Celebrities
Sinead Butler
Nov 11, 2021
Christmas may be just around the corner, but it’s fair to say the festive season doesn’t really begin until Mariah Carey makes an appearance.
This year, however, the All I Want for ChristmasIs You singer has entered into our festive world in a slightly different way, teaming up with McDonald’s to create the Mariah Menu, which allows US customers to pick a free item every day in the run-up to Christmas Eve when using the fast food chain’s app.
All this is explained in an advert on the McDonald’s YouTube channel, with the 42-second clip giving viewers all the festive feels with snow, decorative lights and a traditional red-colour backdrop (as well as Carey’s Christmas hit playing in the background).
But, while the video perfectly captures the Christmas spirit, it was the fast-food giant’s tweet announcing the collaboration that left people slightly baffled.
In a post to their 4.3m followers, McDonald’s tweeted a bizarre image of Carey posing in a red dress in front of an ocean, with a giant McDonald’s sign looming over her in the background.
The tweet read: “Mariah’s back for the holiday season and this time, she’s bringing a whole menu with her.”
Mariah’s back for the holiday season and this time, she’s bringing a whole menu with her https://t.co/loeeSfe6k2— McDonald's (@McDonald's) 1636557525
Since posting the photo, the tweet has garnered nearly 30,000 likes, as well as thousands of quote tweets from people expressing their confusion at why exactly she is standing in the middle of the ocean for a Christmas promo – and why the McDonald’s ‘M’ sign looks so menacing.
Many ripped into the photo, saying that it looks like something they would’ve designed as teenagers, while others were just simply confused as to what they were seeing.
Needless to say, the memes rolled in...
This looks like something I’d make in 10th grade photoshop https://t.co/J7YrdWcZhv— (Lit)ia (@(Lit)ia) 1636580287
13yo me editing random shit on PicsArt💀💀: https://t.co/yaegzDlpDV— 🕺🏻 (@🕺🏻) 1636574633
this literally looks like a meme LMAO https://t.co/G3HxDD3XV5— LAUREN B. BROWN (@LAUREN B. BROWN) 1636566870
a fever dream https://t.co/bgRZtFYXQt— omari douglas (@omari douglas) 1636560150
Other people couldn’t quite grasp why the ocean view was necessary, or what it had to do with Christmas:
Did y’all have to put her in the ocean 😭😭😭 https://t.co/G0TW1YRkfp— HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty (@HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty) 1636565766
Hey uh McD’s. Why is your sign in the middle of the ocean? https://t.co/JrKkMpywno— David Painter ۞ ⚔️🍵 🐝 (@David Painter ۞ ⚔️🍵 🐝) 1636582844
I would like an oral history of the marketing decision to set this ad in water https://t.co/YMLNTuOvOf— Kevin Fallon (@Kevin Fallon) 1636562192
Mariah’s back for the holiday season and this time, she’s flooding the earth to cleanse it of humanity’s sins https://t.co/uSExxsRsmF— Jeffery 🍋 (@Jeffery 🍋) 1636563824
Fixed https://t.co/h926H3coaj https://t.co/sFjVIV2jAI— anchoa en retrógrado 444 (@anchoa en retrógrado 444) 1636576720
While some jokingly interpreted the photo as a nod to the impacts of climate change, warning about the rising sea levels.
Is this a global warming parable or https://t.co/k77CcG7HLT— Stephanie Hayes (@Stephanie Hayes) 1636559970
Sneak peak at how corporations will try to make the best of our 2.4C warming future. https://t.co/eGPcTCtwZt— Travis Nichols (@Travis Nichols) 1636560121
this powerful statement on climate change https://t.co/429xE6FmJp— spillary clinton (@spillary clinton) 1636565095
what in the climate change is happening here https://t.co/yaK7TDrsQo— Drew Tuma (@Drew Tuma) 1636559247
The year is 2051. Global Warming has caused sea levels everywhere to rise astronomically, apocalyptically even. Cor… https://t.co/XLl0c14OxK— 🪱 (@🪱) 1636567830
2025: the sea levels have risen; society has fallen; Mariah remains. And… there’s a deal at the drive thru (swim th… https://t.co/1pr1VGOTUY— R. Eric Thomas (@R. Eric Thomas) 1636558940
But a few on-the-pulse people guessed that the inspiration behind what seemed like a completely random photo was in fact from a meme which nods to Carey’s lasting impact on Christmas.
The meme itself features a similar photo of Mariah posing in the sea, with the caption: “And now it’s that sad time of the year when Mariah Carey must return to the ocean, only to re-emerge next Christmas.”
it’s obviously a play on this y’all are so lame😭 https://t.co/YRCp9Oqbmy https://t.co/BzSJWqqX0V— Fan Dance IV: Hydaelyn Reloaded (@Fan Dance IV: Hydaelyn Reloaded) 1636584106
Not them referencing this meme lmao https://t.co/gNW5ZFLYvZ https://t.co/UOUlRwhtgv— 𝔍𝔬𝔰𝔢✨ (@𝔍𝔬𝔰𝔢✨) 1636558910
She said right back at you! 🤣😂🤣 https://t.co/oVg0sz2uIi https://t.co/BMLzIECC5B— MH-Mick_Hart MC & BGYO🫓 (@MH-Mick_Hart MC & BGYO🫓) 1636558698
She knows her memes https://t.co/PHLUu1Dusu https://t.co/e9N2Oz5lgu— I. (@I.) 1636581194
Not the play on this meme 😭 https://t.co/ZRsKJrnaC2 https://t.co/fr8yCVC3Yi— Ant (@Ant) 1636558428
So a clever ploy by McDonald’s all along?
Either way, the chain’s social media team must be having a field day with all of this reaction.
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