McDonald's Subway Ad Deeply Offends Far Rockaway

The offending subway at (YourNabe.com)

The Far Rockaways are most certainly not lovin' it after McDonald's ran an ad on the A train touting the energizing powers of their iced coffee, implying that those who drink it will not suffer the indignity of falling asleep on the train and waking up at the end of the line.

"(Unless, of course, you live there)" reads the small-text caveat on the ad, which McDonald's reps pulled after complaints from City Councilman James Sanders. “I can assure the marketing boys over at McDonald’s that most people don’t wind up in the Rockaways by accident,” said Sanders, before going on to tout the area's "beautiful," "serene" beaches. He also banned Ronald McDonald from the peninsula "unless he decides to ride the A train and stop off in Far Rockaway."

McDonald's apologized for the ads, saying “The goal was to position McDonald’s iced coffee as a solution to instead stay awake. We never meant to disparage Far Rockaway or those who live there," and pulling the 1,000 posters from the trains. For what it's worth, the chain does have two locations on the peninsula, including one in Far Rockaway.

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By Jamie Feldmar in Food on June 9, 2011 12:00 PM

Comments [rss]

Polite New Yorker

As someone who has fallen asleep on the A train and woken up in Far Rockaway (lived in Ozone Park at the time), I can tell you there is nothing offensive about this ad.

Guest

Sensitive and stupid faggots should just outlaw all humor. People who can't take jokes or don't understand SIMPLE McDonald's subway ads are the only people with a voice. Absolutely disgusting.

Peanut_Butter

Because those types are the only ones who bitch and moan. Normal people go about their full, normal lives.

Ken Kennedy

#!1 Far Rockaway is a crime ridden desolate land and resembles Mogadishu. #2 the ad wasn't meant to offend the animals living there, its a fact of life, the A train ends at Far Rock, and # 3 do not confuse Far Rockaway with Rockaway Beach/Rockaway Park and Belle Harbor. Two entirely different neighborhoods, Rockaway Beach Belle Harbor area is one of the nicest places to live in the entire City and most people don't know about it, even people who lived in the city their whole lives, its nothing like Far Rockaway, so you idiots who keep on comparing Far Rockaway to Rockaway Beach proper, go do some research.

Inkognita

Thanks for the information. Now I'm doubly inclined to buy McD's iced coffees so I don't end up in Far Rockaway (which, of course, is never to be confused with Rockaway Beach).

Brigidesign

Oh come on, that's funny!

sluntbucket

I live in Inwood, so if I fall asleep in Far Rock, I'm FUCKED!

jambolino

oh man that McD's on beach channel and mott is freaking scary.

holdinicedteas

The moment I saw this on the train I knew someone was going to be offended. I lol'ed

cyncity.org

See McDonalds screwed up here. The ad should have said "To ending up stuck and fucked in Far Rockaway"

Christopher

Saw this ad on the 7 train yesterday myself -- doesn't make quite as much sense on that line specifically, but still thought it was clever enough.

Honestly, though, this is just being butthurt for butthurt's sake on the part of the councilman.

Vinny

And not for nothing, but imagine falling asleep on the 7 and waking up in a town that shares its name with what you do at the toilet when you're done? Eww!

Guest

Man, people just love to be offended, don't they?

John Joyce

Today I learned someone in Far Rockaway can read.

garnetlove

Lighten up Far Rockaway....... this ad is clever. I love localized ads.

whatidsay

Who's teaching them their reading skills out there, Naomi Campbell? Almost as dumb as her Cadbury dust-up.

seattlesnow

This happen to me littearly but then again I was drunk, very

Dirk

That reads better than "To not falling asleep and ending up at 207th St".

Seriously though. People need to lighten up. McDonald's shouldn't apologize for anything.

chuzzlewit

hell, you think that's an earful? wait til the city councilman from bumfuck, egypt finally gets here.

Rocknrope

This is some stupid pseudo-PC shit. The point is that you don't fall asleep and end of at the end of the line, not that it's Far Rockaway. If they could have run the ad on the F train and said "Coney Island", would people think that it was disparaging to CI?

People need to grow the hell up and not be such wilting-fucking-lillies.