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Comment by waterlesscloud | Hacker News Reader

It's a no-cost honesty play all around. Everyone knows the food in ads doesn't look like the food in the store. No one really cares. The few who do care weren't going to eat there anyway, so their opinions are wholly irrelevant.

The get the benefits of being honest with none of the cost. It's a total win.

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Exactly. People don't go to McDonald's because the food looks right. They go because no matter where you are in the world the experience is same (or at least roughly the same) - quick food that tastes good. Until humanity isn't faced with being rushed to eat, I don't see McDonald's going anywhere soon.

I used to be from the school of thought that this marketing was "bad" or misleading the consumer. I think quite the contrary now. I've found that most buying behavior is ridiculously irrational and that marketing is effectively just exposing that human weakness.

BMW ad that shows a smart middle aged man with a beautiful women? That actually can be true. You don't buy a BMW for it's utility (getting from A to B), you buy it for the potential experience (getting from A to B with a hot blonde). Otherwise you go with the Smartcar. BMW marketing is just giving you ideas of what that potential experience can be. It's up to you to use the tool to create the experience.

My personal qualm with McDonald's lies in its nutritional and health values. Surprisingly, they have adapted their products to suit popular opinion (salads, low-fat items, etc...). I think McDonald's won't go anywhere even if humanity IS faced with a food crisis, since it's easy to make and cheap.

I totally agree about advertising exposing a human's weakness.

Regarding BMW, I know someone who purchased a BMW just to go to auto club meets and meet new people. So far, he says the car has landed him opportunities he would have missed by not driving the car and surprisingly, it has impressed some ladies. I'm not one to comment on the quality of his new 'contacts' but it is what it is.

Regarding BMW, I know someone who purchased a BMW just to go to auto club meets and meet new people.

I have to admit, that is a new one. Did he purchase an M5 or other super expensive/powerful BMW to go to auto club meets? Or other model? In some areas of the USA, a 3/5/7 series BMW is a run of the mill luxury car.

5 and 7 series are legit. 3 series are for people who get their first six figure job, and college kids of well-off parents.

In San Francisco, every 10th car is a 3 series. I wish I was joking.

Despite the fact that many 3 series drivers never take their vehicles beyond the capabilities of a Buick, it is definitely one of the all-around best automobiles on the market today.

It is a 330ci ... this is Canada after all, most people aren't educated in regards to automobiles.

Like he said, most people think it's a much more expensive car than it is.

While they don't care I think it will make some people think. It might give even a few the idea for their future career; this was a very good short about presentation and it did show some of the tricks of the trade.

Plus for me its fun to see it.

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