Summary of a visual text (McDonald’s advertisement)
An advertisement for McDonald’s in the July–August 2004 issue of Men’s Health magazine represents an attempt by the restaurant chain to remake its image. The implicit reason for the ad is that McDonald’s world-famous fast food has come under increasingly harsh attack for unhealthful processing and preparation. The fresh, spring-green lettuce that dominates this ad is a signal to customers that McDonald’s has changed its menu and now offers food as fresh and healthful as any found in a supermarket. By publicizing this new direction, McDonald’s clearly hopes to attract health-conscious customers. Moreover, by framing this advertisement as a response to an individual customer’s question, McDonald’s attempts to show that the vast size of the chain does not prevent it from tending personally to its customers’ concerns.
—Albert Lee, student