# Talking Lemon Campaigns McDonald's McCafe Strawberry Lemonade Commercial Personifies Produce By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2011-05-11 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mccafe-strawberry-lemonade-commercial References: [foodista](http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/05/10/mccafe-strawberry-lemonade/) & [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-mcdonalds-131491) This [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-burnett-italia) McCafe Strawberry Lemonade commercial features The Sopranos alum Steve Schirripa as a talking lemon extolling the trials and tribulations of what it's like to be a lemon in today's mainstream culture. Lemons are typically associated with negative things -- cars that don't work or products that fail, for example -- and the ad draws on this exact connotation. The McDonald's McCafe Strawberry Lemonade is presented as the product that will restore lemons to their rightful place in pop culture -- a reputation-saving beverage, if you will. The ad campaign was envisioned by [DDB Chicago](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miller-lite-super-bowl-lvi) and its digital arm, Tribal DDB Chicago. Ewan Paterson was the chief creative officer, with Bill Cimino serving as the group creative director and Nancy Jordan as the creative director. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 72% | Activity: 100% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Talking Fruit Commercials:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Companies can turn mundane products like fruits into spokespeople in order to create brand differentiation and appeal to younger audiences with quirky advertising. - **Personification of Inanimate Objects:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: By creating characters out of seemingly mundane objects, companies can infuse their marketing campaigns with humor and capture audience attention. - **The Power of Rebranding:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Businesses can tap into the power of rebranding by shifting negative associations tied to certain products and reframing them in a more positive light. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fast Food Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Restaurants can elevate their advertising by using humor and unique characters to differentiate their brand in a crowded marketplace. - **Advertising Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Ad agencies can push boundaries by devising creative concepts that tap into our emotions and make us see familiar objects in a new light. - **Beverage Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Companies can leverage rebranding and inventive marketing techniques to reposition existing products as part of a fresh, modern, and appealing product line. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Fast Food-Inspired Beachy Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-burnett-italia.md) - [Puply Fruit-Flavored Lemonades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fruit-splash-beverages.md) - [Nostalgic Fast Food Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheeky-maccas.md) - [Actor-Approved Lemonade Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/guzjus.md) - [Creamy Tart Lemonades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sweet-topped-lemonades.md) - [Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocacola-family.md) - [Lemonade-Flavored QSR Shakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lemonade-shake.md) - [Crisp Citrusy Soda Flavors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocacola-lemon.md) - [Fruity Made-in-House Lemonades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/handcrafted-strawberry-lemonade.md)