McDonald’s new insanely effective viral ad is actually illegal to remove

this is a non story and a waste of my time.

Ba da bup bup bahhhhhh..... I'm lovin it.

Make it an OM

can someone put "kills people" after the M?

The site says that this is a conceptual idea..?

So "giant, reasonably evil corporation finds new way to pollute visual environment while earning soft press from part-time environmentalists confused about 'state flower' designations; forces state and local governments to pay landscape contractors for removal"? As a human being and taxpayer this feels kind of zero-sum to me!

I love this! What a good way to create a bit of buzz and do something that makes a difference (even if it's only a difference for a few months)

If you cant dig them up what about weedkiller? Just thinking laterally!

In California, our roadsides are dry & ugly. Some of that is due to a lack of water but mostly its due to a lack of money. The State is broke now, but California never did spend much to beautify its highways. In Canada, the roadsides are BEAUTIFUL! At least in the providence of Ontario. There they allow corporations tend sections of the roadside and use it as planted advertising. The government doesn't need to pay for the maintenance and the corporations compete with each other for the most beautiful floral displays. That McDonalds' arch is extremely plain compared to the absolutely stunning floral display ads along Ontario Canada's highways. I hope this is just the beginning of the US moving in the same direction as our northern neighbor for roadside beautification!

I'm sorry, but that's ingenious. I am mildly impressed with the creativity behind it.

it's not illegal to remove california poppies in california.. there's no such law. there are other laws regarding removing plants from highways, private property etc..

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I hope it doesn't catch on..

www.thehungryandfoolish.com

Not sure how we feel about this, maybe we would just end up growing more poppies around it? ;) Well played McDonald's...

So plant more poppies and erase it, and leave something pretty and wild to enjoy. It's a win win for all who drive by.

i think this is awful, it's exploitative and leaves a nasty taste in my mouth (not unlike, ironically, one of their burgers). there's something rather unsavoury about using flowers to plant a supposedly irremovable logo as simply a shallow brand exercise. Yes, it's clever thinking on one hand, but on the other, this should never really have been allowed out of the creative brainstorm it was born in. there are better ways to get brands out, and better ways to be green - mixing the two in such a fashion however achieves neither and just looks crass.

While this is clever, it's not clear that it's "insanely effective". What are the objectives you are measuring that statement against? I find it difficult to believe that a brand as well known as McDonald's benefits from any additional brand awareness just by putting their logo somewhere. So what is it for? To build their environmental credentials? In that case, I would say it's window-dressing. To inspire people to take the next exit and go get a Big Mac? In that case, I'd like to know if it has had any effect on sales at that franchise. Effectiveness is not just about being seen.

So don't remove them..............kill them. Doesn't seem hard :)

Seems like Burger King folks could go dig it up, and replace it with flowers in the shape of their logo ...

Fixed it https://twitter.com/#!/markphilip/status/166638050712092672/photo/1

I'm pretty sure only wild poppies are protected under state law.

Can't you just seed bomb some offensive message next to the M