McDonald's eats its words after tamales Facebook ad sparks backlash in Mexico [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

McDonald's eats its words after tamales Facebook ad sparks backlash in Mexico

Ad posted in Spanish says ‘tamales are a thing of the past’ and touts the McBurrito one day after a holiday typically celebrated with the traditional food

Nicky Woolf in New York
Wednesday 4 February 2015 15.28 EST


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Tamales: a thing of the past, says McDonald’s. Photograph: Carlos Tischler/REX
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February 2 is la Día de la Candelaria in Mexico, a religious holiday celebrated with parties, dancing and processions. It is also often celebrated with tamales, the traditional snack made from corn dough sometimes stuffed with meat or vegetables, wrapped in a leaf and steamed.

Tamales, which have been eaten here for seven millennia or more, are beloved fare in Mexico, even on days that aren’t festivals which specifically celebrate them. Which makes it all the stranger that fast food giant McDonald’s chose the day after the tamale festival to go to war with the humble snack.

“Tamales are a thing of the past,” read an advert posted in Spanish on Tuesday to the Facebook page for McDonald’s Mexico which has more than 55m “likes”. “McBurrito Mexicana also comes wrapped.” Accompanying the text was a picture of the menu item.

The post caused immediate uproar on social media.

One user summed up the situation: “Look @McDonaldsMexico, if you mess with tamales, you mess with everyone! Get a grip or you’ll get your ass kicked!!”

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/04/mcdonalds-mexico-facebook-ad-tamales