The McRib. Wow. This lovely creation is a McDonalds sandwich made with ground pork meat shaped to look like a small rack of ribs, barbeque sauce and a sesame seed roll. I thought America had progressed past this boneless phenomenon. Now, I have to admit that I too once loved the McRib. I was hooked in 15 years ago when The Flintstones movie was used to cross promote the resurrection of the sandwich. The McRib was a fun and delicious break from my usual 10-piece Chicken McNugget order.
My favorite part of the McRib story is best described by Wikipedia: “On November 1, 2005, McDonald’s put out a press release stating that the McRib would be permanently removed from the menu following a “McRib Farewell Tour.” This appears to have been a deceptive kickoff to a viral/stealth marketing campaign;mcrib.com, a site registered to McDonald’s, featured a petition to “Save the McRib,” which was facetiously sponsored by the “Boneless Pig Farmers Association of America.”[1] So in a two-angled campaign, McDonald’s was simultaneously conducting a McRib farewell tour and sponsoring a petition to “Save the McRib” to create buzz. On October 16, 2006, the “McRib Farewell Tour II” site appeared, confirming the campaign was a marketing ploy. The petition to “Save the McRib” still existed as well as the “BPFAA” site.” We have always known that the McRib is a confused little sandwich, but I wonder - when will it come back again? Will consumers not want to buy McRibs in 15-20 years? I have a feeling that the McRib will never really die.
The rebirth of the McRib has taken me down a food memory lane of sorts. I was 13 when I had my first McRib and was at a point in my life in which I didn’t think or care about what I ate. In a way, I miss not having to put so much thought into my food consumption. However, the McRib now sounds disgusting to me and I know that I will not feel well after eating it. Having a better understanding of the source of my food has been a blessing. Knowing my farmer makes me feel safe and the McRib with its’ fake rib rack shape scares the bejesus out of me!
One last McRib morsel - a clip from the Colbert Report on the McDonalds classic: Colbert Report - The McRib is Back
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McDonalds is so sneaky and smart. I am trying to figure out how to do this with one of our products! p.s. - sick!