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McDonald’s reminds Japan’s young adults that length isn’t everything, and being soft is OK too

Casey Baseel Apr 4, 2018
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Message of encouragement to young adults provides adult inspiration and immature giggles.

One of the quirks about Japanese business is that most large and mid-sized companies hire new employees in annual batches for positions they’ll start right out of college. That means that when the fiscal year begins in April, offices across Japan have a sudden influx of people working their first adult job.

For those new recruits, it can be a stressful transition. College generally places fewer demands on Japanese students than any other level of the educational system, whereas first-year employees are often expected to make work their absolute priority in order to start pulling their weight in the company as quickly as possible. So to help keep their spirits up, McDonald’s Japan wanted to send out an encouraging tweet, and it did…but some are also finding it startlingly suggestive.

新社会人のみなさま、おめでとうございます！🎉✨
マックフライポテト🍟🍟🍟から、お祝いのメッセージが届いています😊✉️✨#入社式 pic.twitter.com/73gMLGebp5

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) April 1, 2018

The tweet accompanying that package of French fries reads:

The longest French fry isn’t necessarily the best French fry.

Short French fries, curved French fries, crispy French fries, and soft French fries. All of them have good points. All of them have people who love them.

As long as you value your own unique flavor, we believe you’ll be able to contribute in your own way. To all new employees, congratulations on your new jobs.

Sincerely,
McDonald’s French fries

Some Twitter users took the message exactly as it was intended, thanking McDonald’s for the pep talk even as they remarked on how weird it was to be getting advice from a fast food side order.

“Whoa, I’m getting a pep talk from potatoes.”
“Totally surprised at how inspired I feel right now.”
“Who knew French fries were so brave and gallant!”

But it also didn’t take long for Twitter commenters to realize that if you were to replace the instances of “French fries” in McDonald’s message with a certain part of the male anatomy, it sounds like the company is telling people to believe in their inherent greatness not in the office, but in the bedroom.

“Umm, this sounds kinda erotic.”
“Telling dirty jokes, I see.”
“A lot of people leave the short ones uneaten.”
“I like ‘em short and crispy!”
“Wait…what would a ‘crispy’ one be like?”

In addition, the whole thing apparently fried the brain of one commenter who responded with “Thanks, MOS Burger! I feel a lot better now,” giving the credit to one of McDonald’s burger rivals in Japan.

But even among those who went with the dirtier-minded interpretation, everyone had a good laugh. Odds are Japan’s new recruits have some tough days ahead, but laughter has been shown to counteract the negative effects of stress, so a little immature comedy might be just what they need for a smooth entry into working-adult life.

Source: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan via Golden Times
Top image: Pakutaso

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he can’t help thinking an opportunity for even more comedy was missed because Japanese fast food places don’t have curly or sweet potato fries.