McDonalds Twitter Campaign: Hype vs. Reality

This memo discusses the failed #meetthefarmers Twitter campaign of McDonalds, advantages and disadvantages of social media, audiences to address, and recommendations for future campaigns.

MEMORANDUM
TO: McDonalds Management
FROM: Rick Wion
DATE: 3RD SEPTEMBER 2018
SUBJECT: MCDONALDS TWITTER CAMPAIGN: HYPE VS. REALITY
Over the last decade, social media has grown and developed at a fast pace giving endless
opportunities for organizations to report market and promote their quality products and services
delivery at a wider and increased efficiency scale that the traditional and conventional methods
or platforms such print media and radio (Tuten and Solomon 2017).However, lack of proper
control and management by organizations could be their downfall or ruin their reputation like
McDonalds #meetthefarmers social media campaign. This memo will elaborate more on social
media through a perspective of the failed Twitter campaign of McDonalds and recommending a
suitable communication plan to prevent such an incident from occurring by analysis and
evaluation of the following questions.
Problems that McDonald’s experienced when using social media #meetthefarmers
campaign
The firm has been known to offer quality product services delivery both locally and universally,
that was harmed when the #meetthefarmers campaign tumbled through the twitter due to
consumers airing the terrible encounters they had where some were identified with restorative
discussions (Stephen 2016, p 18). This prompt loses in trust in our image that saw the decrease in
sales consecutively. Moreover, consumers switched sided to our competitors decreasing our
market share which resulted in the retrenchment of some employees to curb the losses
accumulated.

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 2
What are the possible advantages and disadvantages for an organization when utilizing
societal media?
Promotion and marketing strategies are crucial to an organizations business activity that impact
their growth and development in today’s complex business environment. Through technology
advancements social media has grown and increasingly adopted in our daily lives prompting
organizations to take advantage of the situation (Hollebeek at al.2014, p 154). However, there are
several advantages and disadvantage in relation to social media, they include:
Advantages
Effective consumer market analysis- Through the use of social media, associations can
determine the consumer demographics on their products and even conduct further research and
analysis of new products or new target markets easily and efficiently (Ngai 2015).
Social media has a large audience and a fast communication channel -social media has
managed to successfully connect billions of individuals all over the world through platforms
such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and snapchat. This gives organizations a larger audience
and a far reach that the conventional methods such as print media and radio in creating brand
awareness (Salma,2017,p 24).
Effective interaction and communication with consumers Associations can have an interaction
with their organizations amassing thoughts or suggestions which will be valuable in the
production of quality products and services (VanMeter, Grisaffe and Chonko 2015).

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 3
Disadvantages
Negative customer reviews are harmful-customer feedback is very crucial and can be risky to
an organization of their increased negative feedback from angry consumers who have a large
influence on consumer behavior and loyalty to a brand (Austin and Jin 2018).
Social media is immediate and needs daily monitoring- The increase in social media has
prompted the ascent of numerous stages which could tend to be tedious and costly with regards
to utilizing numerous representatives chipping away at various stages and monitoring every data
produced through those stages prompting addition resources such as skilled manpower and
monitoring equipment (Sexton 2015).
Social media ROI is difficult to measure- Being active on most of the social media without a
doubt extremely compelling for businesses, however the primary concern is the complex process
of estimating ROI from all social media campaigns conducted. In spite of the fact that it's an
extremely overwhelming activity, however really not feasible
Who are the different audiences McDonald's needs to address when using social media
campaigns?
Keeping in mind the end goal to forestall and revolting situation that nearly prompted the
downfall of our firm, it has to distinguish pivotal groups of audiences and design an effective
social media campaign that will be reasonable to the audience and have an insignificant negative
effect, they include:
Internal audience- These are people who are inside the associations, for example, the
administration team, Representatives and other supporting staff individuals who all have a key

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 4
part in running the firm effectively from within,they represent the image of the brand and its
essential that the social media campaign will complement their objectives and role in the firm
External audience- these are people who are outside their associations yet at the same time have
an effect on the achievement and development of McDonalds. They include consumers both
royal and prospective, McDonalds supply chain, critics and activists such as Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA) and World associations on food and medical organizations (Austin and Jin
2018, p 230)
How can the McDonalds team better design future Twitter campaigns for McDonald’s?
McDonalds need to create a basis of positive criticism from all the critics present in the social
media and especially twitter whose #tool is very powerful and influential. This will allow the
firm to accumulate all the negativity and turn it into positivity by making changes where
necessary creating a footing for damage control. it would be significant to hire and eternal public
relation or consulting firm that would conduct research and analysis of the social media
campaign before its implemented in order to have an external opinion. The findings and results
will be significant in determining of if the promotion will have a negative impact or a positive
one (Bal et al. 2017, p 226). The use of bloggers who are a force to reckon with in the social
media could be useful in further curbing and control of negative rumors doing rounds in the
social media.
Strategy for McDonalds to encourage better media relations and more accurate reporting.

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 5
1.Timing -planning and evaluation of a social media campaign should be done
2-3month in advance targeting major events sch as sport and major
holidays
2.Audience Internal and External audience
3. Sender -McDonalds marketing and communications department under
supervision of third party marketing, PR or consolations firms as well
as identified influential bloggers
4. objectives -Communicate the core values of McDonald while creating brand
awareness. moreover, eliminate and minimize any negative reputation
on our brand
5.Desired outcome - Open channels for correspondence and discourse amongst consumers
and McDonald
-Build the lost reputation from the last failed campaign while assuring
quality in products and service delivery
6.Medium -Social media ads through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as
the use of the McDonalds social media platforms
7.Materials -Hashtag campaigns on Twitter and other social media platforms such
as Facebook and Instagram
8.Frequency One month before spot events and holidays where the segment
campaign will be initiated on regular intervals (once every day for the

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 6
first two weeks)
-The remaining weeks 2-3 times daily to increase online presence.
Social media has endless possibilities that would increase the growth and development of our
brand but we need to tread carefully to avoid a similar incidence from #meetthefarmers which
and good intentions but was later hijacked. It would be in the firm interest to consider this memo
and in particular, the recommendations given. Thankyou
Sincerely,
(signature)
Rick Wion

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