Advertisement 1

'It is raw, it is surprising': How McDonald's gross McNugget video is becoming the new marketing standard

McDonald's Canada's video in which they take cameras behind the scenes to see how its famed Chicken McNuggets are made takes corporate transparency to a new level

Article content

A stark glimpse at how chicken parts, skin and seasonings ground in an industrial-sized steel blender into a pulpy, beige goop eventually become McNuggets has been dubbed marketing genius — but it certainly wasn’t pretty.

But McDonald’s Canada’s latest video in which they take cameras behind the scenes at a Cargill factory in London, Ont. to show how their supplier makes their famed, kid-friendly dish — tackling the rumours of added “pink slime” head on — appears to have been well received.

It’s the most recent installment of their “Our Food, Your Questions” campaign, in which the Canadian corporate arm of the giant multi-national fast-food chain answers consumer-submitted questions about their products.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

But this video, which aired during the SuperBowl and now has more than 2.2 million views on YouTube, takes this transparency approach to a new level. It showed the guts and gore many brands are reluctant to display, said Adrian Capobianco, managing director of digital for Canadian marketing agency Cundari.

“When they started the campaign, they were making a big bet. And it seems they’ve gone further, and doubled down, so to speak,” he said. “It is raw, it is kind of surprising. I think that’s what will help spread the word.”

For decades, the world of mass-produced food was mostly a mystery, kept out of the sight of the public who didn’t want, or need, to know. As the famous German quote goes: “Laws are like sausages — it is best not to see them being made.”

But with social media giving consumers the ability to interact directly with brands and demand more information, coupled with the public’s growing concern about their food’s origins in recent years, this has resulted in a move towards transparency, said Mr. Capobianco.

McDonald’s Canada launched the website “Our Food, Your Questions” campaign in June 2012, in response to this consumer appetite.

Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

“Transparency is now a currency, and that currency gains trust,” Mr. Capobianco said. “Consumers will find their own version of information, whether it’s right or wrong. And, it’s clear that McDonald’s felt that a lot of it was wrong, or outdated.”

Indeed, McDonald’s Canada says one of the “most pervasive myths” centred around their Chicken McNuggets.

Lingering questions about the ingredients of the deep-fried bite-sized treats stemmed from public furor over so-called “pink slime” — a filler made of finely-ground beef scraps separated from the fat and treated with ammonia hydroxide to kill any pathogens. British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was the most prominent food critic to lambast the use of the industrialized substance by restaurant chains and food producers, which resulted in many changing their ways. A photo of pink slime — which resembles a strawberry-sorbet ooze rather than ground meat — has long made the rounds on the Internet, and somewhere along the way became associated with McNuggets.

McDonald’s Canada’s latest video aimed to “combat the misinformation and tell the truth about this iconic product”, said Joel Yashinsky, chief marketing officer for McDonald’s Canada, in an emailed response to questions.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content
There’s no nice way to show how to make a chicken nugget that is shaped in a way that chickens aren’t

“Chicken McNuggets are made from chicken breast, seasoning, along with a natural proportion skin, used both for flavour and as a binder,” he said. “The narrative on our McNuggets was not a good one online and it led to conversations at home and in schools that we believed we needed to address. And that required the transparency.”

That also meant showing the inner workings of their supplier’s factory, for better or for worse. But marketing experts say, that gross element was key to the commercial’s success. It lends more credibility and authenticity to their message, and is far more effective than any white-washed, pristine response, said Scott Stratten, president of Un-Marketing agency.

“There’s no nice way to show how to make a chicken nugget that is shaped in a way that chickens aren’t… If you want something to go viral to compete with what’s being lied about, then you have to come up with something worth spreading,” he said.

Screen grab
Screen grab

Still, some consumer groups are unconvinced.

Darcy Higgins, the executive director of Food Forward, a Toronto-based non-profit that advocates for food justice, said while it is positive that McDonald’s is lifting the veil on how food is made, the latest video isn’t telling the whole story.

Advertisement 5
Story continues below
Article content

It addresses the pink slime issue, but when the video shows the formed nuggets — in the shapes of a boot, bow tie, bell and a ball — riding down the conveyor belt and coated in batter, the corporation does not say what that liquid coating contains, he said. This batter contains preservatives, including silicon-based products, he added.

“I don’t think they’re telling the whole story… it gives the perception that it’s a health product when it’s not,” Mr. Higgins said.

Paul Ferris, the North American campaign manager for SumOfUs, a consumer advocacy group and online petition site based in New York, agrees that the latest video glosses over some of the additives to McNuggets that “can hardly be called natural or healthy.”

“Most people realize that this is something produced by McDonald’s, which clearly has their profits at stake,” he said. “So most people are going to approach this commercial with a degree of skepticism.”

Screen grab
Screen grab

Full disclosure from food companies is an unrealistic standard not held in many other industries, be it cars, or insurance, said Ken Wong, marketing professor at Queen’s University. What’s more, some details aren’t shared for proprietary reasons, he said.

Advertisement 6
Story continues below
Article content

“If McDonald’s was trying to say they were a healthy food, then we should be all over them,” he said. “That’s not what they’re saying. They’re saying ‘Healthy, unhealthy, that’s up to you. Here is what we are.”

Still, Mr. Ferris said it’s encouraging that McDonald’s is taking steps towards disclosure, and believes that other brands will follow suit.

“There are more companies who are recognizing the increasing demand from consumers, who want more information about the conditions in which [a product] was produced,” he said.

It will be easier for other brands to open up after McDonald’s example, said Mr. Stratten.

“McDonald’s took all the risk to do it. And I’m sure it took a long time to convince people, and the powers that be, to let it out there,” he said. “It’s easier to copy and emulate than be a trailblazer… It does open the door for other brands.”

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

This Week in Flyers