PR Affects Everything...Even Food

It's no secret that fast food restaurants, like McDonald's, are changing their menus to provide healthier meals. A variety of fast food places now offer apples instead of french fries for kids, and milk, juice or water instead of just pop. With the seemingly overwhelming amount of obesity America now has, it would seem places that offer fattening and greasy foods are to blame.

The bad press fast food restaurants have received because of the high obesity rates have even caused some to change their entire look. McDonald's, a restaurant that was most recognizable for it's golden arches and Ronald McDonald cartoon character, had a menu that for the most part had gone unchanged for many years. Cheap hamburgers and greasy french fries were easily available with little difference in choice. Over the past year however, McDonald's has begun the slow change to becoming a fast food restaurant that provides healthy alternatives, a more stylish decor, and even a raise in some of their food prices.

While this could have backfired, because the constant look was at one time an advantage for Mickey D's, 2007 marked the most profitable year in 30 years. The bad press McDonald's received for their unhealthy food, was taken into consideration and used to update their services to meet the needs of consumers. This seems to be a new trend for a few fast food places. Although many don't change how they decorate, the food choices are becoming increasingly healthier. Because of the bad press, fast food has gotten good pr, and made themselves a profitable business again.

This one example shows how even the smallest changes to any company, combined with the right advertising and good pr, can result in positive outcomes.