# Legendary Ingredient Ads These McDonald's Ads Cleverly Compare Food Ingredients to Legendary Stars By M | Published 2014-05-29 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-ads References: [adsoftheworld](http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/mcdonalds_big_mac_marilyn) & [mcdonalds](http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html) Keeping with [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-burnett-italia) latest decision to opt for simpler packaging design, the fast-food giant recently released these witty McDonald's ads that compare the necessary qualities that make [legendary movie stars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meg-ryan-and-billy-crystal) with the fresh ingredients in a Big Mac. In these [minimalist blue and red print ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-night-posters), McDonald's attempts to create a parallel between a legendary film star, like Marilyn Monroe, and the iconic Big Mac sandwich. The fast-food giant illustrates a simple list to show the ingredients needed for Marilyn Monroe's legend's look -- such as a subway vet, white dress, pin-up look and blonde hair -- alongside the fresh ingredients in a Big Mac. Each ad features the to-the-point caption, "Know the ingredients, know the legend." By openly listing the simple ingredients in a Big Mac, McDonald's hopes to prove the brand's freshness mission statement. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.7/10 - Popularity: 11% | Activity: 31% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Minimalist Food Ads:** Opportunity for restaurants to create minimalist ads that better illustrate their brand missions. - **Parallel Ingredient Comparison:** Opportunity for food brands to create parallel comparisons between legendary celebrities and the ingredients in their products. - **Simpler Packaging Design:** Opportunity for fast-food chains to adopt simpler and minimalist packaging designs. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fast Food Industry:** Fast-food chains can create witty ads that highlight the freshness of their ingredients to attract customers. - **Advertising Industry:** Advertising agencies can experiment with parallel comparisons between celebrities and brands to create effective ads. - **Packaging Industry:** Packaging companies can offer minimalist packaging designs to food and beverage brands for a clean and modern look. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Made-to-Order Burger Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-kings-advertisements.md) - [Fast Food-Inspired Beachy Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-burnett-italia.md) - [Pristine Fast Food Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/all-flavour-no-mess.md) - [Retro QSR Meal Revivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonaldland.md) - [Content-Inspired QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-as-featured-in-meal.md) - [Street Burger Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/street-fighter-menu.md) - [Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-mcdonalds-campaign.md) - [Employee-Curated Fast Food Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anti-celebrity-meals.md) - [Scented Fast Food Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scented-billboard.md)