Got any questions? McDonald’s has your answers

Ever wondered if McDonald’s hamburgers are actually 100 per cent beef? Or how about their opinion on the documentary Super Size Me? The answers to these questions and more can be found online thanks to McDonald’s Canada’s “Our Food, Your Questions” marketing campaign.

The new campaign, which began in June, features television advertisements and an online digital platform where individuals can post questions to McDonald’s through Facebook and Twitter. Anybody can post a question and McDonald’s has stated they will post honest, personalized responses to any inquiries about their food.

McDonald’s Canada wants to create an image of corporate transparency. Consumers today demand more answers and information, and McDonald’s believes this campaign can help satisfy those demands.

Tackling questions ranging from monosodium glutamate content in their food to the humane treatment of animals to whether McDonald’s would consider adding Halal products to its menus, the campaign has answered thousands of questions so far.

Another reason for the campaign is perhaps to debunk some of the common myths surrounding McDonald’s food products. One television ad answers the question and shows us why McDonald’s food doesn’t look the same when we order it compared to advertisements we see.

So far, McDonald’s Canada is happy with how the campaign has turned out. In an article from The National Post, McDonald’s Canada’s Chief Marketing Officer Joel Yashinsky said that meaningful and open dialogue with customers is important and that they want to have these conversations with customers.

As the largest chain of fast food hamburger restaurants, McDonald’s has received much criticism regarding its food and business practices. McDonald’s has been involved in many lawsuits throughout its history, including — perhaps most famously — the 1992 lawsuit where one woman sued McDonald’s after spilling her hot coffee on her lap.

McDonald’s sure has come a long way since 1940 from its humble beginnings as a family-owned and operated hamburger restaurant. The restaurant chain now operates in more than 100 countries, with about 33,000 locations across the World. In 2011, McDonald’s made over $27 billion in revenue.

Now, I understand what McDonald’s is attempting to do with this marketing campaign, but realistically, does it really matter?
People know that fast food isn’t the healthiest option, but McDonald’s still serves millions and millions of customers each day; when somebody asks online, “If I eat McDonald’s every day, will I get fat?” what are they supposed to say?
I asked a question online about McDonald’s opinion of the 2004 documentary, Super Size Me. McDonald’s replied and said, “The movie chronicled one person’s decision to act irresponsibly and distort the facts for entertainment value […] We’re proud of our food and believe that McDonald’s can be part of a balanced diet.”

Someone else asked why McDonald’s food looks unchanged after sitting for long periods of time. McDonald’s recruited Keith Warriner, Director of the University of Guelph’s Food Science and Quality Assurance program, to answer the question. He said that basically the food didn’t rot or grow mold because it simply dried out and that mold and other bacteria need moisture to grow.

I’m not saying that McDonald’s is lying, but it seems as if they are trying to present their food as a healthy option, which it clearly is not.

McDonald’s has been providing customers with nutrition statistics for all of their food products for several years now. When someone sees that a Double Big Mac contains 700 calories, 40 grams of fat and 1,520 milligrams of sodium, they know it’s not healthy; however, that doesn’t seem to stop people from ordering one.

That being said, fast food — like many things in life — is okay in moderation. Eating out a couple times a week probably isn’t going to do much harm, especially if you lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Making informed decisions about what you eat is important and McDonald’s has now allowed customers to do just that.

If you have any questions of your own, visit yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca to let McDonald’s know about your concerns.