Some “Emily in Paris” fans streaming the third season of the hit show were distracted by the product placement in the first few episodes.
Emily Cooper, played by actress Lily Collins, is a Chicago marketing exec who lands her dream job in Paris. The Netflix series is known for its stylish fashion. That’s why some fans were surprised to see that McDonald’s features heavily in the opening episode, “I Have Two Lovers” as Emily, pitches the company to one of her bosses as a new client.
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Lily Collins
(Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
In one scene, Emily is at lunch with her former boyfriend Gabriel, who says the American fast food chain is considered more chic in France. He takes to her a nearby McDonald’s, while the camera pans over tasty-looking macaroons.
The ode to McDonald’s in the opening episode, many viewers said, wasn’t on their “bingo card.” Many others questioned the notion that the chain was a luxury.
Others, however, approved of the depiction.
“The best thing about Emily in Paris is the accurate portrayal of how superior McDonalds in Europe are,” journalist Zameena Mejia wrote.
(Some ‘Emily in Paris’ viewers were confused by the McDonald’s product placement in season three. (iStock))
McDonald’s is hardly the only product to get the spotlight in the new season. Netflix includes disclaimers at the beginning of an episode or film that includes product placement.
In the fifth episode, Emily is featured on the cover of the French magazine Le Monde’s weekly magazine “M” as an influential person in Paris.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Netflix for comment.
The new season of ‘Emily in Paris’ has been criticized for several instances of product placement.
(Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Netflix)
Other “Emily in Paris” viewers were too caught up in the discovery of the McBaguette – a double hamburger on a baguette with Dijon mustard, swiss cheese, and lettuce – to make too many qualms about product placement. One can purchase an “Emily in Paris” meal in French McDonald’s as part of promotion for the show. The meal consists of the McBaguette mentioned in “Emily in Paris,” as well as fries, a medium drink and two macaroons. The sandwich debuted in 2012, but had been available for a limited time until its return in 2021.