Facebook is one of the main resources used by companies today to market their brand. This allows for advertising and news releases. However, something I have noticed recently is that Press releases come hand in hand with Facebook, especially when it comes to negative publicity. No company wants the negative news on the page that is viewed most by consumers (Facebook.) So, in turn, they stick to press releases to announce these issues. This became evident to me when researching the latest McDonald's controversy. Their Facebook page was all positive from the company end, however the controversy showed through in comments from the public.
McDonalds fast food chain has been around for years. However, in recent months rumors have been surfacing that U.S. McDonalds puts a filler in their meat, this filler is pink slime. Pink slime contains Ammonium Hydroxide, not suitable for human consumption. Naturally, this has caused some uproar within communities. This filler had been used in burger patties, chicken patties, and chicken nuggets. While the food chain has now banned the use of pink slime in their food, the company sabotaging by its customers has not died down. Information on this isse can be found at http://dailym.ai/15D38nS. On McDonalds Facebook page, (http://on.fb.me/1b3lFf8), the company displays seemingly delectable food pictures. On almost every picture someone has commented something about pink slime, or the food being toxic. This is alarming from a PR standpoint. McDonalds reacted well by immediately changing the recipe of their meat and submitting a press release, (http://bit.ly/18ZrTQa). However, in the press release McDonalds seems to be contradicting themselves in what they say is in their meat. This issue calls for immediate and constant PR work. Although this incident is claimed to have happened a year ago, there is obvious remaining controversy. How long do you think it will take for this issue to die down? Will it ever? Has McDonalds permanently tarnished their image? Only Time will tell. In the mean time, continue educating yourselves on the issue and draw your own conclusions. McDonalds has been around too long to go down in shambles for this reason, but it is up to the PR professionals to make sure that doesn’t happen.
McDonalds fast food chain has been around for years. However, in recent months rumors have been surfacing that U.S. McDonalds puts a filler in their meat, this filler is pink slime. Pink slime contains Ammonium Hydroxide, not suitable for human consumption. Naturally, this has caused some uproar within communities. This filler had been used in burger patties, chicken patties, and chicken nuggets. While the food chain has now banned the use of pink slime in their food, the company sabotaging by its customers has not died down. Information on this isse can be found at http://dailym.ai/15D38nS. On McDonalds Facebook page, (http://on.fb.me/1b3lFf8), the company displays seemingly delectable food pictures. On almost every picture someone has commented something about pink slime, or the food being toxic. This is alarming from a PR standpoint. McDonalds reacted well by immediately changing the recipe of their meat and submitting a press release, (http://bit.ly/18ZrTQa). However, in the press release McDonalds seems to be contradicting themselves in what they say is in their meat. This issue calls for immediate and constant PR work. Although this incident is claimed to have happened a year ago, there is obvious remaining controversy. How long do you think it will take for this issue to die down? Will it ever? Has McDonalds permanently tarnished their image? Only Time will tell. In the mean time, continue educating yourselves on the issue and draw your own conclusions. McDonalds has been around too long to go down in shambles for this reason, but it is up to the PR professionals to make sure that doesn’t happen.
This is great! I actually hadn't heard anything about McDonald's putting a pink slime filler in their meat but now I'll think twice about eating a Big Mac! While writing my blog I also came across some McDonald's Twitter problems having to do with hash tags. Seems their PR team has a lot to deal with!
ReplyDeleteGood information and perspective on this subject. I could not help but see the pink slime comment from above and I find it repulsive, which is why I have not ate at McDonald's in a long time. McDonald's might need some new blood for their PR Department, so that is good for us ha ha!
ReplyDeleteAlyssa I think you are right when you say that McDonal's has a lot to do on the PR end of their business. I feel like they are always scrutinized in the media ("Supersize Me," obesity, etc.) so their PR team definitely has a lot of issues that it needs to address on a regular basis--that would be difficult to deal with but very necessary for business especially with more nutritionally conscious customers on the rise.
ReplyDeleteThis is very well written and great information! Their PR team seems to have their hands full! Facebook is a great way for advertising and news releases, definitely. The negative comments are what reverts a positive image to a horrible one sometimes.
ReplyDelete-Sara
McDonald's is definitely an organization that needs constant PR work. Their food is always under so much criticism that it leaves room for representatives to shoot themselves in the foot. I can say that the information given in the links are no surprise to me. McDonald's food can be pretty suspect.
ReplyDelete