Posted on January - 21 - 2012
McDonald’s #McDStories Twitter marketing effort goes awry
McDonald’s latest marketing campaign was supposed to deliver social media praise via the hashtag #McDStories. Instead, in a classic example of the risks of Twitter-based advertising, tweeters with a much snarkier intent commandeered the effort.
The campaign started out as a wholesome, feel-good exercise. There were two hashtags, #McDStories and #meetthe farmers, that launched Thursday and were intended to highlight the fast-food giant’s commitment to fresh produce and meats.
Initially, tweets came in warm and fuzzy, like this one fromMcDonald’s itself: “When u make something w/ pride, people can taste it,” – McD potato supplier #McDStories.”
But then more Twitter users got wind of the campaign and began offering their own, usually backhanded interpretations.
To wit: “I only eatMcDonald’swhen I am ill because it makes me feel sick anyway. #McDStories,”