This event took place on April 22, 2021.
Read about it on Linkedin here. Watch it on Youtube here.
Leading Global Communications at
A live virtual discussion with Michael Gonda,
Chief Communications Officer
April 22, 2021
How is McDonald’s deploying the communication of its new “Accelerating the Arches” growth strategy?
As Chief Communications Officer (CCO) for McDonald’s, Mr. Gonda leads a team of integrated communicators to increase brand trust, advance corporate reputation, and build organizational clarity.
Last November, McDonald’s unveiled a new growth strategy called Accelerating the Arches. It includes support for farming communities; the goal of sourcing 100% of guest packaging from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025; donating millions of pounds of quality food from its supply chain and restaurants to neighbors in need, and reducing barriers to employment for over 2 million people worldwide.
Mr. Gonda’s team plays a critical role in ensuring McDonald’s purpose and values are translated to a contemporary language. He explains “In the past, we knew what they were, but we needed to bring it from Shakespearean to modern-day English.”
Mr. Gonda is a guest at our Finance for Marketing class. The fireside chat will be moderated by George Benaroya, VP Finance, Global Controller & CFO. Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance to george.benaroya@nyu.edu.
Agenda:
I. Mr. Gonda, the business leader
II. Michael, the person
Questions Mr. Gonda answered
- What is it like managing the voice of a global brand? Do you feel the pressure of always having to be perfect? What does it feel like when something goes wrong? Emily Edick / ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- How is building up brand trust at McDonald’s different than at Chobani? is there more of a stigma around “fast food” and, therefore, difficulties building trust with it? Amy Grundleger/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- A company establishing trust with its customers is critical. In what ways can a company enhance that trust in the digital space? Caroline Arnos/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- Consumer-created content has increased drastically through social media. Are companies increasing headcount in Communications to manage that content? George Benaroya/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- As Chief Communication Officer responsible for delivering a consistent message, how much freedom can you delegate to countries to create their own content? Grace Ziqing Zeng/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- In response to questions from the audience/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- In response to questions from the audience / ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- How does McDonald’s deal with competitors like Shake Shack and Chick-fil-A who are targeting younger consumers? Cianna Xian Cao/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- Is there a way for a brand to appeal to millennials and adults simultaneously? Jay Chandiramani/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- When McDonald’s changed its growth strategy from “Velocity Growth Plan” to “Accelerating the Arches,” any lessons learned in the process? Sushanth Suresh/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- Communicating during the pandemic, in response to questions from the audience/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- In response to questions from the audience/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- How does McDonald’s adapt to new cultural changes once the company has entered the market? Mausam Shah/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- In response to questions from the audience/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- I also had an undergrad degree in journalism/non-fiction writing. How has this skill set helped you as Chief Communications Officer at McDonald’s? Amy Grundleger/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- Being a Chief Communications Officer is not easy. How do you ensure to consider everyone that you are trying to reach? How do you deal with the pressure? Lauren Corn for Katrina Arthur/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
- If you could give your younger self your best piece of advice before entering the workforce, what would it be? Michelle Warman/ ᵂᵃᵗᶜʰ ᶠᵘˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵒⁿˢᵉ
About the series
These talks are offered as part of the Leading Global Growth series from NYU’s School of Professional Studies, and managed in coordination with NYU SPS Integrated Marketing & Communications, within the Division of Programs in Business.