Dreaming in McNoir.

You’ll just have to sit through it yourselves people. It’s part of a larger effort to promote the brand in Europe. The setup of part one with a lone skier making his way down the slopes makes you think McDonald’s is going cool places. But the trailer and actual episodes of Dreaming in Mono (a movie that’s not a movie webisode website thing), showcase bad acting which undermines the whole thing. Isn’t it the case with the majority of branded content for the most part? It’s too bad because the opportunity is there for a fast “casual” restaurant to branch out and be the center of a cool indie film. Just, not this one.

Typically, Hollywood makes deals with upcoming films to be promoted throughout various chains: TV spot, kids’ meals, sweepstakes, special offers, etc. In order for it to work, the chains take it for granted that the movie will be a hit, or at least, good enough to drive sales. If you’re going to start creating content for your own chain though, having something worth pushing is even more critical. All the tactical boxes are checked here, sure (integrated episodes with in-store monitors, website, clips on YouTube and agency comments saying how great the show is, etc.). Missing though is believable dialogue and good acting. Maybe I expect too much.