Plus: Sam Altman tries to explain OpenAI, Pentagon deal; podcasts are about community.
Chris Kempczinski, the CEO and president of McDonald’s, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.
The food chain’s leader posted a short promotional video on his Instagram in late February tasting the company’s new Big Arch burger ahead of its U.S. launch.
This past weekend, the clip spread across Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and X with millions of views, generating a broad mix of mockery and memes.
In the clip, Kempczinski took a tiny bite, his delivery seemed stiff and corporate, and he repeatedly referred to the sandwich as a “product,” a word many viewers found awkward for describing a burger.
“I’m going to do a tasting right now, but I’m going to eat this for my lunch, just so you know,” Kempczinski says in the video.
PeakMetrics tracked sentiment around the clip and found that 35.3% of mentions, a majority, were “humorous or mocking.”
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Some commenters joked that he looked uncomfortable eating his own company’s food, that he didn’t seem to enjoy it or that his demeanor felt out of place in what was meant to be a relatable, social media-friendly moment.
“What a delicious product, my fellow humans!” one commenter said under the video.
Journalist and creator Dave Jorgenson wrote: “What a great ad for Burger King.”
Indeed. Burger King’s president posted a cheeky video taking a hearty bite of a Whopper, saying, “Only one thing missing: a napkin,” which was widely interpreted as a playful jab at Kempczinski.
Why it matters: Kempczinski may be a great leader with all the business acumen in the world. But not every leader needs to step in front of a camera.
Audiences today are hyper-sensitive to insincerity. The public expects leaders to feel natural and genuine, whether that’s delivering bad news or eating a sandwich.
Calling a burger a “product” shows a disconnect between internal corporate speak and how people actually talk. Again, it doesn’t feel authentic and harms trust.
This also shows the importance of media training, which should not only be reserved for press conferences or announcement videos, but social moments as well. Kempczinski may just be a bit awkward, which is fine, but his team should have suggested another way to promote the burger or tried a different approach. Someone needed to be confident enough to say, “we shouldn’t post this.”
Editor’s Top Reads:
- The same day Anthropic defended its stance and responded to being deemed a “supply chain risk” by the Trump administration, OpenAI quietly announced a deal with the Pentagon. OpenAI leader Sam Altman is now addressing this publicly after a 295% spike in people deleting ChatGPT, TechCrunch reports. In a post on X, Altman shared an apology, also shared internally, offering points of clarification. He first announced amendments to the deal, including that its tech would not be used for “domestic surveillance.” He said that that OpenAI’s technology will have “technical safeguards” in place to protect civil liberties. Altman then acknowledged perception:” One thing I think I did wrong: we shouldn’t have rushed to get this out on Friday. The issues are super complex, and demand clear communication. We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy.” He announced a town hall for further questions in the coming days. Under the circumstances, Altman did what he could to clarify, which is important to maintain trust and credibility. He took accountability for how the move looked, without deflecting or being defensive. But will people buy it? Will they trust his assurances or assume he’s just deflecting in the face of backlash? As Discord recently found, getting the announcement right the first time matters. The best apology in the world won’t make up for a sloppy initial rollout.
- During the latest On Air Fest in Brooklyn, podcasters, journalists and creators took time to discuss the direction podcasts are heading. Many debated formats and argued that podcasts are becoming more like TV. Others said their audiences still valued audio-first formats. What they all seemed to agree on, however, is that there’s no longer a traditional definition of a podcast. Rather, there’s more emphasis on the broader landscape of storytelling, content creation, audience engagement and community. Nieman Lab reports that Gillian Pensavalle, one host of the True Crime Obsessed podcast, said that if a podcast can bring people together through “Discord servers, forums, in-person events — those people often end up finding friends ‘in a safe space where nobody [is] going to make fun of them. That sense of community makes audiences loyal.’” Audiences crave community no matter what that format looks like. When PR pros can provide experiences, events or discussions, people connect more deeply to the message and become more loyal participants because they feel a part of something. A focus on two-way engagement and relationships can help build a stronger following and amplify stories.
- After people joked about it on Reddit, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled a lighthearted slogan, “Ride the D,” along with shirts tied to the upcoming opening of its D Line subway extension. Mashable reports the shirts are being sold through the Metro’s shop and were promoted on social media. The use of the phrase sparked a wave of reactions online “LA Metro is so unserious LMFAOOOO” one X user wrote. Metro began bantering with fans directly from their brand account. “You mean the purple line?” one user asked, to which Metro responded, “Nope, the D.” The shirts have already sold out once. When brands lean into internet culture and social listening, audiences feel heard and included. This boosts engagement and drives a greater conversation, which can help a brand become more visible.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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