Be careful what you #
McDonalds has learnt a valuable lesson in the importance of how you phrase your hashtag. Vague tags, or those with an obvious double meaning, are akin to donning a set of antlers and strolling through the woods during hunting season. This particular incident was created by #McDstories. You can see some of the comments here, but let’s just say that if you simply ask for stories, usually the bad stories will be the most interesting, and the most shared. In a statement from McDonalds, their Social Media Director said “With all social media campaigns, we include contingency plans should the conversation not go as planned.” This is very true, however the greatest (and possibly the only) point of control you have is at the very start. So if you’re going to start the ball rolling, make sure you’re pointed it in the right direction.
