McDonalds Twitter Campaign: Hype vs. Reality

This memorandum discusses the advantages and disadvantages of social media for organizations, as well as the problems McDonald's experienced with their #meetthefarmers Twitter campaign. It recommends a communication plan to prevent future failures and better design future Twitter campaigns.

MEMORANDUM
TO: MCDONALD MANAGEMENT TEAM
FROM: RICK WION
DATE: 31ST AUGUST 2018
SUBJECT: MCDONALDS TWITTER CAMPAIGN: HYPE VS. REALITY
Social media has developed and grown quite fast in the last decade creating many opportunities
for organizations as long they are utilized its tools and platforms carefully and efficiently. The
#meetthefarmers campaign was a disaster in the making which overshadowed its intentions of
creating brand awareness while ensuring the quality products and service delivery in the long run
(Hollebeek at al.2014,p 150). This incidence should be taken as a learning curve for McDonald
by ensuring efficiency in planning, control and management of social media campaigns in the
near future. Therefore, the objective of this memorandum is to elaborate on social media through
a perspective of the failed Twitter campaign of McDonalds and recommending a suitable
communication plan to prevent such an incidence from occurring.
What are the possible advantages and disadvantages for an organization when utilizing
societal media?
Tuten and Solomon (2017) insist that firms that pick to utilize social media life should be aware
of the different focal points and hindrances that come with it regardless of its increase in the
incorporation of business models. Therefore, social media has the following advantage and
disadvantages
Advantages
Greater audience and inexpensive- through social media organizations have the capacity to
contact a substantially more prominent group of consumers or target audience especially through

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 2
the solace of the of smartphone besides this offers a superior and far less expensive option when
contrasted with the utilization of TV and radios to create awareness of their brand as well as their
products and services in general Petrescu (2014)
Fast and effective communication channel-social media platforms allows organizations to
communicate their key messages or themes quicker that the conversional traditional methods
since individuals are always connected with the platforms as long as they have access to internet
which has over 80% capacity reach globally(Salma,2017,p 22-23).
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.
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).
Disadvantages
Ineffective information filters- social media has grown tremendously which has made it difficult
to control and regulate information allowing the growth of fake news in the media. This in turn
could mislead consumers damaging a firm’s brand in the long run.
Tedious management- 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
(Austin and Jin 2018).
Easily misused and vulnerable- social media is a powerful tool that is used to influence the
masses, this power can be utilized both by organizations in marketing and promotion of their

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 3
products as well as consumers in communication with the parent organization. However, this
power can be misused by an individual or a group of individuals in limiting competitions through
airing negative information damaging its brand and reputation in the long run (Gilkerson and
Berg 2017,p 141).
Problems that McDonald’s experienced when using social media #meetthefarmers
campaign
Our brand has long been known to offer quality services and products both locally and
internationally, that was damaged when the #meetthefarmerscampaign flopped through the
twitter for consumers airing the bad experiences they had where some were related to medical
consultations (Stephen 2016, p 18). This lead to lose in trust in our brand that saw the reduction
in sales is some of our branches that resulted in retrenchments so as to prevent further loses lost
in market share was adamants as some of our consumers switched sides to our competitors.
Moreover, it exposed a weakness that our rivals exploited which is poor management and
damage control in relation to Social media which they used as a learning curve.
How can McDonald team better design future Twitter campaigns ?
The acclaimed twitter crusade disappointment makes attention to the accessible negative
provisos that would undermine a respectable brand. It has acted as a learning curve for emerging
or startups and large companies while embarking on a social media campaign. Wion and his
group would have at first made a Twitter crusade that would recognize feedback from its
customers and well as non-consumers ( VanMeter et al.2015). The #meetthefarmers was
certainly not an awful campaign but it did not meet its intended objectives in the long run,
however it was started initially without distinguishing and tending to any potential criticism from
consumers. They would have initially created a basis for criticism, for example,

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 4
#Helpusmeetyourneeds would have been a key campaign that would have enabled the
organization to get feedback and suggestions which would have portrayed a picture where the
organization esteems consumers and non-consumers feedback while at the same time rolling out
key improvements that would address the feedback This would have really raised the brand's
notoriety, decreasing feedback and possibly expanding their number of consumers over the long
haul (Bal et al. 2017,p 222)
Who are the different audiences McDonald's needs to address when using social media
campaigns?
The fast-food franchise generally needs to address current consumers as well as potential
consumers. This simply means the McDonald should concentrate on maintaining their consumers
as well as target new consumers through their marketing and promotion campaign. This can be
achieved by the creation of incentives and rewards that would help in justifying their loyalty
towards the brand which would directly or indirectly introduce new consumers to the company’s
products and services It would be beneficial for McDonald should also put into considerations
their critics when incorporating their social media campaigns (Stephen 2016). There is no need
for any bias or ignorance in these situations as it will derail the growth and development of the
company. These critics could be a few individuals or even organizations such as the Ethical
Treatment of Animals ( PETA ) who claim that the company uses cruel tactics that are old and
outdated. Nevertheless, there are government organizations and non-governmental organizations
that aim in reducing the intake of fast food franchise products terming them as unhealthy and
could lead to fatality (Sherwin 2015). McDonald should focus on addressing such originations
while putting their criticism into consideration
Strategy encourage better media relations and more accurate reporting.

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 5
1.Timing -Plan should be initiated weekly
-Timing should target major holidays
-Summer holidays should be a crucial turning point as consumer
demographics suggest individuals in school’s ore young demographic
are major consumers
2.Audience -Mc Donald royal consumers and prospective consumers
-McDonald critics such as Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
-World associations on food and medical organizations
3. Sender -McDonalds marketing and communications department under
supervision of third party marketing, PR or consolations firms which
can determine any setbacks in the early stages
4. key objectives -Communicate the core values of McDonald
-Increase the market share in the fast food franchise market
-Communicate on the quality of products and service offered at
McDonald
-To create awareness of new and current McDonald products
5.Desired outcome - Open channels for communication and dialogue between consumers
and McDonald
-Increase and maintain a quality brand and stand in the market share
-Increase consumers royalty and awareness on McDonalds brand
- Communicate the core values of McDonald
-Increase the market share in the fast food franchise market

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 6
-Eradicate and damage control of any negative rumors in the social
media which may arise or are still doing rounds from the failed
#meetthefarmers Twitter campaign
6.Medium -Major television stations and newspapers,
-Social media ads through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as
the use of the McDonalds social media platforms
7.Materials Advertisements, online ads and billboards
8.Frequency -Major television stations and newspapers- twice every week
-Facebook, Instagram and twitter- on regular interval during meal
breaks such as lunch
As I conclude its efficient to create awareness on our firm through training and seminars relating
to social media utilization and damage control as it’s a risky and rewarding domain at the same
time McDonald learn from its mistakes and actualizes campaigns that have key long-haul
objectives that will address the critics and the consumers in general increase brand quality and
awareness. Therefore, the communication plan suggested will go a long way assisting in
Improving, promoting and marketing our brand leading to achieving our vision and purpose.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Rick Wion

McDonalds twitter campaign: Hype vs Reality 7
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