A common thought among corporate leaders is that only the boss can speak for an organization.
Sure, people want to hear from the person who holds the most power, especially when crises hit, but sometimes it’s just not a good idea. If a CEO is a wreck on camera, even after media training, stop forcing it and put someone else front and center.
A bitter burger to swallow
I was asked this week about McDonald’s viral video where CEO Chris Kempczinski looked awkward, uneasy or maybe grossed out while trying to hype a new burger. Maybe he wasn’t prepared, is bad on camera or just doesn’t like the food. All of those can be true.
If McDonald’s PR staff saw the footage and posted it anyway, it didn’t do its job. We’re paid to tell people in charge when a move is going to backfire.
Is this the worst thing a company has ever posted? Hardly. But it gave people plenty of low-hanging onions to munch on. Headlines ranged from “afraid to eat his own product” to “fakes McLovin a Big Arch Burger” to “Even the McDonald’s CEO can’t stomach their burgers.” Ouch.
Is it really good, Chris? Because you look like I did when I had to take gross pink medicine when I was a kid.
If you work in PR …
If bosses insist on posting something you know will get roasted, say so. You might even need to walk away from the project because when people you coach screw up, it makes you look incompetent, too. I’ve seen this with coaches and sports information directors.
As for the McDonald’s CEO, NEWS FLASH: he’s not a natural in front of the camera. Hey, neither am I — I’m a much better media coach because I know what flies with fans. Maybe Kempczinski knows how to drive company growth on paper better than in-person. That’s fine.
Takeaway: What PR can do when your boss isn’t ready for prime time
Figure out who is the best fit to speak. Coach them to know the facts and ways to stay relaxed during interviews or company-produced videos. If you’re the one in the PR seat, don’t be afraid to say when the boss isn’t the right person for that role. It’ll save you a bundle of embarrassing headlines.
###
👇🏼 (Read on PR for college athletics note)👇🏼
A tired college athletics take and how PR could help improve it
The NCAA has begged the U.S. government to solve its problems since it lost the reins on its decades-long model that benefited deep department pockets but didn’t share profits with athletes on the field. This request is not sudden. In addition, during a chat with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt said that university leaders look out for themselves as if that were a new phenomenon. In reality, self-interest dates back decades. Conferences have sacrificed storied rivalries for media rights revenue, and it was always an open secret that boosters slipped cash to prospects to secure a competitive advantage.
Hocutt’s Star-Telegram quote, “First and foremost, everybody continues to look out for their own individual situation. And that’s unfortunate. It’s disappointing. That’s why we’ve unfortunately arrived at a point in time where you look to federal government for some type of assistance.”
This is another example of how outside PR can help college sports. We would advise leaders like Hocutt to avoid two pitfalls: 1) saying things people who follow the industry know to be false, and 2) repeating exhausted talking points in hopes they become truth.
If I were counseling Hocutt or any other AD, I’d suggest avoiding both tactics. Tell it like it is, and you’ll earn more respect for your perspective. My guess is there was plenty of eye-rolling after his comments to the Star-Telegram.
###
©2026 Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com, SIDEbar
