McGangBang

One of the coolest thing about online marketing and the web in general is the ability for seemingly small quirky things to explode into international phenomena. We've seen it lead to the rise and fall of everything from singing babies to screaming politicians. There is no doubt that the web can have an incredible effect in spreading the word on almost anything.

Sometimes one off jokes can have actual impact on a business or brand. A great recent example is the new McGangBang sandwich from McDonald's. Never heard of it? That is because it is not on the menu (it's actually a McChicken inside a Double Cheeseburger). The McGangBang has been spreading underground via word of mouth on the net since last fall. Despite it's crude name and wacky ingredients it is surprisingly delicious and at some McDonald's outlets you can actually order it by name. (You can read a brief history of the sandwich here.)

So what does McDonalds think of all this? It's hard to know for sure, but it's safe to guess they are probably pretty happy about it. A viral campaign of this scope is hard to replicate and hasn't cost them one penny. My interest in the subject actually got me to go try one this past weekend here in Saint John (see photos above) and I must admit it was pretty darn good. I'd hate to know the calorie count but I'd encourage each of you to order one at your next stop to McD's. Good for a chuckle in the drive-thru at least.