I don’t even know why this was buried in my subconscious, but yesterday I was with some friends and the memory of a failed McDonald’s campaign popped into my head. Remember the whole Arch Deluxe/McLean fiasco? This was where they tried to rebrand Ronald as a cool grownup and ended up portraying him like a creepy uncle you wouldn’t want to leave the kids with. That’s not the troubling memory that popped into my head, though.
No, I was remembering that they also tried to engineer a dance craze. I really hoped it was my imagination playing tricks on me. At first, anyway. Then it occurred to me that this was a bizarre thing to imagine. You can imagine my combined relief and dismay when I discovered it was real.
According to a September 26, 1996 press release:
New McDonald’s Product Roll-Out
McDonald’s is rolling out 3 new products on Sept 26 at noon Pacific time, 9am EST. It is not clear how extensive this hoopla is, but it appears to be another nationwide event, at least in major cities, with a live satellite feed from Chicago headquarters being sent to the local sites. To find out if there is an event in your area, call a local McD. The local paper paper may have gotten a press release about it if they remember it. What follows is a surreal promotional letter that was sent to newspapers in the San Diego USA area by a regional McD office.
From:
McDonald’s Corporation
4370 La Jolla Village Dr SW 800
San Diego CA 92122
619-535-8900
Dear (Newspaper editor):
On Sept 26, McDonald’s will make an important announcement that just may have adults across America singing and dancing and we would like you to be among the first to know why.
What, you ask, could McDonald’s say that will make you sing and dance? The answer is the nationwide simultaneous launch of 3 new “Deluxe” sandwiches – all of which, along with the recently introduced Arch Deluxe – comprise McDonald’s new Deluxe Menu.
Imagine larger, tastier, deluxe versions of McDonald’s flagship products – the McChicken, Grilled Chicken, and Fillet-o-Fish sandwiches.
Not singing and dancing yet? You will. Be the first to see the hot, new dance craze soon to hit the streets, clubs and parties of America – the Deluxe Line Dance.
It’s not the Macarena or the Electric Slide. It’s McDonald’s own contemporary fandango, created by world renowned coreographer Debbie Allen (from the movie Fame), to get people grooving to the new Deluxe line Menu at McDonald’s.
The Deluxe Line Dance will be performed by a chorus of San Diego Charger Girls, Mesa College Dancers, and of course Ronald McDonald to a new “living” jingle as memorable as the famed “Two all beef patties, special…” I bet you can finish the rest (Don’t look now but you’re probably singing)
Please accept our invitation.
* Be our guest for an elegant, gourmet mcDonald’s lunch that you’ll have to dee and taste to believe.
* Be the first to see The Deluxe Line Dance and hear mcDonald’s new jingle.
* Watch the stellite feed of McDonald’s national launch event in Chicago including a performance by the Village People on the IU-Jumbotron screen.
* Talk with McDonald’s owner/operators about McDonald’s continued commitment to adult taste preferences and serving delicious, quality food.
The event will take place Thursday Sept 26 from noon to 1:15pm at the Incredible Universe located at 98 Stonecrest Blbd at I-15 and Aero Drive San Diego, Please RSVP to Laura Janikas at 296-0605 by 5 pm Thursday Sept 20
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Miguel Mendez’s Dance Academy of Salsa notes that n September, 1996, Miguel was contracted by McDonald’s Hispanic advertising and promotional agency to learn, teach, and perform, the McDonald’s Arch Deluxe line dance, to promote the new line of McDonalds Deluxe sandwiches.