Is this a Hoax, or Is It Real?!?

[Anderton]

Check out this short video of

. Can someone from the Netherlands confirm whether this is something McDonald's is actually doing?!? Or maybe this is someone making a statement about how they feel EDM is the "McDonald's of music"?

[Phil O'Keefe]

I don't know either way, but I know I want one!

[blue2blue]

Looks like it's real. Fortune covered it -- but they're not the sharpest blades among the 1%-er reads. But Adweek covered it and they're not too likely to get caught by a late April Fool's gag.

 

http://fortune.com/2016/05/03/mcdonalds-music-placemat/

 

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/mcdonalds-turns-placemats-little-music-production-stations-connected-your-phone-171195

[Anderton]

Blue, I don't know if Adweek is any match for Dutch pranksters...if it is a hoax. But if it isn't, it's pretty crazee, don't you think?

[Phil O'Keefe]

I figure there's one way to get to the bottom of this: ask a native. I sent Boosh a link to this thread and asked him to check it out and let us know if it's legit or a hoax.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Booshie said it's legit, but it's a trial. They tried it first at corporate HQ there, then in that one store in Amsterdam.

[Anderton]

And this concludes today's episode of "Phil O'Keefe, Investigative Reporter." Tune in next week, when he answers the question: "Does boiling guitar strings really make them last longer?"

[Phil O'Keefe]

 

 

[Anderton]

But to return to the topic...frankly, I think this is huge. I'm in favor of anything that encourages people to make music.

[blue2blue]

And I thought they said broiling...

 

[electrow]

Here is a explanation of the economics of it:

[AlamoJoe]

Won't make the food any better, but...I mean...Wow..

[t_e_l_e]

here are the "inventors"

http://mctrax.nl/

 

they started with one mc donalds but hope for a bigger rollout

 

technology wise it is just a simple blue tooth controller, but this time the controller electronic is inside somehow in the paper and controls are printed with conductive paint.

 

it does not state if it is iphone only, or if other smartphones are also supported and it also does not state with which app it is supposed to be used

[Phil O'Keefe]

And I thought they said broiling...

 

I thought they looked a little melted after I hit them with that flamethrower...

 

[Phil O'Keefe]

Here is a explanation of the economics of it:

 

Cool link - thanks!

 

So it's not durable... but since it's just conductive ink, it's cheap and easy to make them, so here's hoping that McDonald's locations in the USA decide to run a similar promotion - I'm with Craig on that - anything that promotes music and gets people involved with experimenting with making it themselves is a Very Good Thing.

[Ernest Buckley]

But to return to the topic...frankly' date=' I think this is huge. I'm in favor of anything that encourages people to make music.[/quote']

 

I`m in favor of anything that encourages people to pay for music.

 

The problem I have with all these gimmicky pieces of "gear" is that it lets the average Joe think they can make beats. We have an entire generation or two who don`t know how to play a keyboard or musical instrument but they have all these apps that make beats and suddenly they discover they can upload their music to Soundcloud or whatever and everyone is now a "producer". Its a dumbing down of major proportions and it affects a professionals wallet.

 

From what I was reading recently, McDonalds is closing locations at alarming rates. This to me is just a short lived gimmick.

[Anderton]

People have to start somewhere. They'll find out soon enough when they get 26 views on SoundCloud, 24 of which are their friends, it takes some effort to create actual music. At that point, many will drop out...the same people who a couple generations ago, left their keyboard with auto-accompaniment rot in the closet after a few weeks. But some will want to take it further...and some will.

 

Back in the 60s, the average Joe thought he could play folk guitar. Not everyone turned into Bert Jansch...but Bert Jansch did

[Ernest Buckley]

People have to start somewhere. They'll find out soon enough when they get 26 views on SoundCloud, 24 of which are their friends, it takes some effort to create actual music. At that point, many will drop out...the same people who a couple generations ago, left their keyboard with auto-accompaniment rot in the closet after a few weeks. But some will want to take it further...and some will.

 

Back in the 60s, the average Joe thought he could play folk guitar. Not everyone turned into Bert Jansch...but Bert Jansch did

 

Well of course but Bert Jansch did not have the luxury to put those first hundred songs he wrote out to the world with a few clicks.

 

There was some sort of filter prior to the 90s... a record label who funded your record.

 

The amount of crap that one has to shovel through these days is mind boggling.

[ggm1960]

That's really cool, hope it'll show up around here!