Brands are no longer just competing on the products and services they sell — they’re also competing on how well they can understand internet culture. In 2026, brand responses have become critical PR tools that can shape or even redirect online conversations and catapult them into the limelight.
A recent example is McDonald’s U.S. CEO, Chris Kempczinski, taste-testing the company’s new hamburger, the “Big Arch.” The video quickly went viral, but not in the most positive light. Viewers mocked and jokingly poked at the overly corporate tone of the video, and pointed out how Kempczinski referred to the burger as a “product,” questioned how to “attack it,” and then took a noticeably small bite. The moment came across as scripted and unnatural, and the internet responded with memes and parody videos almost immediately.
Despite the mockery, the video generated significant attention in views, likes, and shares. Upon hearing the word “product,” some users questioned the burger’s quality and ingredients, while others became more curious about trying simply because of the sheer volume of conversation surrounding this controversial burger. The original video garnered millions of views, with parody videos continuing the conversation beyond.
What made this moment more interesting was how McDonald’s competitors responded. As the conversation continued to grow on social media, brands like Wendy’s and Burger King inserted themselves into the center of it. Burger King’s U.S. president, Tom Curtis, posted his own video taking a large, messy bite out of a classic Whopper, offering a clear contrast in tone and approach with his lighthearted and joking demeanor. Wendy’s president, Pete Suerken, took a more direct approach by confidently preparing a Baconator himself and pairing it with a Wendy’s Frosty, even joking about McDonald’s famously broken ice cream machines.
Other brands followed, turning the moment into what some users described as “fast food CEO wars.” Even McDonald’s embraced the meme and leaned into the conversation by posting on X (formerly Twitter) an advertisement asking users to “try our new product.”
This hilarious internet moment highlights a larger shift in how brands operate and present themselves online. It’s no longer just about launching a winning product; brands need to learn how to respond in real time. Tone, timing and self-awareness can shape public perception just as much as the original messaging.