McDonald’s CEO, Don Thompson, recently received a question from a 9-year-old girl, Hannah, asking why they sell food that isn’t good for children, followed by “don’t you want kids to be healthy so we can live happy lives?” It was a tough question, but Mr. Thompson knows how to establish the positive image of his brand. In response, he thanked the 9-year-old for her question.
Hannah’s concerned parent personalized her argument toward Mr. Thompson stating that as a corporation, you “might not have to think about the effects of your marketing…but as parents and grandparents, there must be a part of you that knows, it’s just not right.”
Mr. Thompson presented himself as a responsible parent whose children also eat at McDonalds. He stated that he loves to cook, and cooks with his children at home, “we cook a lot of fruits and veggies.” He noted that they have the option to eat healthy foods at McDonalds too. “McDonald’s sells fruits (apple slices in kids meals) and veggies (including side salads on the Dollar Menu.) In addition, McDonald’s recently began to sell fat-free chocolate milk.”
Following the principles of media coaching, Mr. Thompson stated the positive, instead of denying the negative. Rather than disclaim selling burgers, or dwelling on the accusations of obesity and diabetes caused by fast food, Mr. Thompson emphasized that McDonald’s offers healthy options and quality food for a low price.
“It’s real beef, it’s real chicken, it’s real tomatoes, real lettuce, real fruit, real smoothies, real dairy, real eggs, and we do it in a way that is also affordable.”