McDonald's Transparency Campaign: The Truth Behind the McNugget, Big Mac, and More

(Photo from v3con.com)

Have you ever wondered what's really in a Big Mac? If you have, you'll be happy to know that it is possible to find out.

Recently, McDonald’s has developed a campaign to increase its customer relations.The campaign, which features various videos and FAQ sheets regarding many popular menu items, is aimed at increasing the transparency of the company in regards to the ingredients that it uses in its food.

Over the last few years, McDonald’s has taken many hits for rumors regarding pink slime used in its food. From photos of the aforementioned slime to articles that tell of horror stories from the chain’s workers, hundreds of individuals have taken it upon themselves to fight against the company’s brand.

However, McDonald’s chose to fight back.

As any PR practitioner knows, good public relations requires a high level of transparency. In order to gain respect and trust from consumers, a company or organization needs to be honest about their products, business dealings, and more.

By allowing the public to see the beginning to end process of making McDonald’s signature items, those that were lost through the pink slime craze may see a new side of the company and decide to give it a second chance.

Also, through this campaign, McDonald’s addresses the rumors that have been plaguing its name for years. Not one stone is left unturned in this campaign, and that allows for the company to lead way for a new, more simplistic menu that is rumored to be rolled out within the next year.

If you would like to see this campaign for yourself, visit www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/your_questions/our_food.html. From there, find the videos and FAQ pages that correspond with the menu items that you are curious about, and see the difference between the interenet buzz and the actual happenings behind the scenes of Ronald McDonald’s home base.

What do you think about McDonald’s transparency campaign? Let us know in the comments!

What Game of Thrones Can Teach Us About Transparency

Warning: If you plan to watch the HBO show Game of Thrones, this does contain spoilers. 

​In the very first episode of HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones, we learn that the queen of Westeros, Cersei Lannister, has been involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime since before she was married to the king, Robert Baratheon. Unbeknownst to everyone but Cersei and Jaime, Cersei and Robert’s children are actually Jaime’s children, with no relation to King Robert at all, making the 3 kids 100% Lannister, and in no way related to the throne of Westeros. King Robert Baratheon dies under suspicious circumstances only a few episodes later, making Cersei’s oldest child, Joffrey, the new king. However, Robert Baratheon’s friend and advisor Ned Stark soon learns the truth about Cersei’s children, that they are not Baratheons and therefore not eligible for the throne.

       Right here is the main thing about public relations that Game of Thrones can teach us: to tell the truth and not try to cover up dirty secrets, because they’re going to come to light anyway. Ned Stark confronts Cersei about her children’s illegitimacy in private, and she uses her brother to have him imprisoned, and then her son has him beheaded. However, despite Cersei’s rather extreme reaction and attempted cover-up, Ned Start had already sent letters containing the truth to many different lords and ladies across the world.

​Take any class about public relations, or just ask most people, and you’ll realize that public relations practitioners, and the industry as a whole, are often perceived as masters of some dark art of manipulation, wherein the truth is never what you think it is. While this may have been somewhat true in the days of PT Barnum, nowadays, regardless of what you may want, the truth has to be clear and visible to all, no matter how dirty it is. In this modern age of technology, it’s nigh impossible to sweep something under the rug forever, and being caught trying to hide something will always make the situation worse. It’s always better to get out ahead of an ugly truth, by being upfront with it as soon as it is relevant.

       Spend 5 minutes with Game of Thrones, and you’ll realizethat one hallmark of the show is its intricate webs of internecine politics and relationships. Despite its complexity, Game of Thrones can teach us many practical, real life skills, especially about public relations.

       If you’re a fan of the show, what are some PR skills that you’ve seen in Game of Thrones? We’d love to hear from you!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Faiz Mandviwalla.

 

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