It was during the summer of 2006 when I sat down with my first McRib. Over the next two weeks, I ate at McDonald’s seven times, downing eight rib-resembling sandwiches (I clearly wasn’t having the best day on one of those visits). Despite the obsession, the McRib hasn’t crossed my mind often in the four years that have passed. Until ten days ago as I was browsing my Twitter feed …
McDonald's confirms the McRib's triumphant return on its official Twitter account.
The McRib will be gracing menus in less than two weeks and fans have wasted no time leveraging digital media to celebrate its resurrection. There’s the handy McRib Locator to map sightings, @McRibWatch on Twitter for real-time updates while on the hunt, and more than 200 Facebook groups dedicated in some way to the elusive sandwich – all unofficial. All this for a sandwich available for a limited time “because people get tired of it,” according to the McDonald’s U.S. president.
Parables of cross-country travel and sandwich-smuggling have framed the sandwich as a cult product, appealing to a cadre of obsessive fans with most consumers left to smirk (or gag). However, in an era of heightened word of mouth and social media broadcast, a growing group of McRib fans is finding its voice. While McDonald’s’ most infamous sandwich has a history of online success spurred by farewell tours and a “Save the McRib” campaign, this is the first opportunity social media users nationwide have had to be vocal.
Aside from a tweet here and a Facebook post there, the buzz hasn’t been driven by McDonald’s – it originated from the cult. Is it possible then, after 30 years of cult success and purported esoteric status, this is the year the McRib emerges from the underground? I think so.
Why? Word of mouth qualities inherent in the product – driven by social media. Between the pickles, onions, and hoagie roll is a sandwich that has buzz (among other dubious ingredients) in its DNA. While some of its success has been accidental and some has been random, three fundamental qualities of the McRib that have helped McDonald’s spur genuine word of mouth in 2010 – and might help you generate buzz too.
The product's marketing intangibles make the McRib buzz-worthy.
1. The McRib is like no other. Clearly a fact that can’t be argued. Though, I don’t mean because the sandwich is a cultural oddity – the sandwich is remarkable in both composition and proposition. Even from a quality standpoint, the McRib is no lobster tail, but lobster tail is already lobster tail – what’s the point? In an online landscape, uniqueness can spark WOM, but it’s only the beginning.
2. The McRib doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s not a hamburger, it’s not for everyone, and, heck, some people don’t even think it’s pork. No matter, because McDonald’s embraces an inadvertently crowdsourced mythos of the sandwich that grows every time it returns to the menu. While many products aren’t received with such foolhardy affection, the key is authenticity and it is fundamental to the survival of any product or service online.
3. The McRib is no stranger. Not only has McDonald’s embraced the sandwich’s following, the company feeds its fans through interaction and responsiveness. While engagement is a no-brainer at this point, one-on-one interaction is still rare for organizations of any size. Obviously, social media channels allow for an opportunity to strengthen a bond and delight an acknowledged customer. Any organization on social media must engage - it’s not on a wish list, it’s on a must list.
Setting the landscape for buzz includes product or service uniqueness, authenticity, and responsiveness. While these aren’t the only qualities necessary for generating word of mouth, it’s essential they’re baked – or molded – into a product or service.
What other product attributes do you think are necessary? Do these principles apply to your organization? Answer those questions while I gas-up my car – a McRib was just reported in Falls Church, Virginia about 10 miles away.
Image credit: Electric Mayhem.
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