Pay For That Big Mac With a Hug or Other Lovin’ Act

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Put away your cash or plastic. If fortune smiles on you, McDonald’s will accept an alternative form of payment for your cheeseburger: love.

McDonald’s unveiled its “Pay with Lovin'” campaign in a 30-second commercial during Super Bowl XLIX. The gist of the campaign is that between Feb. 2 and Feb. 14, approximately 1 million McDonald’s customers will be randomly selected to pay for their food by performing an act of lovin’.

If you are notified that you are an unofficial winner during your visit to the fast-food chain, the “Lovin’ Lead will ask you to “execute a random act of Lovin'” in return for your food order, McDonald’s said. In the fine print, it spelled out what that might mean:

Lovin’ Acts will be designated by the Lovin’ Lead and may include things like fist bumping the Lovin’ Lead, calling a loved one, telling the Lovin’ Lead what the Participant loves about their significant other, blowing a kiss, or other general sentiment or Lovin’ Act in the theme of the Game, subject to Lovin’ Lead’s reasonable discretion and completed to Lovin’ Lead’s reasonable satisfaction.

It’s part of McDonald’s revamped “I’m Lovin’ It” campaign.

In a phone interview with USA Today, Deborah Wahl, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s, said:

We’re really serious about lovin’ our customers. This gives us a chance to show it.

McDonald’s has struggled in recent years with image issues and declining sales. McDonald’s also recently announced it was replacing CEO Don Thompson.

In other McDonald’s news, for the first time, McDonald’s is selling its Big Mac Special Sauce. But don’t get too excited. The small tubes, which hold roughly an ounce of Big Mac sauce, are only being sold in Australia, and just until the supply runs out, ABC News reports.

The fast-food chain is also auctioning off 200, nearly 17-ounce bottles of the Big Mac sauce online, with all the proceeds benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The one bottle is already bidding at close to $18,000.

What do you think of the Pay with Lovin’ campaign? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.

While we’re on the subject of fast food, watch this video to see how these foods come to look so scrumptious in ads.

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