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  #1   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 00:58
Demi's Avatar
Demi Demi is offline
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Default McDonald’s recruits bloggers to super-size its allure

Not low carb, but very interesting to read in the context of this forum:

Quote:
The Sunday Times
London, UK
6 May, 2012

McDonald’s recruits bloggers to super-size its allure

McDONALD’S, the fast food chain, is quietly recruiting a private army of friendly bloggers to challenge critics such as Jamie Oliver.

The 400 bloggers, known as the McDonald’s Family Arches Community, receive benefits such as all-expenses-paid trips to parties in return for spreading positive stories about the company. McDonald’s hopes to roll out Family Arches in Britain within a year.

Starbucks and Disney recruit fans on open networks such as Facebook and Twitter. But McDonald’s feared that this would open the company to attack from animal-rights activists and wanted its own private network over which it could exert more control.

Josh Anisfeld, a McDonald’s PR consultant, told a San Francisco marketing conference last week that it was looking for ordinary people it could “teach” to become advocates for the corporation.

Anisfeld told the conference the company had been seeking ways of responding to a wave of aggressive Facebook posts accusing it of serving “pink slime”, a colloquial name for a highly processed food additive.

Oliver popularised the phrase last year on his American television series Food Revolution, describing the “ammonia-soaked centrifuge-separated byproduct paste” as disgusting. McDonald’s says it has now decided not to use the additive.

Its previous social media promotions have backfired. In January, a Twitter campaign called McDStories, which was meant to celebrate McDonald’s farmers, was overrun by thousands of users tweeting disparaging remarks about the chain’s food, staff and cleanliness.

Anisfeld, who works for marketing consultant GolinHarris, said the company was fed up with derogatory internet chatter and other claims, such as that working at McDonald’s was a dead-end job. So eight months ago it quietly started the Family Arches private network.

It trawled the web vetting influential bloggers who also liked McDonald’s. “We looked at their social profiles and found out who they were. Now we’re giving them information so that they can advocate for us. And if they start doing stuff we don’t want, we are going to take action,” said Anisfeld.

The more positive blog items members post and the more recruits they bring to the community, the more perks they receive.

These range from free food coupons and gift cards to, last week, an all-expenses trip to New York for 10 “super-users” to sample new breakfast items that one blogger described as “incredible”.

Other influential bloggers were recently invited to a party in Los Angeles where they met the female rap group Salt-n-Pepa.

Anisfeld boasted that the approach had been successful before. After being briefed by McDonald’s executives, many bloggers had posted comments reflecting the company’s line on topics such as “pink slime”. “It was almost verbatim what they were told to say. They went out and said it,” he said, adding that the corporation wanted to recruit 1m bloggers.

Ira Kalb, assistant professor of clinical marketing at the University of Southern California, said the problem was not lazy blogging but transparency.

“You know Kim Kardashian gets paid $10,000 a tweet to promote fashions but people will believe an ordinary mom is speaking her own mind. So it has to be clear on the blog she is benefiting from McDonald’s,” he said.

McDonald’s said there were no “hardcore” rules obliging members to disclose freebies, although the bloggers should say they had learnt any information from Family Arches.

Hanson Hosein, director of the digital media programme at the University of Washington, said McDonald’s was taking a risk creating its own private army of influential bloggers while turning away independent voices.

“The rest of us can’t see what conversations are taking place between the company and the bloggers, or what incentives are being given out.

“It’s dangerous for a company like McDonald’s to run this exclusive network that only some will be allowed into — it does not fit well into its inclusive welcoming brand."

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto...icle1032326.ece
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 02:57
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
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Plan: P:E/DDF
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A related feature article in the New York Times magazine, How McDonald's Came Back Bigger than Ever describes various strategies to gain market share, including the bloggers. It has garnered quite a few reader comments already.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/m...-than-ever.html
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 12:16
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KarenJ KarenJ is offline
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I really don't like how so many people vilify McDonalds. Everyone and anyone has a CHOICE about what to eat there. Anyone can get a salad with grilled chicken or a hamburger- with or without the bun. Anyone can choose water over a sugary soft drink. And is it so hard to decline an apple pie thing or ice cream? For Pete's sake- it's fast food! If you want real food then go to the grocery or a restaurant. Furthermore, what are you getting at a restaurant anyway? Same thing.

I'd rather have a double cheeseburger (and toss half the bun) than some stupid vegetarian quinoa tofu fake salad... less carbs!
They should hire ME!
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 12:41
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Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
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I'm with you, Karen. As near as I can tell McDonalds has more on their menu I can eat than Starbucks does, and no one ever decries how unhealthy Starbucks is with all those pastries and sugary syrups.

It's a class-ism thing. Starbucks has an upperclass sort of image, McDonalds is lower class. Tom McNaughton did a good job of exposing that in Fat Head.

If McDonalds catered to the BMW set I doubt they'd have the image problems they currently have.
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 13:21
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JEY100 JEY100 is online now
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Plan: P:E/DDF
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According to the NYT article, McDonald's wants to the address the "consumer perception of food quality", nothing about the quality itself. My last visit I had the healthy looking Angus Deluxe and tossed half the bun. This is what I ate:

Beef Patty Angus (Beef, Grill Seasoning [Salt, Pepper(s) Black], Seasoning [Salt, Sugar, Dextrose, Onion(s) Powder, Maltodextrin, Flavor(s) Natural Butter, Yeast Extract Autolyzed, Spice(s), Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Gum Arabic, Palm Oil, Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Sunflower Oil, Worcestershire Sauce Powder {Vinegar Distilled, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Salt, Caramel Color, Garlic Powder, Spice(s), Sugar, Tamarind, Flavor(s) Natural}, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Beef Broth Dried, Soy Sauce Solids, Vegetable(s) Protein {Corn Protein Hydrolyzed, Soy Protein Hydrolyzed, Wheat Protein Hydrolyzed}], Beef Fat, Annatto and Turmeric color(s), Calcium Silicate, Soybean(s) Oil Added To Prevent Caking), Bun (Flour Enriched [Wheat Flour, Barley Malted Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)], Water, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Yeast, Barley Malt Flour, Soybean(s) Oil, Salt Contains 2% or less of the Following: ( Wheat Gluten, Calcium Sulphate (Sulfate), Calcium Propionate Preservative, Caramel Color, Dough Conditioner(s) [Datem, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Monoglyceres Distilled, Enzyme(s), Guar Gum, Soy Flour], Paprika color(s), Sesame Seed(s), Turmeric and Corn Flour Yellow, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial), Cheese American Pasteurized Process (Milk, Water, Milk Fat, Cheese Culture, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Phosphate Preservative, Acetic Acid, Color(s) Artificial, Enzyme(s), Lactic Acid, Soy Lecithin), Mayonnaise (Water, Soybean(s) Oil, Maltodextrin, Vinegar Distilled, Egg(s) Yolks, Tapioca Starch Modified, Egg(s) Yolks Modified, Sugar, Food Starch Modified, Beta Carotene color(s), Calcium Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Spice(s), Xanthan Gum, Lemon(s) Juice Concentrate, Flavor(s) Natural), Onion(s) Red, Pickle(s) (Cucumber(s), Water, Vinegar Distilled, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Flavor(s) Natural, Polysorbate 80, Turmeric Extractives color(s)), Mustard (Vinegar Distilled, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice(s) Extractive), Tomato(es), Lettuce Leaf

Source: http://www.foodfacts.com/nutritiona...d-Eating-Out/29
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 15:09
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ncrn122 ncrn122 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JEY100
According to the NYT article, McDonald's wants to the address the "consumer perception of food quality", nothing about the quality itself. My last visit I had the healthy looking Angus Deluxe and tossed half the bun. This is what I ate:

Beef Patty Angus (Beef, Grill Seasoning [Salt, Pepper(s) Black], Seasoning [Salt, Sugar, Dextrose, Onion(s) Powder, Maltodextrin, Flavor(s) Natural Butter, Yeast Extract Autolyzed, Spice(s), Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Gum Arabic, Palm Oil, Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Sunflower Oil, Worcestershire Sauce Powder {Vinegar Distilled, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Salt, Caramel Color, Garlic Powder, Spice(s), Sugar, Tamarind, Flavor(s) Natural}, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Beef Broth Dried, Soy Sauce Solids, Vegetable(s) Protein {Corn Protein Hydrolyzed, Soy Protein Hydrolyzed, Wheat Protein Hydrolyzed}], Beef Fat, Annatto and Turmeric color(s), Calcium Silicate, Soybean(s) Oil Added To Prevent Caking), Bun (Flour Enriched [Wheat Flour, Barley Malted Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)], Water, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Yeast, Barley Malt Flour, Soybean(s) Oil, Salt Contains 2% or less of the Following: ( Wheat Gluten, Calcium Sulphate (Sulfate), Calcium Propionate Preservative, Caramel Color, Dough Conditioner(s) [Datem, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Monoglyceres Distilled, Enzyme(s), Guar Gum, Soy Flour], Paprika color(s), Sesame Seed(s), Turmeric and Corn Flour Yellow, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial), Cheese American Pasteurized Process (Milk, Water, Milk Fat, Cheese Culture, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Phosphate Preservative, Acetic Acid, Color(s) Artificial, Enzyme(s), Lactic Acid, Soy Lecithin), Mayonnaise (Water, Soybean(s) Oil, Maltodextrin, Vinegar Distilled, Egg(s) Yolks, Tapioca Starch Modified, Egg(s) Yolks Modified, Sugar, Food Starch Modified, Beta Carotene color(s), Calcium Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Spice(s), Xanthan Gum, Lemon(s) Juice Concentrate, Flavor(s) Natural), Onion(s) Red, Pickle(s) (Cucumber(s), Water, Vinegar Distilled, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Flavor(s) Natural, Polysorbate 80, Turmeric Extractives color(s)), Mustard (Vinegar Distilled, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice(s) Extractive), Tomato(es), Lettuce Leaf

Source: http://www.foodfacts.com/nutritiona...d-Eating-Out/29


Dang!!! I can't even pronounce most of these!
Just shows how hard it is to eat LC...and doubly so if you are gluten free! Even in the Beef!!!
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 17:00
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freckles freckles is offline
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I've heard that the angus burgers have way more fillers and garbage in them than McD's regular burgers. They also don't taste as good. That said, I haven't been there in a very long time. In a pinch I'd just get their chicken caesar salad....but now I'm wondering what the ingredients in the chicken is. At least it has no carbs, unlike Whataburger's chicken - SEVEN per breast!!!!

As far as the under-handed "advertising" scheme....well, I don't like it, but then I've never been one to like or listen to any advertising.
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, May-06-12, 17:13
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pinkclouds pinkclouds is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC

It's a class-ism thing. Starbucks has an upperclass sort of image, McDonalds is lower class. Tom McNaughton did a good job of exposing that in Fat Head.


I go to both on occasion. Guess that puts me in the "middle" class.
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  #9   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 03:30
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
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Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
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Freckles, you can look up the ingredients for all food and drink from 46 fast food chains from this page: http://www.foodfacts.com/nutritiona...d-Eating-Out/29

The same website has store products, restaurants, etc. You may be quite surprised by what was in that "chicken".
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  #10   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 07:02
raven132 raven132 is offline
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Thanks for that link, I'd been trying to figure out the least of the fast food evils for when I'm out with the kids and want to treat them.
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 08:03
DAGrant DAGrant is offline
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What I don't like about McDonalds is spelled out in the documentary Food INC which is on Netflix streaming. Plus.. someone there made a decision to use that disgusting pink slime for purely profit based reasons in the first place.
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 09:44
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freckles freckles is offline
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Plan: Atkins Maintenance
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JEY100
Freckles, you can look up the ingredients for all food and drink from 46 fast food chains from this page: http://www.foodfacts.com/nutritiona...d-Eating-Out/29

The same website has store products, restaurants, etc. You may be quite surprised by what was in that "chicken".


Thanks! I don't see a "restaurant" category and two of my fave places to grab a quick meal aren't listed under fast food - Chipotle and FreeBirds. Was nice to see that my burger patty at Carl's is not tainted. Too bad about their fries, though.
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  #13   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 09:56
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Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
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The Angus "beef" is definitely not just beef, but their regular burger is:
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getn...edientslist.pdf
100% Beef Patty:
100% pure USDA inspected beef; no fillers, no extenders. Prepared with grill seasoning (salt, black pepper).
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  #14   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 14:10
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KarenJ KarenJ is offline
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Plan: tasty animals with butter
Stats: 170/115/110 Female 60"
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I understand the whole corporate need for profit- it's what puts bread on their tables after all (like all of us have to do), so to speak. But they are indeed catering to people who have zero time to cook, and that's their schtick. My point was that they're not forcing anyone to buy a hamburger, fillers or not.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
McDonalds is lower class. Tom McNaughton did a good job of exposing that in Fat Head.


HaHa! Was that a Freudian slip?
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  #15   ^
Old Mon, May-07-12, 19:01
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aj_cohn aj_cohn is offline
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I just looked up my wife's favorite haunt. Wisely, they don't make their foods' ingredient lists public.
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