McDonald’s

Building Local Credibility for a Global Brand

Challenge

As one of the world’s most recognized companies, McDonald’s sought to ensure it remained a trusted, community-first partner across diverse regions. From conversations around nutrition and food safety to its role as a neighborhood small business, the brand aimed to strengthen local credibility and highlight owner/operators as leaders.

Solution

For more than 20 years, Fitzgerald Petersen Communications has served as McDonald’s public relations partner in the Rocky Mountain, Northern California/Nevada and New Mexico regions. We launched nutrition and agriculture education with PTAs, developed teacher grant initiatives, provided crisis communications guidance, and integrated influencer programming and social media campaigns to amplify stories of local impact. Our data-informed, omnichannel approach combined earned media, paid and organic digital amplification, community activations, and creative integrations to ensure message alignment and measurable ROI.

Results

Campaigns have appeared in every major outlet across our territories, including 9News/NBC Denver, The Denver Post, Denver Gazette, Denver7/ABC and KDVR/FOX31 in Colorado; The Sacramento Bee, ABC10 Sacramento, KCRA 3/NBC Sacramento and the Reno Gazette Journal in Northern California and Nevada; and Albuquerque Journal, Santa Fe New Mexican and KOAT/ABC Albuquerque in New Mexico—among many others. Through social amplification, we reached tens of thousands of students, awarded more than $90,000 in teacher grants, boosted influencer engagement, and increased positive share of voice for McDonald’s across key markets.

“Fitzgerald Petersen knows what it means to put their clients first, without alienating everyone in the media in the process. I always know the days I get to work with them will be good ones!”
Gina Belich, TV Personality

“Fitzgerald Petersen is at the forefront of the ‘changing of the guard’ in the public relations/communications industry in the Denver Market. If you want an agency that is tied into the community in a big way and has personal relationships at literally every media outlet in the state, you’ve come to the right place!”
Amy Venturi, Step Up for Cancer Director

“We hired a PR firm because we are not experts in PR. Fitzgerald Petersen Communications are the experts.”
DJ Mitchell, McDonald’s Owner/Operator

“Working with Fitzgerald Petersen Communications is both productive and enjoyable! Their creativity and passion coupled with their media relationships make them a ‘dream team.’ Most importantly, in a hectic environment, they are able to quickly adapt to change with a positive attitude – and deliver!”
Erin Burgy, Senior Director, Integrated Public Relations at Operation Homefront

“They communicate, follow up AND follow through. What more can you ask for?”
Susie Wargin, Local TV Sports Freelancer & I Heart Media Radio Host

“These guys are pros. They get it. They understand our crazy 21st century workflow and they don’t flood us with endless questions about content and logistics. What’s more, they have a good feel for what makes for fun, interactive, live TV.”
Jack Maher, Former 9News/KUSA/NBC Executive Producer

“You very rarely find a firm as talented as Fitzgerald Petersen. I have worked with them for several years on special projects and day to day handling of our business. They are not only great strategic thinkers, very hard workers, and exceptionally efficient, but, perhaps most refreshingly, they are also the kind of people that you enjoy working with. They are, in a word, outstanding.”
Brandon O’Rourke, Former McDonald’s Owner/Operator

“CBS4 News has worked closely with Fitzgerald Petersen … The team at Fitzgerald Petersen has an outstanding grasp of how to work with a newsroom to develop compelling stories for television and in turn, drive promotion for an event.”
Tim Wieland, General Manager, CBS Colorado & CBS Los Angeles