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This document summarizes McDonalds' response to the documentary Supersize Me and the resulting crisis. It discusses how McDonalds typically maintains a consistent brand image but failed to adequately address issues raised in prior lawsuits and documentaries. In response to Supersize Me, McDonalds' US branch was unprepared and slow to react, worsening the crisis, while the Australian branch planned ahead and emphasized healthy options, lessening the impact. The document analyzes why the delayed and ineffective response in the US turned Supersize Me into a major legitimacy crisis for McDonalds.
Writing Sample
- 1. Erin Reeve 4/27/2011 McDonalds’ Response to Supersize Me What McDonalds represent and how this is deconstructed Introduction In Chicago, papers swarmed about the news of McDonalds’ illegitimacy claims after the release of Supersize Me. McDonalds’ headquarters, which are located in Chicago, were constantly alerted by the newspapers of the public’s disapproval of them. In response, McDonalds’ vice president, Ken Barun, sent a letter to The Chicago Tribune after a reporter shed McDonalds’ beef in a negative light. Barun’s letter, however, only caused the Chicago media outlets to talk more about the issue. Even months after the case, McDonalds was unable to escape the claims that Supersize Me depicted. McDonalds: Defined McDonalds is a non-profit corporation that serves 58 million people in 119 different countries every day. In the general public’s wave of concern for the obesity issue in America, McDonalds has experienced a lot of controversy. In a thirty-day documentary entitled Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock shows how McDonalds harms the environment, a person’s general health and well-being and the health of animals. When the film was released, however, McDonalds focused on one thing: how the film depicted McDonalds as the cause of America’s obesity. As a business, McDonalds has to tend to the prominent issues that the concerns its customers and the general public. McDonalds, however, forgot to realize this until it was too late. McDonalds lost two-thirds of its profits in 2005, after Supersize Me’s release in 2004. Its profits dropped from 96
- 2. million to 36 million in one year. McDonalds faced one of its biggest illegitimacy crises when Supersize Me was released in January of 2004. Strategies for Maintaining Image McDonalds’ strategies to create a positive image are important to understand before discussing McDonalds’ role in the Supersize Me crisis. McDonalds’ image and product consistencyplay a huge role in its continued success.McDonalds attains customer loyalty by increasing the public’s familiarity with their products and image. To maintain this loyalty, McDonalds has to create a constant image. The success of McDonalds’ logo is evident in its world-wide popularity. McDonalds’ big, golden arches are recognized all across the globe. In fact, a 2010 study by Intrabrand states that McDonalds’ golden arches are the sixth most recognizable symbol in the world. Customers recognize McDonalds’ product consistency in the taste and quality of the food, as well. At each location, themenu, atmosphere, taste and quality are consistent. These familiarization techniques lure customers, even when they are out of town—or the country.To maintain this consistent imagewithin franchises, McDonalds closely regulating franchise owners’ business practices. Potential franchise owners must agree to complete extensive operations training. To maintain consistency, the training is uniform at every franchise location. After they finish training, the new franchise owners must follow the “No absenteeism” rule to decrease mistakes in operations and flaws in image and consistency. Due to these strategies, McDonalds has maintained a relatively consistent, positive image since it’s opening in the 1940’s. The corporation’s response to threatening events helped them to maintain their legitimacy. In 1997, for example, McDonalds’ legitimacy was questioned when it was accused of putting worms in their hamburgers. Despite the rumor being unproved, McDonalds experienced a thirty percent decline in its regular business. Since McDonalds had
- 3. been successful in maintaining their consistent and familiar image in the past, their downfall led to this large decrease in customers, despite the rumor’s legitimacy. Their customers, however, choose other fast food locations in fear of eating worms. For the time being, customers that believed in the rumor saw McDonalds’ once consistent and familiar image as untruthful. Some customers were fearful because they had trusted a corporation that now seemed unreliable. Why Supersize Me Became a Crisis In the past, McDonalds seized the rumor before it turned into a crisis by planning ahead. McDonalds’ failure to plan in advance and respond appropriately to the two cases prior to Supersize Me allowed the movie to become one of McDonalds’ biggest legitimacy crises.The PETA and the “McLibel” court cases acted as McDonalds’ warning signs before the Supersize Mecrisis. McDonalds, however, did not believe that either of the two issues could lead to a legitimacy problem as big as Supersize Me. McDonalds, therefore, did not respond to the issues promptly or correctly. By ignoring these signs and warnings and not taking these two issues seriously, McDonalds left the public to assume that the corporation was lazy or admitting guilt in these two issues. McDonalds’ lack of response to PETA’s claims about not meeting welfare standards made McDonalds look lazy and unsympathetic. McDonalds, also, refused to respond appropriately to the “McLibel” court case, even though it had been highlighted by the media for seven years. Although McDonalds was diligently handled issues in the past, they were not protecting their image when they needed to the most. Customer Satisfaction Prior to the crisis, McDonalds ensured customer satisfaction by spending a large amount of money each year to conduct market research for customer feedback. McDonalds’ uses this
- 4. feedback to change many aspects of its corporation to maintain customer satisfaction. McDonalds continuously changes its menu items to meet customer demands. In response to America’s recent obesity issues, McDonalds added healthier items to its menu and eliminated unhealthy choices, like the “McPizza”. Customers are, therefore, “co-producers” of many products and services that McDonalds provides. When theSupersize Me crisis arose, however, McDonalds was unprepared to respond, because they relied on the customer loyalty and its brand name that it had built over years of good service. McDonalds, therefore, onlyresponded to Supersize Me after it was released and when it was too late to save it from turning into a crisis. In recognizing the success of past strategies, McDonalds got rid of the “Supersize Me” option and added healthy adult happy meals that included a water bottle, a salad and a pedometer to meet public demands. This response, however, was too late. Due to McDonalds’ lack of timely and appropriate response, McDonalds continues to be a target of blame for America’s obesity. On the contrary, McDonalds Australia seized the issue before it became a crisis. In comparing both McDonalds’ responses; a corporation’s response is highlighted as the main factor in seizing or creating a crisis.McDonalds Australia did not experience the same level of severity in the crisis as the USA did. McDonalds Australia lessened Supersize Me’s effect with their quick response and showing their concern for the public’s nutrition prior to the film’s release. After seeing Supersize Me at the Sundance film festival earlier that year, McDonalds Australia was able to plan for the movie’s release in Australia in June of 2004. Ten days after the film was released, McDonalds Australia responded by airing three television ad campaigns; one for the theatre, and two for television.McDonalds Australia, also, lessened Supersize Me’s effect by promoting healthy options before the film was released. In fact, McDonalds Australia McDonalds Australia spokesperson, Kristene Mullen, felt that Super Size Me was outlandish,
- 5. considering their efforts to adhere to the public’s concerns about their nutrition. In 2003, a year before the film was released, McDonalds Australia created a SaladPlus menu, nutrition labels and low-fat breakfast options. McDonalds London gained legitimacy through its support for Supersize Me.McDonalds London showed its supposed support for the film with an advertisement that told the public to see the film and focus on one aspect: if you “eat too much and do too little”, it is “bad for you”. McDonalds spokesperson, Amanda Pierce, stated that the ad was created because the public was interested in learning about the company’s feelings about the film. Again, by portraying that McDonalds’ actions were for their customers, they were able to maintain their positive image. Also, by promoting the film, McDonalds was able to curve the blame from the corporation and place the responsibility on the individual. McDonalds, also, used the ad to suggest that they were helping to prevent the problem. The ad stated that they had new, healthier items that individuals could choose. McDonalds Response: Large Corporations Ties After the crisis, McDonalds’ advertising campaign was endorsed by the Secertary of Agriculture. Agriculture, although it is constructed like a large corporation, is victimized in the modern world (Agriculture, 154). Due to the general public’s recent interest in protecting the environment (Agriculture, 154) and eating healthy, organic foods, primarily in their raw forms, the Department of Agriculture has the ability to achieve and maintain a benevolent image that the general public trusts and believes in. The general public believes this image and also positions the Department of Agriculture as the weak victim against their uncalled for competition by America’s movement towards mass production within the food industry. The general public
- 6. perceives agriculture as a hardworking, industry that is competing against “evil” mass production. The general public fails to remember, however, that agriculture plays a role in mass production, which feeds into the fast food industry. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture’s endorsement positively boosted McDonalds image, despite both corporations’ ties to the obesity crisis. Large Corporation Ties (Two Press Releases) McDonalds, also, responds to the crisis with two other large corporations through two different press releases to target different audiences. Each different press release was supported by a large corporation that McDonalds had past ties with. The American Council on Health and Science usually focuses on advocating against smoking cigarettes. It does not usually target the nutrition and exercise aspects of health. In fact, it “takes a generally apologetic stance regarding virtually every other health and environmental hazard”. The ACHS, however, issued a press release in support of McDonalds to show how fast food was not the only cause of obesity. Although the ACHS quit disclosing information about its donors in 1991, McDonalds was previously one of its largest ones. Tech Central Station distributed a press release on their front page entitled “The Truth about the Film” (in reference to Supersize Me). Although TCS claimed that they commit to telling guests “the facts and science-based information on obesity and nutrition”, TCS is also funded in part by McDonalds. How We Regained our Love for McDonalds
- 7. Today, McDonalds is making better profits than it ever has. Since Supersize Me, McDonalds has attempted to recover its image in many ways. Most recently, McDonalds is attempting to create an image of sustainability. In 2007, McDonalds stated that their coffee was Rainforest Alliance certified and approved. McDonalds is, also, attempting to make their restaurants appear more eco-friendly. In some locations, the traditional buildings are being traded in for log-cabin themes, including green roofs and trimmings.