Buffalo Wild Wings, Garage Beer, Dude Wipes and Ryanair are among the brands on social media poking fun at a video of McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski struggling to eat the chain’s new Big Arch burger and referring to it as a “product.”
Burger King responded late Monday with a TikTok of president Tom Curtis taking a bite of a revamped version of its signature Whopper. And Wendy's weighed in with its own video on Wednesday.
McDonald’s played into the social media chatter with its own post Tuesday, sharing a photo of the new Big Arch “product.”
But how can McDonald’s further turn this moment into a positive, self-aware marketing opportunity?
Option 1: Kempczinski can host a 'how to eat it' series
McDonald’s can launch a social media video series where Kempczinski, or other executives, attempt to eat the Big Arch as well as other menu items, perhaps including humorous outtakes or an exaggerated, clean-cut effort.
Option 2: Rename the Big Arch as The Perfect Bite
McDonald’s can embrace the roast by renaming the burger or even take suggestions from consumers on what to change the menu item’s name to.
Option 3: Run a product ad campaign
McDonald’s can run an ad campaign showing other menu items while using the word “product” to promote them.
Option 4: Launch a struggle selfie contest
McDonald’s can create an interactive in-store photo experience featuring an exaggerated, oversized replica of the Big Arch and a cutout of Kempczinski’s viral expression. Customers could pose “struggling” to take a bite and share the photos on social media using a dedicated hashtag.
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Source: PRWeek US