Nonverbal communication - What story does it tell?
- Brick and Bridge
- Mar 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 10
From marketing burgers to media relations, whether it’s intended or not, nonverbal communication is integral to the message
McDonald’s has become the latest victim in the marketing-ideas-gone-bad realm.
CEO Christopher Kempczinski’s attempt to appear approachable and “of the people” was highlighted during a recent marketing video for McDonald’s Big Arch burger. If you haven’t seen the now viral video, watch it below before we move on.
The response has been pretty intense, ranging from irritated and angry, to comical and even confused. A Google search for ‘McDonald’s CEO’ shows a spectacular range of people’s reactions to it.
There is so much happening as a result of that video: burger companies are offering their own versions of the scenario, advocates are pointing out how the disparities of rich versus poor are amplified, news agencies are capitalizing on the viral response and putting their own spin, and many folks are having fun with the whole experience - including us!
From a communications perspective, you can’t help but take notice of the spectacle and want to explore the nuances that shape how we connect (or don’t!) with one another.
Kempczinski’s behaviour should be a reminder to us all that nonverbal communication can be louder than a person’s voice. Academics, Judee K Burgoon, Laura K. Guerrero and Valerie Manusov’s 2021 book, Nonverbal Communication, reminds us that things we express without speaking, are “omnipresent”.
“...the power of nonverbal messages is indisputable.”
It’s in our eyes, how we sit, how we hold things, how we look at the camera when on TV, how we turn our body. Nonverbal communication sets the tone for your engagement with a person and it can be used to de-escalate conflict, or raise the stakes.
One of the reasons people have become hyperaware of this McDonald’s executive’s faux pas, is because of the disingenuous nature of Kempczinski’s words compared to his actions. He says he loves the burger, but his body language betrays the deceit. Kempczinski’s message seems very clear: he wants nothing to do with the “product” that’s about to grace his lips.
His actions exemplify the social media trend of “Tell me you’ve got the ick without telling me you’ve got the ick.” His behaviour is giving, “You almost couldn’t pay me enough to eat this.”
We have to remember that we communicate in more ways than words. If you’re surprised by a person’s behaviour, there’s a good chance you’re going to react in a way that they recognize. It’s one of the reasons why politicians spend so much time analyzing their speech patterns and mannerisms.
Burgoon and her team of writers point out that when you react in surprise, the person who surprised you notices and they too can take meaning from your nonverbal communication.
In the McDonald’s video, we extrapolate that Kempczinski would prefer to not eat the burger, regardless of the script.
McDonald’s won the marketing game
All of these issues aside, let’s look at the purpose behind the video: to sell a new burger.
If we take out the nonverbal communication aspect, notably Kempczinski’s inability to connect with people in a relatable way, the video is a win.
Google’s trends show that the worldwide search entry “Big Arch”, skyrocketed in the last month. Unwittingly, Kempczinski became the poster child for his company’s now infamously and unappetizingly termed “products”. Their marketing funnel results must look amazing.
But hey, as they say - any press is good press. We may not entirely agree with that ideology, but that’s another blog for another day!
He’s the new Ocean Spray guy:
He’s the new “Dr. Pepper Babayy” ad song pitch lady:
Accidentally, Kempczinski’s inability to connect meaningfully with people because of his flat, awkward, non-verbal communication is still a win from a marketing standpoint. Well done, Kempczinski, well done.
To the marketing team, maybe Kempczinski is not the right spokesperson for you, surely someone in HR, finance or literally any department in the entire organization, actually loves the food and would genuinely eat it for lunch or any given day?
Or maybe you should just lean into his bland distaste for the “product” to sell more burgers.
Either way, it’s been fun and interesting to delve into and we look forward to the next comedic iterations that are sure to come!
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