FRIES WITH THAT SHAKEDOWN? McJobbers, Coupland (inset)

McDonald's has been on a PR offensive overseas this week with a campaign to persuade publications including the Oxford English Dictionary to change their definition of the pesky term "McJob." The word first popped up in the late '80s and was popularized by Generation X author Coupland. The dictionaries caught on in 2001.

But McDonald's insists that a job with the company is, Kevin Federline ad spots aside, a good opportunity. In London, they've countered the negative McSlang with their own newspeak that touts the perks of working for the greasy burger chain: "McValued," "McBenefit," "McRespected," boast a recent series of posters.

A bemused Coupland, reached by Radar, noted the time lag of McDonald's charm offensive and penned for us this inscrutable open letter (after the jump) ...

Dear Ronald...

McJob? For God's sake, that was 1991.... Strike while the iron's hot.

For what it's worth, thanks for taking the prefix "Mc" from my proud Scottish heritage and turning it into a signifier for all things, well ... Mc. You know exactly what I mean, bun boy.

I still eat your burgers,

Doug

Photo of Douglas Coupland with "McDonald's Nation" (1996, oil on canvas) by Chris Woods, courtesy Diane Farris Gallery