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NEW MCDONALD'S AD SHOWS BRAILLE SUCCESS STORY

November 14, 1999

The McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain introduced a new addition to its feel-good television commercials Nov. 12, with a spot featuring a young girl learning to read a Braille book. The ad, which highlights the commonalities of children with and without disabilities, is also designed to help drive an underserved segment of the population - blind people - into McDonald's restaurants. The National Federation of the Blind had a hand in the commercial's creation, helping select its star, while the American Foundation for the Blind helps the burger giant stock Braille menus for its customers.

In the ad, Hannah Weathered, a 6-year-old from Lima, Mont., celebrates her reading success the way many American kids mark important occasions, with a trip to McDonald's for a Happy Meal. "Through this new commercial we are proud to recognize customers like Hannah who in real life visit our restaurants and use our Braille menus," McDonald's Senior Vice President of U.S. Marketing Larry Zwain said in a statement. "It's important that our advertising connect our brand to our customers and the special moments in their lives."

It is also an important marketing move for McDonald's, which has made ordering easier for blind customers for 20 years by providing Braille menus. McDonald's also has picture menus available for patrons with speech and language difficulties, but the fact that the company has taken these extra steps to serve special populations has not been widely known.

The American Foundation for the Blind applauded McDonald's move. "Accessibility drives greater independence and encourages people who are blind or visually impaired to enjoy everyday life to the fullest," AFB president Carl Augusto said in a statement. The 30-second spot debuted on NBC during its primetime programming segment and will air on that network, ABC and CBS through Nov. 25.8