McDonald’s chief executive (CEO) Chris Kempczinski’s LinkedIn unveiling of the Big Arch Burger went viral last week, though not quite as intended. The spotlight wasn’t so much on the sandwich as the leader’s visible apprehension at taking a bite.
There’s a potentially useful lesson here for brands: Don’t cast your chief executive in a role better played by someone else. It’s a lesson McDonald’s, not incidentally, has learned before.
30 years ago, the fast-food chain launched the Arch Deluxe to correct widespread perceptions that its restaurants were mostly for kids. (A reasonable impression, given the McDonaldland characters and PlayPlace jungle gyms.) Enter the 1996 Arch Deluxe, billed as “the burger with the grown-up taste” in an ad campaign that cost a reported $200 million.
A chunk of that money went to renting out New York’s legendary Radio City Music Hall for the press debut, which featured a tuxedo-clad Ronald McDonald and the Rockettes kicking in tribute.
ADWEEK attended the event. and while then-CEO, Michael Quinlan, delivered opening remarks to reporters — “Our adult customers are telling us they want more reasons to come to McDonald’s,” — the hoopla was left to corporate chef Andrew Selvaggio, who enthusiastically assembled an Arch Deluxe under spotlights while touting each of its ingredients.
Selvaggio, who’d come to McDonald’s from Chicago’s legendary Pump Room, was comfortable with smiling and holding ground beef in his hand. Judging from the social-media commentary, that’s more than could be said for Kempczinski, who appeared ill at ease and unsure of how to hold what he called a “product.”
Among the Instagram comments were: “This dude never eats McDonald’s,” “This is the most unnatural thing I’ve ever seen,” and “He’s no Dave Thomas,” in reference to the late founder of Wendy’s, famous for his folksy delivery on camera.
ADWEEK reached out to McDonald’s for a response. At the time of publication, it did not reply.
