McDonald’s wants to show the love

McDonald’s wants to bring back that loving feeling. As the world’s biggest hamburger chain fights to hold onto customers, the company on Friday unveiled a new marketing strategy and ads it says will emphasize the “Lovin’” in its long-running “I’m Lovin’ It” slogan. As part of the push, McDonald’s released TV ads it says will begin airing this week, including an animated video where the Joker and the Batman and Smurfs and Gargamel show affection to each other and share McDonald’s products. The push to identify itself with love and positivity in the minds of customers comes at a challenging time for McDonald’s, which is facing shifting eating habits, intensifying competition and growing calls by workers and labour organizers for higher pay and unionization. Sales for its flagship U.S. division have been falling.