What we've learned from the Crazy Middle-Class Asians who pranked McDonald's
- By atmnlblog
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- 09 Feb, 2019
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Hanging a fake ad to improve representation and diversity.
What if you could do more to grab someone’s attention? What if you could be a change maker by being honest about your opinion and by being who you are? Read on as we share with you some pointers on what we've learned from the two fellow Filipinos who became the talk of the town for all the right reasons.
We have to admit - there are certain things that make us frown every day, like knowing that there are still some people who think that inequality due to ethnicity and race still exists, and there are people who are okay with it because they fear change. These people usually just accept that that's how the world works.
But we still have to take note of things that make us smile - one of these things is learning that more and more people are supporting positive and equal representation.
For instance, in mainstream media, movies with Asian leads are being produced. There's Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and the upcoming live action remake of "Mulan", just to name a few. There are also young actors and actresses getting recognition because of their characters at some of the top Netflix hits like Ross Butler, Charles Melton, and Michele Ang. And let's not forget the performances of PSY and BTS at American Music Awards two years ago. There are also rumors of an Asian superhero to be produced by Marvel - who knows, there might be one from DCEU? we never know.
These are just a few examples of how awesome it is to be a part of this generation. These little wins can be just 15% progress, but there wouldn't be a hundred percent without fifteen!
Aside from these cool and awesome additions to the representation of Asians in the industry, you might have heard of this funny story about Jevh Maravilla and Christian Toledo.
They've been trending last year in different social media platforms and content-based websites.
"After noticing a blank wall in a local McDonald’s, Jevh and Christian decided that something needed to fill the empty space. Seeing a lack of Asian representation in pictures on other walls, Jevh and Christian figured why not them? Using their creative minds and skills, the pranksters took a photo of themselves casually enjoying burgers, put it on a poster similar to the ones in the building, and installed the creation in the empty space! After nearly two months, the poster was noticed by the food chain."
Originally posted on: www.ellentube.com/article/mcdonalds-gives-50000-to-two-crafty-pranksters
Now, you might say that what they did is crazy. They even called themselves "Crazy Middle-Class Asians" and we're totally lovin' what they did! 😜 We're sure you'll love them even more after you learn the good intentions behind what they did.
We were so amazed at how what they did landed them a gig at McDonald's. Real #Changemakers! So we picked up some lessons we've learned as we follow their story.
1. Be innovative and original
2. Be sensitive
Representation means equality, but you can't do that while you're hurting someone or offending the law!
3. Be passionate and stick to it
The idea is risky. Based from one of their interviews, they hesitated because everyone would not understand and some people will feel like it doesn't matter, but they are certain that during those moments of hesitation, they stuck to their goal.
“Diversity and representation is a big issue in the United States and even we felt that there was a need to do something about it. As media consumers and practitioners, we felt like if we could do quality work and use it for a cause, then why not?” - Christian Toledo said.
Just imagine the effort of Photoshopping, ordering a sintra board, and even buying a McDonald's staff uniform from Goodwill's! They definitely thought about their goals and stuck to it. 😋
4. Be brave
True passion comes with braveness. If you're passionate about something, you'll find out you can also be brave about it.
They never would’ve gotten all these opportunities if they hadn’t been so brave doing it.
5. Come clean
They really felt that there is something missing in that wall so thought of a creative way to make it more appealing. They never intended to ruin the wall or to cause trouble. They simply wondered why there was no Asian model in the background, so they took it upon themselves to rectify it! They ended up being part of a new McDonald's ad material:
"The food chain claimed that they are committed to diversity and wants to reflect all of their customers, and they appreciate Jevh and Christian. 4 days after they noticed, Ellen delivered the amazing news that McDonald's wants to hire the two for a marketing campaign! To pay them for the job, McDonald's gave them each $25,000!"
Originally posted on: www.ellentube.com/article/mcdonalds-gives-50000-to-two-crafty-pranksters
6. Have fun while doing it. It shows!
Similar to being passionate and being brave, you should be able to display that you enjoyed the whole reason for the process. If not, people will see that it's fake or it's just for publicity (although well, technically, it is). But their main purpose from the beginning is to represent Asians.
Somehow publicity is part of the intent but again, for a good cause -- Positive representation!
7. Make sure you're getting it right!
Being unique doesn't always get you noticed the way you want to be. Sometimes, it takes mindset to get somewhere or be someone you're proud of. It doesn't mean you want to be famous or well-known, but just to be proud of yourself and what you've done.
Now, thinking about it, we hope that it gives more people the courage to stand up and create change in their own little ways.
So there. The next time you find yourself deciding between doing the same thing and following the chorus around you or showing what you think more accurately displays the real you, consider the latter. It could be powerful enough to give you the edge you need to be a #ChangeMaker in this competitive world.
