, and cheese.
Images via McDonald’s France /McDonald’s France Press
Once again pulling from the show, McDonald’s is giving away the Baguette ‘It Bag’ as seen in Emily in Paris in a sweepstakes. The contest will be announced on its Instagram page on December 27.
With the introduction of a ‘Basic with Ads’ subscription tier, it’s no secret that Netflix has been experimenting with the insertion of commercials into its platform. For once, though, the cost is being passed onto a sponsor. It’s a refreshing concept, but we imagine there will come a time when weaving real brand placements into storylines gets old, and by then fans won’t be lovin’ it.
[via The Drum and Decider, images via McDonald’s France]
