Just like sappy movies, commercials often employ wily methods to tug at our heart strings without earning these emotions. If you don't believe me, can you remember when you used to think BP was the environmentally friendly oil company because of its ad campaign, which connected BP with conservation? This is the magic of advertising. It can make us associate a product with an idea that is completely at odds with a company's goals.
McDonald's is no stranger to ethically suspect, though effective, marketing campaigns. They perfected the art of
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.