Krier

Nicole Krier
Criticism and Public Culture
Mary High
Fall 2014
McDonalds Use of Narrative Criticism

For years, McDonalds has been the epitome of American fast food, and has
increasingly expanded on a global scale. Employing a critical narrative approach, I will
analyze a McDonalds commercial and how it reaches its consumers and changes their
current views through narrative story telling by using an emotion packed storyline. In the
past couple of years, the media industry, and television specifically, have been seen
featuring more and more commercials based around agriculture and farm to fork stories
because of its ability to touch peoples hearts and connect with the viewer on a personal
level.
In 2012, McDonalds launched a series of commercials that focused on showing
their customers where their food came from (Polis, 1). This series features farmers that
specialize in beef, potatoes, fish, lettuce, coffee beans and more, of which all will
eventually turn into McDonalds products. The specific commercial I will be analyzing is
titled Dream Come True, featuring a potato supplier named Frank Martinez. In the
commercial, the first shots are of a rural setting, a farm with the sun setting over it. We
see fields, a farm, tractors, and then eventually we see Martinez, using a shovel to dig
into soil, which are assumedly his potato crops. Martinez is a Hispanic older gentleman in
his mid 50s or 60s. Martinez has graying hair, a mustache and sparkling eyes. He is

seen wearing a button down denim shirt, signature Levis, and a zip up jacket, looking
very much the respectable farmer. We then see him physically digging up a raw potato
from the ground and shaking the dirt off. He has the tanned hands of an experienced
farmer. He proceeds to cut into the potato with a pocket knife, while telling us this all
came about through hard work and dedication. After cutting the potato, he looks at it
and says good potato, in a way that shows us he is proud of his work on his farm. AS
viewers, we can see the pride in how he treats his crops, and how proud he is to be
featured as a potato supplier for a worldwide franchise. Martinez is then shown driving a
car while he gives us a short background about his parents struggle as farm workers when
first coming to the United States. Martinez proclaims, It makes you appreciate what we
have now. We are then shown a house with a large yard and three dogs lying in the
grass, which is presumably Martinez house. He says that it was always a dream of his to
have his own farm. He goes on to tell us that he is in the best potato growing area of the
world because of soil, water, climate and weather. He then says, if you grow the best
potatoes, youre gonna have the best french fries. This is the first subtle hint that this
commercial is for McDonalds. We then see a small clip of the signature red box of
french fries lying on the dashboard as he drives, with the sun setting in the background.
Martinez goes on to tell us that someday his son and his grandson will continue to
grow quality potatoes. The commercial ends with him walking with a small child on his
farm, as a dog runs alongside and Martinez asking the child if he will be a potato grower
some day. The child of course responds with yes. Finally, we see the McDonalds logo
flash up on the screen with the signature scrawl, Im lovin it. This exudes towards the
fact that we should love that Martinez is a successful farmer who provides wholesome

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and natural food for McDonalds and that we can trust them as a brand. As viewers and
consumers, we relate with this commercial on many levels. The people watching this
commercial are more than likely working class people who are watching this commercial
on a television. Working class people can all relate to family matters, including finding
jobs and struggling to support your family. Most can relate to wanting a brighter future
for their kids and grandchildren, while also hoping to leave a legacy behind, like
Martinez and his farm.
In Readings in Rhetorical Criticism, Burgchardt references Walter Fishers 1984
essay Narration as Human Communication Paradigm: The Case of Public Moral
Argument who introduces narrative criticism as related to the broad approach of
dramatism. He says that this rhetorical technique of narration is an impulse part of our
being and useful to everyone, across different cultures, time, and places. Story telling is
fundamental to communication because it provides us structure for our human
experiences and the way we share common understandings and explanations (Burgchardt,
289). Sharing stories and experiences is how we connect as humans, and understand the
meanings we are trying to convey. For McDonalds, they are sharing stories with us so
that we might look at their product in a different light and see their food as a part of
something bigger and better than simply fast food.
Additionally, in an article written by Tom Neveril titled Consumers Ignore Ads
That Arent Telling Their Stories, he explains that consumers ignore advertisements
unless they relate to their personal stories, or human experiences. Simply put, he says, if
the ad isnt a story about the buyers themselves, they will ignore it. This is why the most
successful commercials arent the ones that rattle off facts about their products; its the

commercials that sell us a story. He goes on to explain that all good stories have a plot-a
sequence of events, an element of surprise, and creating a memorable and engaging
experience (1). The plot of this commercial is Martinez personal story, coming from
immigrant parents who struggled to make a living as farmers. We can sense his hardships
and then we taken along on his journey as he explains how he went from living in the
back of a truck and not having room to sleep at night. We are taken on a metaphoric type
of journey, because as Martinez explains this, the commercial shows him driving through
the country side, passing small farm houses and road signs. We are taken on his personal
trip while he explains how he became a foreman at 17, simply because he had the small
advantage of knowing English as well as Spanish. He tells us about how he started out
small with 35 acres, and it grew until he now has about 1,000 acres of potatoes. Its the
classic American story of rags to riches and many viewers can relate to that while they
watch this commercial. Its the American Dream to come from very little to becoming a
successful and hard working individual, and those watching this commercial either feel a
sense of nostalgia if they went through the same experience, or a sense of hope if the
viewer hopes to be successful like Martinez.
Furthermore, in an article written by Dirk Van Hulle and Lars Bernaerts titled
Narrative Across Versions: Narratology meets Genetic Criticism, they detail how
narrative criticism combined with genetic criticism can serve as an aid to genetically
examining a narratives development (281). We can generate new interpretations from
looking at the work. In this situation, we can draw new meaning from McDonalds and
their efforts to provide their customers with a more wholesome experience. Rather than
being seen as an industry power player with cheap dollar priced items, McDonalds wants

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the consumer to see them as a wholesome food provider, who also helps out rural farmers
by giving them business.
Finally, McDonalds uses narrative as a strategy to transform existing
perspectives. When you think of McDonalds, you think of the famous golden arches, but
most likely youll also associate it with greasy and cheap fast food, that you shouldnt be
buying or putting into your body. In an article titled Fiction and Humor in Transforming
McDonalds Narrative Strategies, the writers detail how develops its dialogic
imagination and transforms existing perspectives through their advertising. McDonalds
employs the narrative strategies that they do so that they can remain the strongest player
in the market. They also strategically use commercials like this one to thrive in the face
of new threats and criticisms (205). There have been multiples stories in the media about
the types of ingredients McDonalds uses in their food. For example, there is a video of
pink slime on the Internet that claims to be what McDonalds uses to make their famous
McNuggets. McDonalds is under constant pressure to prove that their food is made with
real ingredients. Using this commercial with a real farmer holding a real potato
encourages the viewer to see the very beginning of where McDonalds food starts.
In conclusion, McDonalds works hard to change its consumers views on their
quality of food. Through the use of narrative, McDonalds created a successful series of
commercials that allowed the viewer to change their perspective on McDonalds and the
type of food they serve. Rather than picturing a greasy box of limp french fries soaked in
oil, you might instead picture Frank Martinez and the potatoes shown on his farm.
Utilizing the use of critical narrative approach, I analyzed a popular and successful

McDonalds commercial and showed the ways in which it reaches its consumers and
changes their current views through narrative by using an emotion packed storyline.

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Bernaerts, L., and D. Van Hulle. "Narrative across Versions: Narratology
Meets Genetic Criticism." Poetics Today 34.3 (2013): 282-32.
Academic Search Elite. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
Boje, David, Michaela Driver, and Yue Cai. "Fiction and Humor in
Transforming McDonalds Narrative Strategies." Culture and
Organization 11.3 (2005): 195-208. Academic Search Elite. Web. 3
Dec. 2014.
Burgchardt, Carl R. "Narrative Criticism." Readings in Rhetorical Criticism.
State College, PA: Strata Pub., 2010. 289-90. Print.
Neveril, Tom. "CONSUMERS IGNORE ADS THAT AREN'T TELLING
THEIR STORIES." Advertising Age. Vol. 79. New York: Crain
Communications, 2008. 7-53. Print.
Polis, Carey. "McDonald's Focuses On Farmers In New Ad Campaign." The
Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Dec. 2011. Web. 03
Dec. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/16/mcdonaldsfarmers-ad-campaign_n_1153336.html>.