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October 15, 2006 3:11 PM   Subscribe

Earn $10 from home! Simply write about McDonalds for your blog. [via Public Address]
posted by meech (45 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Also see Pay Per Post discussed previously.
posted by meech at 3:13 PM on October 15, 2006


I offically consider the word "blogger" to be a derogatory slur.
posted by wigu at 3:25 PM on October 15, 2006


"We're not affiliated with McDonald's in any way. We're just a big fan, and we want to try something meaningful for them."

I guess they're trying to show that this kind of campaign is effective to inspire companies like McDonald's to *actually pay* for these blog posts... just seems ridiculous somehow, though.

And also, I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that Pay Per Post totally destroys the integrity of any bloggers opinions - "no, no, we DO actually love McDonald's! The fact that we're getting paid to blog this doesn't change that!" Pft.
posted by Zephyrial at 3:26 PM on October 15, 2006


was it McD who was offering to pay muscians to product place them in songs?
posted by edgeways at 3:35 PM on October 15, 2006


Hard to imagine how any sentient adult could be a 'big fan' of McDonalds. What's to be a fan of? The sterile, soulless environment? The skinny, tasteless beef patties? The reconstituted potato fries? The enormous marketing budget?

That said, there doesn't appear to be any obstacle to somebody writing about how McDonalds is shit, and is a major contributor to cultural and culinary homogeneity.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 3:35 PM on October 15, 2006


was it McD who was offering to pay muscians to product place them in songs? --edgeways

Yes.
posted by Bugg at 3:45 PM on October 15, 2006


Maybe I oughta get Jim Munroe to pick my lotto numbers.
posted by CynicalKnight at 3:46 PM on October 15, 2006


If the government can pay people to say positive things, McDonald's certainly can. Actually, I'm surprised McDonald's wasn't there first. Way to innovate, GW!
posted by VulcanMike at 3:51 PM on October 15, 2006


I'm a fan of McDonalds, because they somehow manage to convince people to keep eating their food, and that is an impressive feat indeed.
posted by davejay at 4:06 PM on October 15, 2006


I'll take my $10 with interest, please.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:22 PM on October 15, 2006


I find this guy earning his ten bucks pretty depressing:
...was impressed by the architecture of a local McDonald's...
...and am glad McD's is still a Coca-Cola restaurant!
posted by meech at 4:27 PM on October 15, 2006


totally destroys the integrity of any bloggers opinions

Bloggers' opinions ever had integrity?

People other than other bloggers were ever interested in bloggers' opinions?

Guys, these are people who take 3 minutes to sign up for a Blogger or Livejournal account in order to publish whatever the hell they want on teh internets. Who decided we ever had to believe a word they say? If you put them in the same category as people who write letters to the editor, or call talk-back radio, or shit, posts to Usenet, you're closer to understanding what drives "opinion bloggers".

Also, I can only assume Apple has been doing this for years...
posted by Jimbob at 4:28 PM on October 15, 2006


PeterMcDermott : "The reconstituted potato fries?"

Yes. They taste pretty damn good. The apple curry chicken McNuggets were pretty good too (goddamn "limited time only" items).

McDonald's is terrible for you, and has horrible environmental policies, and set up ugly stores across the world, but some of their food is pretty damn tasty. You may disagree, but try to avoid the "my tastes = correct, people who disagree with my tastes = idiots with styrofoam for tastebuds" trap.
posted by Bugbread at 4:30 PM on October 15, 2006 [3 favorites]


And how, bugbread. And how.
posted by dazed_one at 4:34 PM on October 15, 2006


Shoot, I was hoping "McLovers" was going to be about people having sex at MickeyDs. Special sauce and all.
posted by DenOfSizer at 4:39 PM on October 15, 2006


I don't think it says anything anywhere that the McDonald's experience you post about has to be positive.
posted by MegoSteve at 4:43 PM on October 15, 2006


Jimbob: Also, I can only assume Apple has been doing this for years...

Don't assume. Not only have I shared my enthusiasm for Apple for years for free, I've happily paid a premium to enjoy their products.

It's nice when companies earn such positive word of mouth. Lazily paying people, methinks, will only encourage them to lie.

And then no one will believe anything they ever read online again.
posted by Fofer at 4:44 PM on October 15, 2006


Fofer : "And then no one will believe anything they ever read online again."

That may be the only good thing about this.
posted by Bugbread at 4:46 PM on October 15, 2006


SPAAAAAAACE MEAAAAAAT
posted by loquacious at 4:51 PM on October 15, 2006


Frankly I'd be a little surprised if one offered a negative opinion of McDonald's food and still got paid.

What kind of a "prize" if $10 anyway? Depending on your location you'll be left with hardly any money after actually paying for the meal.
posted by clevershark at 4:52 PM on October 15, 2006


$10 for writing about McDonalds?

I'd hit it.
posted by fishbulb at 5:02 PM on October 15, 2006


$10? What's the point? Maybe for $1,000.
posted by reklaw at 5:11 PM on October 15, 2006


Before I post anything, I want to say, up front and for the record, that no company pays me to sell their stuff via my blog or even community blogs such as this one.

But the other day while I was eating a tasty, juicy and incredibly delicious Big Mac at my local McDonalds, I was contemplating how I could make more money from my blog. Whatever the answer was, it would be difficult to find the free time required to post all these entries as most of my free time is taken up playing my new Nintendo DS and the excellent new game (part of a large lineup for the leading handheld system) 'The New Super Mario Brothers'. Making matters worse was that inbetween bouts of DS thrashing, I would often watch the new DVD I bought, 'The DaVinci Code', on my new widescreen Toshiba LCD screen. It's easy to get lost in that amazing movie directed by Academy Award winner Ron Howard because my Samsung air conditioner keeps me cool all year round (except in winter when it keeps me as warm as a piece of crispy K&R brand bacon).

After downing the afforementioned delicious McDonalds meal, I drove away in my smooth, stylish and ultra-efficent Holden Commodore VZ. I was so full from the healthy and utterly nutritious McDonalds food I had just consumed that I felt a little lethargic but thankfully the Commodore handles so well that taking the corners home was easy. But still, by the time I had arrived home I still had not come away with a solution to my money woes. I was ready to cry (I didn't) but if I had I surely would have used Kleenex tissues to wipe away my tears, given that they're soft and they come with aloe vera making them less abrasive then other brands.

Thankfully I later read Metafilter, which told me how to make money by using my blog, and which told me disclosure was optional, which made it all the better. I wouldn't want people thinking I was some sort of shill for one or more companies out there. And as I downed the last gulp of my delicious and envigorating Nescafe coffee, I decided that as much as I needed the money, selling my soul and my blog to the corporate world to make a few bucks simply wasn't worth it.

But the items you'll find at Wal-Mart are ALWAYS worth it, what with their low, low prices. You'll find a bargain there everyday!
posted by Effigy2000 at 5:21 PM on October 15, 2006 [3 favorites]


Nobody said you had to buy a whole meal, clevershark - you just have to eat something, or at least say you did. And it might seem more of a prize if you consider that it would take 2 hours of working at macca's to earn that much money.
posted by jacalata at 5:25 PM on October 15, 2006


You need photos, though. I suppose that theoretically you could just take pictures of strangers eating at McD's and not buy anything, but that might look a little creepy.
posted by clevershark at 5:43 PM on October 15, 2006


McMockery
posted by Rhomboid at 5:47 PM on October 15, 2006


I don't think it says anything anywhere that the McDonald's experience you post about has to be positive

The "how to use" mentions posts being "selected". This suggests that there is moderation involved - write whatever you like, but if you want your $10, it has to be deemed worthy of selection to be syndicated & to appear on the parent site (the second one linked in the FPP).

I'm hazarding a guess that profits from extra sales would more than cover the odd $10 payments, and that the "we're just fans of McDonalds" is just as disingenuous as "they are not my favorite band. I just think they're good."
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:27 PM on October 15, 2006


Their hamburgers are pure nasty on a bun, but I like the grilled chicken sandwiches. Those are tasty and probably not even that bad for you. And their coffee is excellent. I'll happily order those, and skip everything else on the menu, pretty much.

At one time, in California around the South Bay, they were also doing peanut butter cookies that were incredibly good. But I think they have long since discontinued them.

(now where's my $10? :) )

In all seriousness, paying for opinions means that OTHER people who know about the program won't trust opinions they read. Mine's honest: most of their food sucks, but there's some that's good. But how can you, the reader, know I'm telling the truth? Yes, it's only $10, and I can't imagine people prostituting themselves TOO badly for ten bucks, but still.

Effigy's post sums that up very nicely, I think. :-)
posted by Malor at 6:38 PM on October 15, 2006


The last thing I enjoyed from McDonalds was the McRib sandwich, somewhere around 1991. I've eaten there since, but I can't claim to have enjoyed it.
posted by Kickstart70 at 6:39 PM on October 15, 2006


I got paid $XXX to write about McDonalds, and some other fast food...
posted by wendell at 6:45 PM on October 15, 2006


cash
rules
everything
around
me

CREAM! get the money! dolla dolla bill y'all
posted by cell divide at 6:55 PM on October 15, 2006


Don't they realize that that "This post is sponsored by Creamaid" banner on the bottem might as well read "I'm a Lying Whore"
posted by juliarothbort at 7:03 PM on October 15, 2006


I like McDonald's. So there.
posted by spilon at 7:49 PM on October 15, 2006


I love these business plan flowcharts that appear on a lot of web2.0 sites these days.
posted by delmoi at 8:23 PM on October 15, 2006


effigy - LOLZ

2. Receive royalty

For being featured in the Conversation, you will receive royalty payment from the Conversation starter.
How will the payment be made?
As soon as your post is selected, we will send you a notification E-mail.


now, what kind of special selection process could that be? i bet its totally fair and impartial. in fact, i bet they take a random samle from the distribution without even reading any of the posts!
posted by dminor at 8:43 PM on October 15, 2006


I love McDonalds but it gives me the shits something awful.
Ok, where's my $10?
posted by 2sheets at 8:55 PM on October 15, 2006


I walk by a McD's on my way to lunch everyday, specifically the drive thru. I quit eating fast food almost 3 months ago and now I'm kind sickened by the folks I see in the drive thru. People with triple and quad chins, people obviously addicted to fat, greasy, salty food-like products from McD's, BK, Wendy's or whoever.

Don't get me wrong, they make "food" that tastes good but is essentially cardboard with chemicals and fat slopped all over it except the cardboard is probably healthier for you.

And yes, I do feel a smug sense of superiority over the people parked in the parking lot after hitting the drive thru stuffing handfuls of fries into their mouths while their eyes glaze over.

The only thing I miss lately are milkshakes from Jack in the Box. And, occasionally, a late night jones for some grease bombs two fer a buck tacos.
posted by fenriq at 9:02 PM on October 15, 2006


There's beautiful new McDonalds at the corner of Chambers and Greenwich in NYC. Comfortable, spacious room with floor to ceiling windows looking out on a good street-watching corner.

If you ask for some minor customization, like an extra pickle, then you get one fresh off the grill, and I will admit that they are tasty.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:21 PM on October 15, 2006


Sell out for $10.00? Hah! I do not wear advertising T-shirts or jackets, I quit bumper stickers several cars ago.
If you wnt to buy my nearly pristine praise, let's start at $ix figures.
posted by Cranberry at 9:57 PM on October 15, 2006


How about Spyware as a prize from the clown?
posted by rough ashlar at 5:50 AM on October 16, 2006


fenriq : "I do feel a smug sense of superiority over the people parked in the parking lot after hitting the drive thru stuffing handfuls of fries into their mouths while their eyes glaze over."

What's the deal with people describing folks doing something the speaker doesn't like as having glazed over eyes? I've seen glazed over eyes during business presentations, lectures, when watching political television programming, and discussing finances, but I have never seen people eating (except maybe the really stoned kids in old university dorm) with glazed over eyes.
posted by Bugbread at 6:36 AM on October 16, 2006


I ate Tim Horton's glazed eyes.
posted by pracowity at 7:42 AM on October 16, 2006


Pay for post stuff is going to be pulled from the search engines just as soon as they figure out how. It's an end-run around adsense, so there's no way it'll last. Not to mention that it's the blog equivalent of "Get a FREE XBOX 360!! Ask me how!!!" post signatures.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 5:51 PM on October 16, 2006


bugbread, I'll snap a photo for you. I think its the combination of grease, salt and sugar. And, actually, I'm really thinking of one particular lady I saw there a week or so ago.

But hey, maybe she had cataracts?
posted by fenriq at 10:49 PM on October 16, 2006


fenriq : "bugbread, I'll snap a photo for you. I think its the combination of grease, salt and sugar. And, actually, I'm really thinking of one particular lady I saw there a week or so ago."

Hehe.

It could just be that I live in a country with few obese, so the people I see in McDonalds aren't the hardcore McDonalds junkies you're seeing. They're casual eaters.
posted by Bugbread at 9:31 AM on October 17, 2006


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