McDonald's 'McDStories' Twitter Campaign Backfires
Katherinev123 — January 25, 2012 — Lifestyle
References: dailymail & retail-digital
Lately, McDonald's has been receiving a lot of negative attention from people, what with its recent 'Egg McMuffin of...' campaign that confused customers and now, with its McDStories Twitter campaign.
The McDStories Twitter campaign was launched with the aim of having customers tell positive stories about their experiences at McDonald's on Twitter. The fast food chain expected people to Tweet about their positive experiences using the hashtag #McDStories, and that did happen -- but for a very short period. As more people started using the hashtag, McDonald's saw Tweets becoming nastier and nastier, such as "I only eatMcDonald'swhen I am ill because it makes me feel sick anyway. #McDStories."
McDonald's had good intentions, but there are always risks when it comes to a Twitter marketing effort. Rick Wion, the social media director at McDonald's said, "As Twitter continues to evolve its platform and engagement opportunities, we’re learning from our experiences."
The McDStories Twitter campaign was launched with the aim of having customers tell positive stories about their experiences at McDonald's on Twitter. The fast food chain expected people to Tweet about their positive experiences using the hashtag #McDStories, and that did happen -- but for a very short period. As more people started using the hashtag, McDonald's saw Tweets becoming nastier and nastier, such as "I only eatMcDonald'swhen I am ill because it makes me feel sick anyway. #McDStories."
McDonald's had good intentions, but there are always risks when it comes to a Twitter marketing effort. Rick Wion, the social media director at McDonald's said, "As Twitter continues to evolve its platform and engagement opportunities, we’re learning from our experiences."
Trend Themes
1. Negative Twitter Campaigns - Companies should be cautious when using Twitter for marketing, as it can backfire and generate negative attention.
2. Risk of User-generated Content - Brands need to consider the potential for negative or unfavorable content when encouraging customers to share their experiences online.
3. Social Media Engagement Lessons - Companies should continuously learn and adapt their social media strategies to evolving platforms and engagement opportunities.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food - Fast food chains must be careful when using social media marketing to avoid negative backlash and protect their brand image.
2. Marketing and Advertising - The risk of negative publicity on social media highlights the need for marketing professionals to devise effective strategies that mitigate potential harm.
3. Social Media Management - The experience of McDonald's serves as a lesson for social media managers to understand the impact of user-generated content and remain agile in their approach.
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