It’s January of 2005.
McDonald’s wants a new banner to promote the double cheeseburger on its dollar menu. So the company instructs the ad agency of the day to come up with something special.
The bright sparks in the copywriting department are only too happy to oblige:
In what I can only imagine to be a misguided effort to “get down with the kids,” the agency runs with the slogan…
I’d hit it.
Meaning: “I’d agree to have (meaningless and respect-absent) sex with it.”
As you might expect, the American public is not at all thrilled. McDonald’s quickly pulls the ads. Where did it all go wrong? Turns out the copywriters thought the phrase meant an expression of general endorsement – which is close, but not close enough.
I think we all have something to learn here:
If you’re going to try to emulate the slang of your market…
Get it right.
Or at least double-check yourself.
To avoid marketing blunders that are almost (but not quite) as embarrassing, look no further than my book, Madvertising: http://www.madvertising-book.com/get.htm
Sincerely,
Gil-Ad
