Trump, Harris, and McDonald’s: How burgers and fries became core to the election

Branded is a weekly column devoted to the intersection of marketing, business, design, and culture. McDonald’s cannot seem to escape the 2024 presidential election. Given how toxic the contest has been, that sounds like a problem. But to the contrary, if there’s anything the two major candidates agree on, it’s that the world’s mightiest fast-food chain is a potent symbol of all-American virtue. Of course, that point is sometimes being made in toxic ways. The latest, and most...