# Non-Branded Fast Food Ads These Mindy Kaling Commercials for McDonald's Never Feature Its Name By Riley von Niessen | Published 2017-04-19 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mindy-kaling-commercial References: [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/agencies/why-mindy-kaling-is-doing-ads-for-mcdonalds-that-never-mention-mcdonalds/) & [nytimes](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/17/business/media/mcdonalds-ads-mindy-kaling.html?_r=0) Recently, [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-campaign-1) released two Mindy Kaling commercials that promote its products by prompting Millennials to do [Google](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/campaign-management-platform) searches on their smartphones. The first ad, called 'That Place,' shows the actor, comedian, and author talking about "that place where [Coke](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/big-mac-chant) tastes SO good." She then tells her audience to Google the phrase for themselves. At the end of the ad, the Google search bar is featured with the phrase, along with the words: "is now selling any size for $1" beneath it. The second Mindy Kaling commercial, called 'Beverage Technician,' follows a similar plot, and features Rick, an employee who keeps saying the fast food chain's name. When he does, a bleep interrupts him, to make it sound as though he's uttered a curse. Although neither of the ads ever feature McDonald's name or logo, they both make use of vibrant red and yellow color palettes, which the brand has been associated with since the 1960s. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.7/10 - Popularity: 17% | Activity: 56% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/commercials) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Non-branded Advertising:** Opportunity to create ads that promote products without directly mentioning the brand name. - **Google Search Promotion:** Leveraging Google searches to engage with consumers and create curiosity. - **Color Palette Branding:** Utilizing specific color palettes for consistent branding without relying on brand logos or names. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fast Food:** Fast food chains can explore innovative ways to market their products without explicitly mentioning their brands. - **Media and Advertising:** Advertising agencies can learn from non-branded ads to create unique and engaging campaigns for their clients. - **Digital Marketing:** Digital marketers can leverage Google search promotions to increase brand awareness and drive online engagement. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Playful QSR Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-campaign-1.md) - [Cleverly-Disguised Fountain Cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/undercover-cups.md) - [Content-Inspired QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-as-featured-in-meal.md) - [AI-Fuelled QSR Animated Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-japan-1.md) - [Retro QSR Meal Revivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonaldland.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) - [Cheeky Coffee Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starbucks-new-ads.md) - [Nostalgic Adult QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonaldland-meal.md)