The Homa Files

Excerpted from AdAge, “Behind McD’s Weird Filet-O-Fish Ad” By Eleftheria Parpis, March 11, 2009

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Chris Edwards, evp and group creative director at Arnold, tells a good fish story about scouting locations last year for a garage in which to film a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish commercial.

The agency team knew going in that the spot would center around a novelty singing fish mounted on a wall. When they found just such a fish proudly displayed at one of the houses they were considering, they knew they’d found the perfect location.

“They had one of the singing fish hanging on their wall … I knew we had picked the right place.”

Today, the McDonald’s spot in question — in which the catch of days’ past sings a techno-driven “Gimme back that Filet-O-Fish!” ditty to a nearby guy chowing on said sandwich — is a legitimate viral sensation. It has garnered more than 300,000 YouTube hits in little more than two weeks.

The team … also seems to have picked the right tune, a catchy, if absurd, song that has led to DJs remixing the track and fans using it as a ring tone.

“It’s definitely the casting and the music,” said Edwards of the buzz the ad has received, including consumer-generated spots posted on YouTube featuring people singing the song while ordering …

The concept for the spot, explains Edwards, came out of the challenge of producing a commercial that could be used in both English and in Spanish. “It was tricky because you can’t rely on dialogue,” he says, and a singing fish would allow for any idiosyncrasies that can occur in dubbing …

Mark Carlson, senior creative director at McDonald’s, said the company traditionally advertises its Filet-O-Fish during the season of Lent with offbeat humor. Of the spot, he said: “We decided it was harmless and that it fits into the personality of the product. We took a risk.”

Carlson said it’s too soon to say whether that risk will pay off, but noted the company usually sees at least a 24% rise in sales of the sandwich during the yearly push …  “There seems to be a lot of viral interest beyond the traditional spot … Because it’s a little different, it stops you in your tracks. It is one of those songs that really sticks in your head — for better or worse.”

Edit by SAC

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Full Article:
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/retail-restaurants/e3i71419f4d58d0cd4c43fe847f012e10b3?imw=Y

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