Maybe it’s something in the air … or maybe even in the onions, but it’s clear that something’s rotten in the state of PR crisis management strategies.
What started with July’s outbreak of listeria monocytogenes from Boar’s Head liverwurst has quickly dominoed through several other foodborne-illness scares among leading brands.
The latest victim in the lineup? Fast-food giant, McDonald’s.
For Kamberlyn Randall, it started in the morning, with stomach pains and a fever that evolved into a diagnosis for E.coli O157:H7, making her one of 104 individuals infected by the outbreak from slivered onions in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders®. And what launched an otherwise healthy 15-year-old straight into kidney failure has also led one of America’s biggest brands to employ a critical PR crisis management strategy.
Situations like these are a reminder to stay vigilant should your own brand find itself in its own unexpected situation. We’ll review some fundamental reminders about crisis communications and provide an analysis of how McDonald’s put them into play with its outbreak response.
Strong PR crisis management takes positioning strategy
As trends and innovations continue to emerge in marketing, PR remains the foundation for successful branding. It also helps you solidify your branding in the long term by focusing on human relationships that provide third-party accreditations.
For instance, consumers who experience your brand from the recommendation of sources like micro-influencers or broadcast news personalities are far more willing to trust the efficacy of your brand. Why? Because these outside perspectives carry a less promotional feel that helps to show off your meaningful difference, or position, in a way that relates to the motivations of your audience.
This special authenticity is essential when it comes to crisis management. When the going gets tough — whether from a faulty product, plant shutdown, or an E.coli outbreak — it’s important to communicate effectively with consumers, employees, and shareholders.
A position becomes even more imperative when disaster strikes, because when the unexpected happens, it’s easy to make rash decisions or remain silent as chaos ensues. And though natural, these responses can have devastating consequences, especially when the core of your brand is called into question. Determining the right approach is easier when you already rely on a position that differentiates your brand. When a situation occurs, you no longer have to fear not knowing the next step. Instead, you can act in a way that’s consistent with your brand identity.
With positioning as your barometer, you can achieve PR crisis management that incorporates a press release with the right sensitivities, appear on news channels with a clear handle of the situation, and most importantly, reconnect your brand with consumer trust.
A quick guide to PR crisis management
We’ve created an easy guide to outline the most important things to remember when responding to unforeseen circumstances. Next time you find yourself unsure how to approach your PR in a time of need, consider the following:
- Before rushing toward action, first take a moment to remember your position. Consider the meaningful difference you bring to your category. How does this crisis counter that perception? How can your response reaffirm your position?
- Another pivotal component is remembering that effective communication requires honesty and consistency. When a brand breaches its position, it’s best to admit a mistake was made and explain how you plan to fix it. In other cases, it may not be a matter of breaking your position, but clarifying a situation. Either way, your response should meet these marks to make a lasting impact before, during, and after a crisis.
- Though we’ve been advising you not to jump the gun during an emergency, it’s equally important to remain timely. While you don’t want to make a mistake addressing a situation, you must remember that time is of the essence. Make sure to distribute your statement on relevant channels as soon as it seems appropriate.
- Pick a spokesperson. Designating all crisis communications to one spokesperson, or even a specific team, can reduce the chances your messaging becomes confusing or misinterpreted by your audiences. The selected individuals may be members of the communications team, C-suite executives, or even the CEO or president.
Evaluating McDonald’s E.coli response
McDonald’s launched its PR crisis management with a statement from North American Chief Supply Chain Officer Cesar Piña the same day the CDC officially opened its investigation into the Quarter Pounder.
“Across the McDonald’s System, serving customers safely in every single restaurant, each and every day, is our top priority and something we’ll never compromise on,” Piña said. “It is why we are taking swift and decisive action following an E.coli outbreak in certain states … As a result, and in line with our safety protocols, all local restaurants have been instructed to remove [slivered onions] from their supply.”
The initial statement also included a personal message from Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, in the form of a video.
“I wanted to take a minute to provide you with an update that we’re communicating broadly because food safety is so important to me and everyone at McDonald’s,” said Erlinger.
He went on to explain the ongoing situation, McDonald’s cooperation with regulatory authorities, and its decision to remove Quarter Pounders from the menu until safety can be assured. As part of the PR crisis management strategy, he also took time to explain what menu items were not affected and the hope to return the complete menu as soon as possible.
“I hope these steps demonstrate McDonald’s commitment to food safety,” he concluded. “I also want to thank the teams working tirelessly to support this investigation. We will continue to update you on the actions we’re taking. At McDonald’s, you can count on us to do the right thing.”
Within the first 24 hours of McDonald’s PR crisis management, Erlinger also appeared on NBC’s TODAY show to assure consumers McDonald’s understood the gravity of the situation and had contained the supply of slivered onions. You can watch the interview with anchor Craig Melvin here.
Even with these strong starts, McDonald’s maintained its momentum. Almost every other day, the fast-food chain provided regular updates about its food safety through its website in addition to a series of Instagram posts to reach as much of its audience as possible.
What were the results for McDonald’s?
McDonald’s nailed several PR crisis management tips in its response to the outbreak. To start, the fast-food chain understood its position of consistent, reliable food was in jeopardy. Both Piña and Erlinger addressed the fact that the outbreak threatened consumers’ perceptions of their favorite meals. In this sense, McDonald’s no longer provided something to enjoy, but something that could damage, or even kill.
Confronting the disconnect in perception, the brand approached with transparency by describing its course of action and its decision to work toward resolution. Through two spokesmen, Piña and Erlinger, consistent messaging was maintained, ultimately promising McDonald’s is still a brand you can count on to supply what customers expect.
After meeting these PR crisis management hallmarks, will McDonald’s survive?
It’s no secret, inflation was wrecking the brand’s profit margins. Still, promotions like the $5 Meal Deal and Chicken Big Mac were making promising strides along with plenty of publicity following president-elect Donald Trump’s visit to a Pennsylvania restaurant that went viral only two days before the E.coli investigation was announced.
Even with these initiatives, Placer.ai still reported a 6.4% decrease in restaurant visits in October 2024 compared to 2023. Only a day after announcing the E.coli outbreak on Oct. 23, restaurant visits dropped 9.1% compared to the previous year, and continued to trend downward throughout the crisis.
In its final announcements, McDonald’s has vowed to dedicate $100 million toward support for affected restaurants and new advertising efforts. Among these new offers includes an extension of the $5 Meal Deal along with 10-Piece Chicken McNuggets® Meals for $1. Now, we await the results of these efforts to see if McDonald’s can salvage its fast-food empire.
Don’t walk through crisis alone. Find a partner with Innis Maggiore.
While we don’t see the results of this strategy quite yet, we can assert that McDonald’s has been more proactive and strategic than other giants like Boar’s Head, which put its luxury position on the line by choosing to address headlines focused on bugs, mold, and bloody factory floors with a string of impersonal online statements.
No matter the case, PR crisis management isn’t something your brand should face alone. When you work with Innis Maggiore, you’re partnering with a team of professionals specialized in understanding your brand’s unique position — and how to protect it against the unexpected. Contact us today to learn how we can help your brand flourish through its highest highs and lowest lows.