Shane Griffin writes:

Watching TV the other day with my dad – a vet- who noticed a remarkable achievement in the McDonalds ‘beef’ ad, that runs to the Cheers theme tune. During the forty second clip, as McDonalds sell their wholesome Irish beef, we are given scenes of muddy Irish farms, grassy boreens and vast, VAST green fields but….no cows. At the end of the ad- and this must have been quite the logistical feat- he looks out over what seems at least a thousand acres of agricultural land, with not a cow in sight. One presumes they had been packed off on the first train to burgerville. McDonalds must have decided that audiences would not like to connect Daisy alive on their TV with the patty, packed in lettuce and buns, in their greasy hands. This contrasts strongly with other post-Horsemeat ads about Irish beef. Lidl, Aldi and Tesco are all happy to present Daisy relaxing with an earthy Irish farmer one moment and then packed in a cellophane sleeve for your convenience later in the ad.