Emily in Paris: Why fans think the Netflix show is one big ad for McDonald's

Netflix is no stranger to brand integration and viewers believe that the show is a vehicle to promote McDonald's French offering -- the McBaguette

e4m by Tanzila Shaikh
Published: Dec 23, 2022 2:30 PM  | 4 min read
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Emily In Paris, a popular web series by Netflix, is back with its new season much to the excitement of viewers who were looking forward to it. The show is centred on the eponymous protagonist Emily, an American moving to Paris to work at a marketing agency catering to luxury lifestyle brands.

Like the last two seasons, season three seems to be a hit among its fanbase. One of the main discussion points for fans this season is Mcdonald's and one of its regional offerings McBaguette woven into the storyline. This season, Emily is seen pitching for the popular food chain in promoting the McBaguette. It's hard to miss. 

It seems quite obvious that the fast food chain has partnered with Netflix on the new season and the first episode revolves around the brand trying to show how chic the restaurant chain is in France. By using the show as a vehicle, the fast food chain has been promoting the McBaguette and showcased itself as a legacy brand trying to adapt to the culture of France by making a product that will be liked by French consumers. 

McDonald’s France launched the product in the year 2012 for a limited time however it kept on visiting the menu time by time for a limited edition. This year the brand integrated itself in Emily in Paris to promote the product in a seamless manner. Although the brand has not spoken about their partnership anywhere, viewers are quite sure it's a deliberate move to position itself as a chic, luxurious brand. 

Even the depictions of the restaurant space in Paris are a far cry from the McDonald's we know. It is closer to a fine-dine space, which lends credence to the viewer's suspicions.

It's not the first time for Netflix, as the streaming giant has been actively integrating brands in various originals as well as new movies that are released only on the platform. With this, they have taken their brand integration game to the next level. Even Netflix India integrated brands into their content like Darlings, and the series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. 

Talking about why brands are taking the OTT route more than traditional advertising, Samit Sinha, Founder and Managing Partner at Alchemist Brand Consulting Pvt Ltd, OTT who said that OTT has created a paradigm shift for viewers and brands have followed them.

“Going to theatres is by and large an infrequent, even if regular, activity and involves leaving the house. Also, it is something that one hardly does alone; it is invariably with family or friends. Television, to some extent, supplemented cinema by entering the home of the viewers, but it is still a collective activity,” says Sinha.

“OTT created a paradigm shift. The screen has shrunk, but the advantages of viewing what one wants and when one wants are huge. Importantly, it is also a more solitary activity. Therefore, the number of occasions that the brand has to register an impression with consumers is much more than before. That is the biggest benefit that OTT platforms offer advertisers. Also, series and reality shows ensure greater continued engagement with viewers, unlike films, which are a one-off opportunity,” he added. 

The new season of Emily in Paris is an experiment for Netflix’s ad business, as the platform has lost close to a million subscribers in the last quarter showing a substantial loss in the market cap. With this, the brand is trying to test how audiences are reacting to pre-rolled ads and mid-episode ads. 

Published On: Dec 23, 2022 2:30 PM 
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