The Weirdly Sexual Message That Could Be Hiding In McDonald's Logo
Catching sight of the McDonald's two golden arches, you know you're soon in for a treat of Big Macs, chicken McNuggets, and Happy Meals, as the logo is synonymous with the fast food McDonald's is known for. One might assume that the two golden arches when connected in the logo stand for an M (as in McDonald's) which would be a natural assumption, but what if the designers were slipping you a potentially weird, subliminal message with the logo, one that might be enticing you to eat at the restaurant more than you realize?
The arches debuted in 1953 when architect Stanley Clark Meston added two arches to opposite sides of a McDonald's franchise building. By 1968, the architectural style of McDonald's changed from futuristic to old-fashioned, and the arches were removed from the building and transformed into the M logo we know today. However, there were redesigns over the years (via BBC).
It can definitely be argued that the arches most certainly look like a big M. However, one designer, and psychologist, Louis Cheskin, had some other ideas when working on the arches in the 1960s, claiming the M is actually a pair of breasts, at least according to Freudian terms.
McDonald's logo and other products could be considered NSFW
The "mother McDonald's breasts," as Louis Cheskin called them, can be considered an appeal to the subconscious from infancy. Freud believed babies go through a series of psychosexual stages related to oral fixation — which includes breastfeeding — and if their needs are not met, it can lead to unwanted adult behaviors, such as overeating (via Healthline).
Per Cosmopolitan, author Eric Schlosser wrote in his book "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" that Louis Cheskin pitched and sold the higher-ups at McDonald's on the idea that the pair of breasts would subconsciously draw customers to the restaurant. Perhaps this psychological twist has indeed led customers to McDonald's, or perhaps it hasn't, but one thing's for sure: TikTok is taking an interest in the whole breast theory, with one user who posted on the Kidspot Official account took a look at the arches. At one point they flip it upside down to look even more like breasts. The TikToker called the meaning of the arches "X-rated," and went on to say, "The cheeky meaning will have everyone talking, like you and I now."
@kidspot.com.au Would you like b👀bs with that? #maccas #mcdonalds #funfacts #jokes
This isn't the first time McDonald's has been under fire for including subliminal sexual messages in its logo or packaging. When McDonald's Japan released its McFizz series of sodas in 2019, the special cups for the drinks featured pictures of a boy and a girl. When placed one inside another, the cups could be arranged as such to arrange the pair in sexual positions (via Independent). Yikes!