Reputation Management Online

Shrek has indeed landed a nasty blow on the brand image of McDonald’s! The famous  fast food chain of McDonald’s is recalling 12 million drinking glasses from the US markets which were launched to promote the cartoon movie “Shrek”  because the painted designs on the glasses contain the toxic metal cadmium.  The cadmium paint might enter the children’s body through their hands and this would put them to risk as it is a  known carcinogen that can cause cancer on prolonged use. Cadmium is generally added to paints to make bright colors, but it is unusual for cadmium containing paints to be used in consumer products like glassware.

In an unusual damage control exercise, McDonald’s has asked customers’ to stop using the 16-ounce glasses with immediate effect. Originally sold at $2 each McDonald’s has started paying customers $3 for every Shrek glass returned. The customers can return the glasses in any of the McDonald’s restaurants and receive the cash on the spot.

To me the whole thing about the McDonald’s glasses is very much a mystery, and why they would be putting cadmium pigments in there,” said Hugh Morrow, a consultant for the International Cadmium Association and a former president of the trade group in North America. “Our position is that cadmium pigments should not be painted on consumer glasses.”

Meanwhile, sales in McDonald’s outlets recorded a sharp rise of 3.4 percent in May, which is attributed to the overwhelming popularity of Shrek themed promotional campaigns  for its Chicken McNuggets and Happy Meals. By acting fast and paying a premium to its customers, McDonald’s is back on its saddle ( well… almost) and has done its best in brand protection . The fact that McDonald’s announced the recall soon after the Consumer Product Safety Commission said that tests showed low levels of Cadmium, even though glasses were not considered toxic as the risk was really low. This act indeed  helped it get back into the good books of the customers. In a way, it is nothing but Reputation Management at its best.