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October 31, 2014

Not-So-Happy Meals: McDonald’s Image Issue

10.31 KC

“Let’s grab a bite from McDonalds before we head out tonight,” said no millennial ever in the past five years. It’s true: The better half of a decade has been pretty bad for good ol’ Mickie D’s. Once beloved by parents and screaming, hungry children in backseats alike, McDonald’s has experienced a downward spiral. Many attributed this to the uptick in healthy eating trends and general disdain for big corporations, to which McDonald’s responded by offering healthier menu choices. However, viral videos of pink slime chicken nuggets and inhumane animal practices emerged. So, millions of video views later, the burger giant has decided to attack the problem head on… by telling the truth. They recently launched a multi-channel PR campaign to address the rumors. A recent commercial shows curious consumers walking up to a McDonald’s billboard and asking questions that encourage transparency, including: “Would you feed this food to your children” and “How do you really make your chicken nuggets?” They’ve paired it with a social media campaign (#LovinBeatsHating) and regularly take to Twitter to address concerns.

While these efforts seem like the most authentic and potentially successful campaign they’ve run in years, it may be too little too late for some consumers. Has McDonald’s turned into the Chris Brown of fast food chains? Will folks subscribe to the notion that McDonald’s isn’t a money hungry, cheap labor having, poor ingredients using restaurant? Only time will tell. But part of me hopes that they’re gearing up for a triumphant return to glory.

 

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good comeback story.