In early 2012, McDonald’s launched a social media campaign to try and inspire customers to tell heart-warming stories about happy meals under the “golden arches” using the hashtag, #McDStories. But the community responded in a less appetising way than McDonald’s had anticipated, with stomach turning horror stories about bad experiences with the food and the brand in general. The brand had tried to engage with its community by giving it a blank cheque that was quickly filled in by anyone with an axe to grind. Without a solid objective in mind, the brand position was damaged.
The winning formula
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