Mcdonald's Embracing with Twitter - you asked for it
Last few days, I saw McDonald's Twitter about net zero emission. What do you think an restaurant can do for the environment?
At the beginning, I would like to share one environmental with you.
Plastic pollution is a word we hear about frequently. Can you imagine the picture of plastic pollution? Let's watch a video about it.
What's your feeling after seeing this? I feel uncomfortable. Plastic pollution is becoming more and more serious recent years, which is caused by human's using plastic products. For example, McDonald's plastic straws. According to BBC, one McDonald's restaurant can use about 1.8 million straws a day, which can cause a huge waste of plastic and can be an extremely damage to the environment.
Therefore, with the awareness of environmental protection, consumers suggested McDonald's to get rid of plastic straws to reduce plastic pollution. They appealed in the comments on Twitter. The voice became larger on social media, it was a huge demand from the groundswell. As a result, McDonald's post to announce that they had already eliminated the plastic straws. Here is the link of the Twitter.
In the Twitter, McDonald's mentioned again that the action was asked by the customers, showed some related comments of the suggestion, and then announced that they began to use paper straws. It showed that the brand had listened carefully to the groundswell, and made the change to meet consumers' demand. I would like to say it is McDonald's strategy of embracing the groundswell with Twitter.
"Perhaps the best way to embrace with Twitter is simply to engage in dialogue." (P230) In this case, MacDonald's post of the action can be the respond to the audience, and in the post, the brand tried to use a dialogue way to express what they did for the consumers, "you asked us..., we trailled..., you liked them" with a simple post, the brand did a successful and effective communication with the groundswell. McDonald's made the communication become a two-way communication, which can encourage consumers continuing tell the brand what they want. "Muster up the humility to listen and tap into the skill to take what you've heard and make improvements" (P215) was showed by McDonald's response. What McDonald's got was the new ideas to make progress in a way consumer like, the brand let the consumers lead the events.
The action was suddenly reported by medias. Once the consumers who gave the suggestions know that, they would have a good impression on the brand and may like to recommend McDonald's to their friends. So, it is also an action that McDonald's energizing with Twitter and use social media to Energizing the groundswell. And the action made the brand being more believable.
"Your customers are chomping at the bit to tell you what to do"(P203) McDonald's not only won audience's attention and trust but also benefited from consumers' ideas of protecting the environment, which can be effective for the brand to build a good image and good public relationship. So, this story proved what is mentioned in the book, "Whether you start with listening to, talking with, energizing, or supporting the groundswell, you'll end up with customers in your business processes, especially those related to product development" (P198).
Do, you think McDonald's action was wise? Do you have experiences that asked for something on social media and be replied by the brand's action? Let's share in the comment place!
I really like this post! I think this is a really timely and excellent example of businesses listening to not only what their consumers may want but what it means to be a social responsible company. I like that your example used Twitter because Twitter is such a base for so many key conversations with consumers. Did you see any comments that McDonald's responded to from consumers on this post? I would be really interested to know and hear more about how McDonald's interacted with their consumers based on this post and how they are going to continue this momentum.
Hi, Teresa, thanks for your reply and like. I did not find McDonald's reply to the comments under this post. But The brand always give response to the readers' comments. I found someone asked the reason why the products under $20 disappeared, McDonald's said they could discuss about the need. And for the environment problems, the brand also continuing paying attention to the groundswell's voice, and taking actions.
Hi, Shiqiu. Personally, I didn't leave a message for a brand or company, because I am a person who doesn't like writing reviews very much, but my friend once left a message for a brand or company. The reason is that the festival activities of the game are not satisfactory. My friend is a loyal fan of the game, and she went to the social platform of the game to express her dissatisfaction. Later, the game posted a post on its official social media account and said that it would modify the festival. I think this is also a reply from the enterprise to the customer, although there is no special reply to my friend. I think McDonald's is a respectable brand with social responsibility. It actively embraces groundswell and respects and listens to customers' voices. It pays attention to environmental protection and is willing to admit its mistakes and publicly announce its changes. I think these are all very good. However, I was shocked to hear that only one store can use about 1.8 million plastic straws every day, which is incredible! 1.8 million plastic straws, which is really too harmful to the environment.
Thanks for your reply, Yi. I was also surprised at the number of straws Mcdonald's used every day, so I put the data at the beginning to surprise every one. 😛I think using plastic straws is not a mistake for the restaurants, but it can raise the brands' reputation in the society by leaving a good impression on the groundswell.
Hi Shiqiu, I am very glad to read your article. In China, because of the environmental problems of plastic straws, the government has also issued corresponding policies to prohibit the use of non-degradable plastic shopping bags and non-degradable disposable plastic straws from January 1, 2021. Relevant companies have also begun to use paper straws. Paper straws are very degradable. Therefore, the use of paper straws can make the environment better and better, which can greatly reduce environmental pollution. So I think this decision is correct. It just has to give people time to accept it, because it has become a habit to use plastic straws. If you suddenly change the straws, you may be uncomfortable.
Hi Shiqiu， I really like McDonald's! I also like that you associate environmental issues with brands. Plastic straws are a very inconspicuous thing. People usually use it when they drink soy milk, milk, beverages, and milk tea. As people pay more and more attention to food hygiene, plastic straws have also attracted everyone's attention. Your case also shows that the power of Groundswell is powerful. The voice of social media is to tell consumers that the brand is listening effectively and communicating in two ways to realize the embrace of customers. By the way, I like the video you shared very much, it is very infectious.
Hi, Yi, thanks for your like. The groundswell is powerful and can be a very effective power to influence a brand's behavior. Every small things in our daily life may spark a hot discussion in the groundawell.
I really like this post! I think this is a really timely and excellent example of businesses listening to not only what their consumers may want but what it means to be a social responsible company. I like that your example used Twitter because Twitter is such a base for so many key conversations with consumers. Did you see any comments that McDonald's responded to from consumers on this post? I would be really interested to know and hear more about how McDonald's interacted with their consumers based on this post and how they are going to continue this momentum.
ReplyDeleteHi, Teresa, thanks for your reply and like. I did not find McDonald's reply to the comments under this post. But The brand always give response to the readers' comments. I found someone asked the reason why the products under $20 disappeared, McDonald's said they could discuss about the need. And for the environment problems, the brand also continuing paying attention to the groundswell's voice, and taking actions.
Delete
ReplyDeleteHi, Shiqiu. Personally, I didn't leave a message for a brand or company, because I am a person who doesn't like writing reviews very much, but my friend once left a message for a brand or company. The reason is that the festival activities of the game are not satisfactory. My friend is a loyal fan of the game, and she went to the social platform of the game to express her dissatisfaction. Later, the game posted a post on its official social media account and said that it would modify the festival. I think this is also a reply from the enterprise to the customer, although there is no special reply to my friend.
I think McDonald's is a respectable brand with social responsibility. It actively embraces groundswell and respects and listens to customers' voices. It pays attention to environmental protection and is willing to admit its mistakes and publicly announce its changes. I think these are all very good. However, I was shocked to hear that only one store can use about 1.8 million plastic straws every day, which is incredible! 1.8 million plastic straws, which is really too harmful to the environment.
Thanks for your reply, Yi. I was also surprised at the number of straws Mcdonald's used every day, so I put the data at the beginning to surprise every one. 😛I think using plastic straws is not a mistake for the restaurants, but it can raise the brands' reputation in the society by leaving a good impression on the groundswell.
DeleteI especially agree with your point of view!
DeleteHi Shiqiu,
ReplyDeleteI am very glad to read your article. In China, because of the environmental problems of plastic straws, the government has also issued corresponding policies to prohibit the use of non-degradable plastic shopping bags and non-degradable disposable plastic straws from January 1, 2021. Relevant companies have also begun to use paper straws. Paper straws are very degradable. Therefore, the use of paper straws can make the environment better and better, which can greatly reduce environmental pollution. So I think this decision is correct. It just has to give people time to accept it, because it has become a habit to use plastic straws. If you suddenly change the straws, you may be uncomfortable.
Yes, and all the medias are now encourage people not to use single-use plastic products.
DeleteHi Shiqiu，
ReplyDeleteI really like McDonald's! I also like that you associate environmental issues with brands. Plastic straws are a very inconspicuous thing. People usually use it when they drink soy milk, milk, beverages, and milk tea. As people pay more and more attention to food hygiene, plastic straws have also attracted everyone's attention. Your case also shows that the power of Groundswell is powerful. The voice of social media is to tell consumers that the brand is listening effectively and communicating in two ways to realize the embrace of customers. By the way, I like the video you shared very much, it is very infectious.
Hi, Yi, thanks for your like. The groundswell is powerful and can be a very effective power to influence a brand's behavior. Every small things in our daily life may spark a hot discussion in the groundawell.
Delete*groundswell
Delete