McDonald - The Arthur Page Society

esponsible for their weight problems. But perhaps the most publicized and widely
distributed charge of all came in 2004 when Morgan Spurlock released a motion picture
directly aimed at McDonald’s, Super Size Me, a documentary presenting “one man’s
journey into the world of weight gain, health problems, and fast food.” 8 Spurlock more
recently released a modified version of the film geared specifically to children.
In 2002, McDonald’s posted the first quarter loss ever in the company’s history. 9
Although the fast food giant has since managed to recoup system-wide revenue gains and
incremental increases in per share stock prices from 2003 to 2005, these gains were
modest. In 2005, while McDonald’s Corporation remained number one in the fast food
market, it dropped to number 29 in growth. 10 PR Week reported that “the explosive
growth of the golden arches was checked in this decade as fast food chains became
identified as prime culprits in fuelling the obesity epidemic among children. Books such
as Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and films such as Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size
Me have served to popularise [sic] McDonald’s bashing.” 11 Public charges of knowingly
providing fare that is potentially dangerous to the health and well-being of consumers has
had a detrimental effect on McDonald’s corporate reputation and image as well as
stunting its growth.
This case study provides the opportunity to assess the critical corporate
communications function of issue management for McDonald’s. More specifically, the
case explores the company’s strategic communication responses to more than 15 years of
criticism from mainstream and marginal advocacy and activist groups for promoting
obesity and health problems among the populace at large.
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