McDonald’s has brought back one of its classic mascots, sparking a bit of an Internet backlash.
The fast food chain is reviving the Hamburglar, a character that is a cross between a cartoon bandit and Zorro. But the response is mixed with some Twitter users describing him as “creepy.”
One user even said that it looked like the Hamburglar was the type to “hang out around playgrounds in a windowless van.”
Here are a few of the more colorful Tweets:
https://twitter.com/edsbs/status/596061327170351104
I can't believe they're doing a gritty reboot of the #Hamburglar
— Phil!! (@philandmomo) May 6, 2015
https://twitter.com/anthonysnotes/status/596061205472542721
https://twitter.com/FreddieCampion/status/596061167224823809
https://twitter.com/mjkoz/status/596061160996143104
There were some, though, who liked the new Hamburglar, even describing him as “hot.”
McDonald’s is trying to restore some luster to its restaurants, and is clearly hoping the classic character will bring in customers who want to relive their childhoods. Corporate Accountability International, an advocacy group, doesn’t think it will work.
“For McDonald’s, nothing screams desperation like bringing back the Hamburglar — a creepy cartoon character that everyone remembers as a relic of the past,” wrote Sriram Madhusoodanan director of the group’s Value [the] Meal campaign, wrote in a statement. “If there were ever a moment for investors to doubt the corporation’s ability to turn things around, this is it. Instead of heeding the growing call to end its predatory marketing to kids, McDonald’s is instead digging in on the very strategies that have necessitated a turnaround in the first place.”
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