McDonald's clearly sees value in quirkiness, because the brand has now followed on from the McRib launch with an equally outrageous (and messy) spot that features a human guinea pig comparing the newly launched butter chicken Georgie Pie to its pastry-free alternative.
The series of experiments depicted over five spots are overseen by the dubious statistician, who has already become a familiar face through his appearances in the Georgie Pie sponsorship clips that feature during screenings of 7 Days. As is to be expected, each of the experiments shows that the pie is easier to consume than the curry when any extreme conditions are placed on the subject.
In addition to butter chicken, the Georgie Pie range also includes steak and cheese, and plum and custard options (chicken and vegetable has been discontinued). The new campaign from McDonald's is somewhat reminiscent of the extreme unboxing videos fronted by comedian Guy Williams for Spark's launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5 last year. Fortunately for the actor involved in the new effort from McDonald's, there was very little pain involved in the testing.
There's also a new Plum 'N Custard Pie that's filled with sweet plums and a custard filling. Both pies are made with a Georgie's Pie pastry and served as hand-held treats. New Zealand's two new pies will only be available for a limited time. Avid patrons might remember a similar Steak Mince 'N Cheese Pie from a few years back. On May 4, 1961, McDonald's first filed for a U.S. trademark on the name "McDonald's" with the description "Drive-In Restaurant Services", which continues to be renewed through the end of December 2009.
On September 13 that same year, the company filed a logo trademark on an overlapping, double-arched "M" symbol. By September 6, 1962, this M-symbol was temporarily disfavored, when a trademark was filed for a single arch, shaped over many of the early McDonald's restaurants in the early years.