McDonald’s Revealing Burger Ad Secrets

Yesterday, McDonald’s Canada treated their audience to an inside look at why the burgers in McDonald’s ads look so much more appetizing than the ones you get when you actually purchase one for yourself. See the video below:

The Secret To Beautiful Burgers

The secret to the beautiful burgers in McDonald’s advertisements won’t surprise you. It amounts to a few diligent hours of preparation by food stylists topped off with a Photoshop touch-up session; much as you’d expect for a human model about to find him/herself on the cover of a fashion magazine.

No big surprises there, but some of you are probably surprised (or skeptical) that the ingredients they use are the same as the ones used in the store.

Nevertheless, there are a few interesting takeaways.

Authentic Stories Resonate With Consumers

The days of food brands marketing their products based solely on claims like “Tastes Better” and “Less Fat” are now over. When McDonald’s overtly makes moves to establish consumer trust by effectively showing their boxer shorts on the internet, you can be assured they know it’s worth the risk of blowback. They believe that so earnestly, they’re addressing an un-authentic marketing tactic in an authentic way. We all know that addressing your weaknesses is an effective way to build trust.

Takeaway: Do you know that your customers have questions you haven’t answered? It’s time to step up to the plate with answers.

Social Engagement Is Paramount

McDonald’s Canada is using social media and a question-answer engagement website to connect with their customers. They’re fielding question from their audience on a daily basis, and you can imagine that consumers have a lot of questions for McDonald’s. Often when a controversial food brand open up a forum like that, they face the most challenging questions first.

They’re taking this to the next level by answering questions using video, and putting the people behind their brand front and center. They’re humanizing the corporation, which is one of the very best ways for companies to use social media.

Takeaway: If McDonald’s is willing to tell their story on social media, how long can you get away with staying quiet?

Authenticity Is Becoming More Authentic