McWorld
Encyclopedia
McWorld is a term used to describe the spreading of McDonald's restaurants throughout the world as the result of globalization
, and more generally to describe the effects of international McDonaldization
of services and commercialization
of goods as an element of globalization as a whole. The name also refers to an interactive "virtual world" for kids launched by McDonald's Corporation in 2008.
chain restaurants such as McDonald's are destructive towards many aspects of the indigenous cultures in countries where they have been introduced. In March 1992 an article first published in The Atlantic Monthly
by Rutgers political science
professor Benjamin Barber
was titled "Jihad vs. McWorld
", which described international commercialization as one of two great clashing forces of the 21st century, the other being tribalistic fundamentalism. It was expanded and published in 1995, and became a bestselling book. A 1999 book entitled Mustard Seed Versus McWorld by evangelical
minister
Tom Sine implores Christians to reject the diminution of religious values that he contends results from excessive commercialization.
in 2008 on happymeal.com. In McWorld, kids can play games, go on quests, earn points and buy accessories for their treehouses and avatars (called mPals).
that ran many of its ads during Saturday morning cartoons of the early 1990s, featuring the exciting McDonald's-related happenings that would purportedly occur if kids ran the world. These included fantasies such as having gym class every period in school and eating McDonald's at every meal. In addition to planet Earth, McWorld ads featured kids ruling school, space, and other arenas typically dominated by an adult hegemony
; adults were portrayed as inferior and ineffective. Memorably, each spot concluded with the phrase, "MCWORLD! Hey, it could happen!", as a rockin' guitar chord played in the background. One such spot won a Golden Marble Award in 1998. While the current McWorld website bears some similarities to the ideas in the original McWorld campaign, (i.e., kids in charge) it is a completely different concept, created independently for a younger age group. In fact, McWorld was named by a vote of kids on happymeal.com.
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, and more generally to describe the effects of international McDonaldization
McDonaldization
McDonaldization is a term used by sociologist George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of Society . He explains it occurs when a culture possesses the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant. McDonaldization is a reconceptualization of rationalization, or moving from traditional to rational...
of services and commercialization
Commercialization
Commercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing...
of goods as an element of globalization as a whole. The name also refers to an interactive "virtual world" for kids launched by McDonald's Corporation in 2008.
Use as a pejorative
Critics claim that fast foodFast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chain restaurants such as McDonald's are destructive towards many aspects of the indigenous cultures in countries where they have been introduced. In March 1992 an article first published in The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
by Rutgers political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
professor Benjamin Barber
Benjamin Barber
Benjamin R. Barber is an American political theorist and author perhaps best known for his 1996 bestseller, Jihad vs. McWorld.-Career:...
was titled "Jihad vs. McWorld
Jihad vs. McWorld
Jihad vs. McWorld is the title of a 1992 article that was later adapted into a book by political scientist Benjamin Barber, in which he puts forth a theory that describes the struggle between "McWorld" and "Jihad" Jihad vs. McWorld is the title of a 1992 article that was later adapted into a book...
", which described international commercialization as one of two great clashing forces of the 21st century, the other being tribalistic fundamentalism. It was expanded and published in 1995, and became a bestselling book. A 1999 book entitled Mustard Seed Versus McWorld by evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
Tom Sine implores Christians to reject the diminution of religious values that he contends results from excessive commercialization.
Virtual world
McWorld is also the name of an interactive "virtual world" for kids launched by McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
in 2008 on happymeal.com. In McWorld, kids can play games, go on quests, earn points and buy accessories for their treehouses and avatars (called mPals).
Origins
The name McWorld was originally the name of a TV campaign for the restaurant by Leo BurnettLeo Burnett
Leo Burnett was an advertising executive who created the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up "Spot", and Tony the Tiger....
that ran many of its ads during Saturday morning cartoons of the early 1990s, featuring the exciting McDonald's-related happenings that would purportedly occur if kids ran the world. These included fantasies such as having gym class every period in school and eating McDonald's at every meal. In addition to planet Earth, McWorld ads featured kids ruling school, space, and other arenas typically dominated by an adult hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
; adults were portrayed as inferior and ineffective. Memorably, each spot concluded with the phrase, "MCWORLD! Hey, it could happen!", as a rockin' guitar chord played in the background. One such spot won a Golden Marble Award in 1998. While the current McWorld website bears some similarities to the ideas in the original McWorld campaign, (i.e., kids in charge) it is a completely different concept, created independently for a younger age group. In fact, McWorld was named by a vote of kids on happymeal.com.
See also
- List of countries with McDonald's franchises
- Big Mac IndexBig Mac indexThe Big Mac Index is published by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity between two currencies and provides a test of the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing the same in different countries...
- McDonaldizationMcDonaldizationMcDonaldization is a term used by sociologist George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of Society . He explains it occurs when a culture possesses the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant. McDonaldization is a reconceptualization of rationalization, or moving from traditional to rational...
- Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention
- Jihad vs. McWorldJihad vs. McWorldJihad vs. McWorld is the title of a 1992 article that was later adapted into a book by political scientist Benjamin Barber, in which he puts forth a theory that describes the struggle between "McWorld" and "Jihad" Jihad vs. McWorld is the title of a 1992 article that was later adapted into a book...
- MaDonalMaDonalMaDonal is a restaurant located in the town of Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan. It intentionally resembles McDonald's, both in appearance and menu; for instance, MaDonal's menu includes "Big Macks." It is one of two McDonald's-like restaurants in the town; the other one, Matbax, claims that MaDonal...
External links
- "'Tween' scene is focus of McD's newest TV campaign", Nation's Restaurant News
- Advertising and Sales Promotion - see section "1998-2002: A more emotive advertising strategy"
- McWorld commercial on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- McWorld 2008 website