McDonald's is putting together a team of staffers focused on telling stories on behalf of the fast-food chain, according to two job posts on the brand's website.
"We are building a team that is changing the perceptions of one of the most recognized brands in the world," the company said in the job description, which is posted on its careers site. "This new team will be comprised of creative, innovative, and disciplined storytellers that are committed to telling smart, succinct, and sustained stories on behalf of McDonald's."
McDonald's is seeking a full-time communications supervisor and an analytics and systems supervisor for its brand trust strategy and planning team, which will be based in Oak Brook, Illinois. The chain's goal is changing perceptions of its brand, according to the job posts.
"We are adding some new team members focused on strategy and planning to our communications team," said Terri Hickey, McDonald's senior manager of global corporate communications, via email.
The new team is being formed just four months after McDonald's officially began working with We Are Unlimited, a dedicated agency created by Omnicom. Based in Chicago, the agency consists of about 200 employees, including embedded staffers from Google, Twitter, Adobe and the New York Times' T-Brand Studio. The agency was formed after a closely watched four-month review that pitted Omnicom against Publicis Groupe, whose Leo Burnett network had held McDonald's US creative account for 35 years.
Hickey declined to comment on the relationship of the new in-house team to We Are Unlimited or Golin, which has worked with McDonald's on PR and communications since 1956 (the account is widely recognized as the longest-running client-agency relationship in PR). A spokeswoman for We Are Unlimited referred questions to McDonalds, as did a Golin representative.
The supervisor will report to one of three managers of brand trust. He or she will be responsible for developing and managing programs and content that support the brand's reputation stories focused on food quality, food responsibility, people, community impact, and other issues, according to the job description.
The supervisor hire will also provide communications counsel, support internal business partners, use data that will enhance national and regional brand-building programs, and drive awareness to enhance its overall brand image and advocacy, according to the job ad.