Quick Summary
- An awkward CEO taste test of a new product became a cultural moment.
- The internet did the promotion, with parodies and competitor spoofs expanding reach without incremental spend.
- McDonald’s leaned into the joke and extended the meme’s lifespan.
- Buzz translated into business, with early Big Arch sales reportedly outperforming internal expectations and the brand earning 5.8 billion impressions in a single day.
You’ve got to feel bad for modern corporate CEOs: not only do they have to manage enormous organizations, and beat Wall Street expectations, they also have to be great in social media.
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski learned that lesson the hard way.
Standing in front of a camera holding the new Big Arch burger, he offered a painfully scripted mini-speech about the “product,” then took a bite that social media later called the size of a comma.
Within hours, audiences began remixing and parodying the clip. McDonald’s chose to let the joke run its course rather than intervene. That decision helped transform an ordinary executive post into one of the most effective viral fast-food launches in recent memory.
One Awkward Bite. Five Billion Impressions.
A meme was born in real time.
The original Instagram video posted by Kempczinski contained the hallmarks of classic executive messaging: with careful phrasing and polite enthusiasm that was not the way people talk on the Internet.
He referred to the Big Arch as a “product” several times, chewed thoughtfully, and nodded for emphasis.
The internet quickly gripped the unintended humor and refused to let go.
Irish comedian Garron Noone stitched the clip on TikTok, exaggerating both the bite size and the deliberate tone.
@garron_music ♬ original sound – Garron Noone
The format caught on fast as people riffed on a familiar joke: corporate leaders trying a little too hard to seem relatable.
Then came the competitors. Within 48 hours of the Big Arch release, competitors joined the conversation.
In a new version of an old rivalry, Burger King couldn’t resist a new installment of the Burger Wars.
Wendy’s did them one better by adding fries and a Frostie.
Wendy’s followed up with an ad for a Chief Tasting Officer.
This flame war wasn’t limited to the classic rivals. KFC, Jack-in-the-Box and A&W had their own takes.
Fast food CEOs weren’t having all the fun. The meme quickly spread to CEOs of unrelated products, like Elmer’s Glue.
Did he or didn’t he?
Not surprisingly, the “campaign” was not without controversy. For a similar taste-testing video, this time for the Chicken Big Mac, a viewer posted a slow-mo sequence of what they allege is Kempczinski spitting the bite into his napkin.
Organic Reach at a Blockbuster Scale
There’s no such thing as bad publicity.
For CEOs who are willing to be ridiculed, here are the results: McDonald’s generated 47,900 mentions and 5.8 billion impressions in a single day.
What make the numbers even more striking is how little traditional launch machinery sat behind it. There was no cinematic hero film or heavyweight influencer push. Most of the visibility came from earned media, creator remixes, and brand-to-brand reactions.
The attention also showed up where it counts. Early Big Arch sales tracked ahead of expectations, suggesting the viral surge translated into store traffic.
Kempczinski’s personal visibility also rose alongside the brand’s. His Instagram following increased 30% during the campaign window, turning meme momentum into leadership reach.
From a marketing efficiency standpoint, the launch delivered blockbuster awareness with effectively zero incremental media spend.
Authentic Awkwardness Beats Polished Promotion
Highly produced launch content offers perfect lighting, polished lines, and messaging that clears every approval gate. Yet the more refined the execution becomes, the easier it is for audiences to sense the performance behind it.
The Big Arch moment suggests a different dynamic is taking hold. When brands reveal small human imperfections, it can work better. Authentic awkwardness can feel more culturally fluent than polished promotion, especially on platforms built for participation.
“When a brand taps into a meme authentically . . . it becomes part of the conversation instead of just observing it.” – Rachael Goulet, Director, Social Media at Sprout Social
Marketers have spent years trying to manufacture authenticity. They choose elaborate content formats that showcase behind-the-scenes moments or lightly scripted spontaneity.
The Big Arch moment illustrates authenticity at face value.
Kempczinski’s delivery resonated because audiences recognized the tension between formal corporate messaging and natural human behavior. Humor became a response to that gap.
McDonald’s response sustained the momentum. A follow-up post reused the same deadpan phrasing about “taking a bite of our new product,” turning self-awareness into a creative asset.
Viral cycles now unfold according to platform velocity. TikTok humor often peaks first, followed by Instagram reinterpretations and commentary on X. Traditional media coverage arrives later with retrospective analysis.
McDonald’s maintained visibility by participating while parody videos were still gaining traction. Timely responses ensured that brand-owned content appeared alongside trending user-generated posts.
Competitors joined in, which strengthened McDonald’s share of voice. Each spoof reinforced the original reference point.
Newsjacking, or trendjacking, works when brands sound like they belong in the moment. The winning responses use the humor, pacing, and storytelling style of each platform instead of falling back on safe, one-size-fits-all messaging.
Platform Context Matters More Than Message Control
If the Big Arch video had lived solely on Instagram, engagement likely would have followed standard executive content patterns: moderate interaction with limited reach.
TikTok’s stitch feature turned one awkward video into shared creative fuel. Every parody entertained audiences while expanding the campaign’s reach.
The humor felt participatory rather than hostile, encouraging audiences to co-create meaning around the product launch.
This dynamic reflects a broader shift in marketing influence. Platforms that reward remixable content expand campaign reach, while tightly controlled messaging can limit visibility.
Self-Deprecation as Strategy
Corporate reputation playbooks have long focused on minimizing risk. When brands became the punchline, the instinct was to correct the record or tighten the message.
Today, audiences read self-aware humor as a sign of confidence. By leaning into the joke, McDonald’s shifted the story toward brand personality and leadership relatability. The move kept the conversation alive because people recognized the response as genuinely human.
Active participation also gave the meme fresh energy, deepening the emotional connection with the brand as the moment continued to spread.
@hdbdbdj625 McDonald’s CEO Suspended for Refusing to Eat McDonald’s Burgers! #McDonalds #FastFood #JunkFood #CEO #ChrisKempczinski ♬ original sound – hdbdbdj
Real or parody? Was CEO Chris Kempczinski really suspended?
Marketer Takeaways
- Mine the moments where polish slips. Viral energy lives in the small cracks where real human behavior shows through.
- Laugh with the audience, not at yourself. Smart self-deprecation can deepen trust and keep a campaign in motion longer.
- Move at the speed of culture. Early, on-tone participation helps brands shape the story instead of chasing it.
- Build content people can play with. Remixable formats travel further on platforms designed for participation.
- Understand the value of earned reach. At scale, organic visibility can deliver awareness impact that rivals paid media.
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