Placement of McDonald's Emily in Paris: Tastes off or fine?

Netflix released the third season of its well-liked comedy-drama series "Emily in Paris" on December 23, 2022. The McDonald's brand is prominently integrated into the plot of the show. However, internet users have identified it as a "big McDonald's advertisement."

The aforementioned episode appears to be a marketing ploy by the company to highlight how fashionable its new McBaguette product and restaurant chain is in France. The program portrays the company as a legacy brand attempting to fit into French culture by creating a product that will appeal to French consumers. It's interesting that the product was temporarily introduced by McDonald's France in 2012. It nevertheless continued to visit the menu.

Emily in Paris' new season, starring Lily Collins, is proving to be a test for Netflix's ad business.

E4M polled experts and viewers to determine whether they thought the integration was subtly placed or obvious.

Because McDonald's was mentioned numerous times throughout the series, Neha Mewawalla, co-founder of WIFE, claimed that it appeared to be an advertisement throughout. "To be honest, McDonald's wasn't just in the first episode; it was throughout the entire season." It seemed to be there quite a bit, and it was excessive.

Regarding brand integration, she said, "Since the storyline depicts a very opulent lifestyle, the integration feels abrupt." Regarding the brand, shock marketing was used. The series features numerous subtle integrations, such as those with high-end bag manufacturers and Apple products. McDonald's was very upfront about everything.

Salomi Thakur, a viewer from Mumbai, expressed the viewers' viewpoint by saying, "I never thought of McDonald's when it came to Paris." Since the character had a chance to promote the brand, it didn't appear to be marketing-related.

"As a viewer, I felt that the story or content was not executed or written properly," said independent social media strategist Takshi. The way the brand was presented outperformed the content. The goal is to make the brand memorable, but the viewer is not supposed to be aware that the show is trying to promote a brand. The link between the stories was evident in this instance. Today's consumers are savvy, so this might work against the brand's marketing efforts.

In addition, Mewawalla stated that "brands adore on-the-face marketing." It has been discussed extensively online. The truth is that it didn't treat Emily fairly in Paris.

Takshi claims that "French consumers love the exclusivity and fine-dining experience." They focus on specifics. The brand attempted to portray mouthwatering cuisines, but its positioning is that of a fast food restaurant. To alter their positioning in France, they must consistently market. The brand should have been introduced gradually rather than in the first episode.

Mewawalla offered advice on the function of writing in these situations, stating that there should be a ratio of 10:90—10% for the integration and 90% for the story. Brand integration should be a secondary consideration after the story.