China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
Kakaku.com Shares Rise as Bain Capital and LY Corp Prepare Higher Takeover Bid Than EQT 
Lenovo Shares Slide as AI-Driven Memory Demand Signals Higher DRAM and NAND Prices 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Baige Online Shares Soar 333% in Hong Kong IPO Debut as AI Insurance Demand Lifts Chinese Listings 
Baidu Shares Rally as Kunlunxin Eyes $50 Billion Hong Kong IPO 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
UBS Raises TSMC Price Target to T$3,400 on Strong AI Chip Demand Outlook 
White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response 
Alibaba Shares Fall After Anthropic Alleges Massive AI Model Distillation Campaign 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
OpenAI IPO Delay Weighs on SoftBank Shares as AI Valuation Concerns Grow 
McDonald’s released new ads for its newest celebrity-sponsored meal promotion. This time, it features American rappers Cardi B and Offset, which received negative feedback.
In fact, some McDonald’s franchisees have criticized the selection of Cardi B and Offset and they refused to promote the new meals in their restaurant outlets. The franchisees had this reaction as they said having hip hop artists featured in the chain’s new meal “breaks the ‘Golden Arches Code.’”
Fox Business reported that McDonald’s celebrity-sponsored meals are usually one of the promotions that generate strong sales for the chain, but this time, what they received were criticisms from the franchisees. They explain that Cardi B. and Offset do not reflect the brand’s values, so they should not have been featured at all.
Moreover, owners of some McDonald’s stores in the United States raised concerns over the collaborations with some celebrities who do not fit the company’s image. A number of owners said many franchisees have declined to promote the latest celebrity meal as they are not in favor of the brand being associated with both Offset and Cardi B.
They also reasoned that the two rappers’ lifestyles and rap lyrics are not aligned with McDonald’s brand. These restaurant owners are also encouraging other franchisees to remove the ads showing the hip hop artists since McDonald’s always had a family-friendly image.
“It is kind of a culture-shock thing when you consider the McDonald’s brand over the years,” said Fortune quoted a former McDonald’s store owner, Dick Adams, as saying in a statement. “Especially if you are a franchisee and you’re 50 or 60 years old and you don’t have any kids and haven’t been exposed to any types of these lyrics.”
He added, “I have talked to many franchisees who are concerned about it, but it is good for sales and corporate endorses it. I don’t think there is a lot of pushback (despite the grumbling and complaining.”
Photo by: Visual Karsa/Unsplash
