Tag: hashtag

The Power Of A Name:

A Lesson from McDonald’s #McDStories Debacle

Brent Pollard

McDonald’s ill-conceived #McDStories campaign has emerged as a classic example of a well-intended marketing strategy gone wrong in a world where hashtags have become increasingly important. In January 2012, McDonald’s launched this hashtag to highlight their food suppliers, which McDonald’s hoped would reassure customers after the damaging Sparboe Farms scandal. Unfortunately, the campaign backfired spectacularly, as Twitter users took advantage of the opportunity to share “McHorror Stories.”

This blunder highlighted the vital lesson that a corporation or individual cannot control or reserve hashtags since they are in the public domain. Due to McDonald’s public relations team’s apparent lack of awareness of this fact, current and former employees, angry clients, and pranksters hijacked the #McDStories hashtag. 

History has documented a religious occurrence that bears a resemblance to this event. The followers of Jesus Christ in Antioch, Syria, were dubbed “Christians” (Acts 11.26). Although the term may have originated as a derisive moniker, early disciples eagerly accepted it, even in mortal danger.

On the other hand, people who use the term “Christian” to describe themselves without truly adhering to its biblical meaning have usurped and degraded it over time. Despite their name, their actions and words frequently contradict New Testament teachings. This appropriation has allowed critics to mock and malign the faith, highlighting the wrongdoing committed in the name of Christianity.

Despite these challenges, the intrinsic value of “McDonald’s” and “Christianity” remains unaffected. As of this writing, a single McDonald’s share is worth a healthy $295.22, indicating the brand’s tenacity. Genuine bearers of the name “Christian,” derived from the only name offering salvation (Acts 4.12), hold immeasurable value. 

Therefore, while McDonald’s and the Christian community have seen their names hijacked and misused, the essence of these entities’ worth remains intact. An unjust focus on a few’s negative stories and actions cannot diminish the good done by many. The ultimate value of a name lies with the one who holds it, and it is vital to call out critics who misrepresent these identities.

Countless others uphold and honor a name for every person who misuses it. McDonald’s and Christianity are global organizations serving millions of people, the vast majority happy and fulfilled. However, as the uproar over #McDStories demonstrated, the loudest voices aren’t always the most representative.

In conclusion, the bearer and most people using a name determine its value. One should balance the focus on negative outliers with the positive stories that go untold. Names evoke a rich tapestry of emotions that are impossible to condense into a hashtag or be appropriated by a minority, from McDonald’s to Christianity. 

References:

  • McDonald’s #McDStories Twitter campaign backfires. Telegraph Media Group Limited 2012. Web. 13 February 2012.
  • Matz, Karin. McDonald’s dumps egg supplier after safety, cruelty concerns. 2011. Web. 13 February 2012.
  • McDonald’s Corporation MCD. Morningstar, Inc. 2023. Web. 13 July 2023.

The Art Of Conversation

Neal Pollard

With conversation, when both are active listeners, you are exchanging ideas. Along with this, there’s body language and tone of voice which give clues to what the words mean to the speaker. You negotiate, reason, affirm or deny, and continue through these patterns while discussing any number of subjects. This process is invaluable to building relationships, working together, and even evangelism. For all its advantages, social media lacks almost all of those dimensions.

MIT professor and psychologist Sherry Turkle, in the book Reclaiming Conversation (New York: Penguin, 2015), makes the case that we are talking more than ever but we’ve lost the art of conversation.  Turkle observes, “From the early days, I saw that computers offer the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship and then, as the programs got really good, the illusion of friendship without the demands of intimacy” (7).  What demands? Paying attention, building trust, having empathy, and giving thoughtful responses (as opposed to rude, reckless ones). 

I’m not trying to militate against the use of social media platforms, texting, or emailing. But the more we gravitate toward those to do our “communicating,” the less we successfully navigate the more difficult, yet more rewarding, art of conversation.

When we read the Bible, we are struck–from beginning to end–with the pervasive importance of dialogue and conversation. From Genesis one, where we read the Godhead’s conversation, “Let us make man…,” to Jesus’ conversation with John in Revelation 22, conversation is indispensable. Not only did God create interpersonal relationships and the vehicle of conversation to build them, but He models it throughout the pages of Scripture.

This article seeks to inform, teach, and even persuade, but it is only one dimension of communication. One might argue that other forms of communication are not only necessary, but in many cases will be more effective. The snippets and soundbites of social media postings, much more condensed and lacking context, while being pithy and thought-provoking, are no substitute for what happens face to face in the tension, hard work, and unpredictable dynamic of conversation. Conversation necessitates practice, attention, and mental engagement. 

From the dawn of time, God observed that it’s not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). As suggested by the title of another book by Turkle, Alone Together, we find ourselves increasingly isolated from others and more ill-equipped for building real life relationships. The antidote to that is simple and so attainable.

Let’s engage people more. Let’s resort more to making real life connections and less to hiding behind screens. Let’s look for opportunities to do this with friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Let’s connect more in real life. As with anything, the more we practice the better we’ll get at it. 

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Photo credit: Michael Hite