Self-aware McDonald’s brands criticisms on burger buns

McDonald’s India has found an unusual use for customer complaints: branding them on burger buns. Comments such as “McDonald’s is not filling!”, “McDonald’s burgers are so dry!”, and “Still hungry after a McD burger.” appear toasted on top of the buns in a new commercial promoting two recently introduced burgers.

Rather than responding defensively to the criticism, the QSR presents the exercise as proof of close listening. The remarks became the basis for the Big Yummy Cheese Burger and the Big Yummy Chicken Burger. Although the products were announced in October, the new advertisement is the first to show the products in restaurants, rather than as isolated product announcements. 

“You said it; we made this,” says Swarup Solgaonkar, general manager of menu and product development at McDonald’s India, in the spot. The burgers are available only in its west and south markets.

The campaign caps a particularly active year for McDonald’s in these regions. In July, it targeted India’s growing appetite for protein by adding a five-gram vegetarian protein slice for Rs 25, a nod to the nutrition gap in many vegetarian diets.

A meat-based slice might have raised questions about overlap and would have appealed to only a small segment of Indian diners. Also, cold cuts remain a niche choice in the country.

Also Read: Is McDonald’s becoming a hangout spot once again?

Around the same time, the chain attempted to reassert itself as a social destination. Come for food, Stay for the mood showed McDonald’s rescuing an evening for concertgoers after a last-minute cancellation, positioning the restaurant as a place where an ordinary meal can restore the spirit.

Whether a McAloo Tikki with a Coke or a McChicken with a Fanta Float will return McDonald’s to “it” status is unclear. What is clear is that McDonald’s is intent on signalling responsiveness and relevance.