Be honest: when was the last time you genuinely craved a hamburger from McDonald’s? I didn’t ask when the last time you actually went to McDonald’s was. My guess is you’ve been to McDonald’s at least once in the past few months. Why? Because you couldn’t find greasy fries anywhere else? Because you just couldn’t resist their fresh, juicy chicken nuggets?

No. More likely you went because McDonald’s branding is so ingrained in your mind that you subconsciously associated your hunger and lack of time or money with “I’m lovin’ it.”

Come on, is McDonald’s really all that great? If he could, my roommate would interject here and give a heartfelt testimonial of the luscious Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, his not-so-secret lover. Or perhaps the succulent Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT. My personal opinion? It’s less the taste and more the perceived value that McDonald’s marketing has given him.

Maybe it’s just me. But probably not.

In this case and in many cases, it’s not what you sell—it’s how you sell it. McDonald’s is a brilliant marketing company, not a tempting hamburger company. They succeed in spite of their menu, not because of it.

In that sense, we can all learn something from those golden arches.