La capsula Informativa: What the McDonald’s CEO Video Reminds Us About Social Media Marketing

There are two things the Internet will analyze with incredible intensity: a celebrity breakup and how someone eats a burger. Recently, the latter turned into an unexpected communications case study. 

Authenticity travels fast online, and people are even faster at spotting when something feels off. 

That reality played out when Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, shared a video on social media trying the brand’s new Big Arch burger. What was intended to be a straightforward promotional moment quickly evolved into a viral conversation about authenticity, transparency and how brands show up online. 

Within hours, viewers analyzed everything from the presentation of the burger to Kempczinski’s noticeably small bite.  For communicators, the moment quickly became something else entirely: a reminder of how quickly social media can reshape a narrative. 

At first glance, having a CEO promote a new product isn’t unusual. Executives often appear in brand content to humanize leadership and demonstrate confidence in what the company is selling. But social media audiences expect those moments to feel natural. 

In this case, many viewers felt the video appeared overly staged. The CEO’s hesitant bite quickly became the focal point of the conversation, with users questioning whether the moment reflected genuine enthusiasm for the product. 

On social platforms where audiences are accustomed to creator-driven, unscripted content, highly polished marketing moments can land differently than intended. And once social media users begin dissecting a clip frame by frame, the narrative often shifts from promotion to critique. 

According to Axios, the video gained traction after creators on X and TikTok began mocking Kempczinski’s overly corporate delivery and stiffness on camera. Several creators leaned into the moment. One of the most notable responses came from Garron Noone, an Irish musician and comedian whose TikTok parody on Feb. 25 helped amplify the conversation. From there, the comedic floodgates opened as audiences replayed the video while pointing out the now-infamous bite. 

The conversation didn’t stay limited to consumers. Competitors quickly joined in. 

Burger King responded with its own video featuring U.S. president Tom Curtis taking an exaggerated bite of the chain’s signature Whopper. The contrast with the earlier video was obvious without ever directly referencing it. Curtis also leaned into audience engagement by sharing his phone number and inviting customers to provide feedback about Burger King products – an approach designed to reinforce openness and direct connection with consumers. 

Soon after, Wendy’s entered the conversation, as well. President Pete Suerken posted a video preparing and eating the chain’s Baconator while walking viewers through the ingredients. At one point, Suerken joked that the Frosty machine was working – a line many viewers interpreted as a playful nod to long-running jokes about McDonald’s ice cream machines never working. 

Together, the responses extended the moment beyond a single post. What began as one brand’s promotion quickly evolved into a broader fast food social media rivalry.

The reaction didn’t stop there. Media outlets, podcasts and commentators began dissecting the video and the response surrounding it. For many viewers, the moment reinforced a broader expectation: Brands should be transparent and genuine in how they communicate online. 

Executives speaking publicly have learned this lesson before. Even offhand remarks can take on a second life once they circulate on social media. 

In a 2024 interview with Fortune, then-Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol denied that the chain’s portions were shrinking and suggested customers could give workers a “look” if they wanted larger scoops. The comment quickly spread online, sparking debate among consumers. 

Moments like these highlight a growing reality: Once a message reaches consumers, particularly consumers on social media, brands no longer control how it’s interpreted.

This is one reason many brands increasingly lean on user-generated content rather than executive-driven promotions. 

Content created by customers, or creators who genuinely enjoy a product, often resonates more strongly with audiences. It feels less scripted and more reflective of how people actually experience a brand. 

User-generated content offers several advantages:

• Authenticity builds trust. Real customers sharing real experiences often carry more credibility than a polished advertisement. 
• Relatability drives engagement. Audiences connect more easily with people who feel like peers rather than corporate spokespeople.
• Platforms reward organic content. TikTok and similar platforms prioritize content that feels native to the feed rather than overtly promotional.  

This doesn’t mean executives should disappear from social media entirely. Leadership can still play a valuable role when their presence feels natural, conversational and aligned with the platform’s culture. 

The key is knowing when that approach makes sense and when audiences would rather hear from the community itself. 

Because with social media, a brand can spend months planning a campaign…and the Internet can rewrite the entire narrative in about the time it takes to take one very small bite of a burger.