iPad 8:31 AM 36% . ) 4. What is the nature of the blame that is being assigned i
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iPad 8:31 AM 36% . ) 4. What is the nature of the blame that is being assigned in the videos and comments sections? Is the organization being blamed? If so, is it justified? Is there another party involved that is to blame for the crisis? Mini-Case: Taco Bell Thanks You for Suing Them An amazing thing happened during 2011: Taco Bell thanked those who filed a lawsuit against them! Of course, this was not just any thank-you; it was part of a well-orchestrated marketing campaign to tell its side of the story in regard to a law- suit. In addition, it shows how a company used social media in an effective manner to counter a crisis The story began when a disgruntled customer filed a lawsuit against Taco Bell and complained about the beef content in their tacos. The customer claimed that the taco meat was more "filler" than beef. In fact, similar allegations had already been circulating on the Internet (Beaubien, 2011). The impending crisis was now not just a lawsuit, but a potential social media fiasco. Taco Bell had a preappointed crisis management team, and on January 25,2011 the day the news of the lawsuit broke, they met to discuss the company's response (Levy, 2011). The response by Taco Bell was a history maker in terms of using social media to address a crisis. Following are the components of the company's crisis communications strategy that were used in what has been labeled “Tacogate": A nationwide print campaign featured ads in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, the Los the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Angeles Times, the San Orange County Register (Beck, 2011). The ads contained a headline that read, "Thank you for suing us.' Underneath the headline, the company explains in a five-paragraph letter the truth about their seasoned beef. The letter is signed by Taco Bell presi- dent Greg Creed. The purpose of the ad, which is bold in that it acknowl- edges the lawsuit publically, to get the reader's attention quickly so that Taco Bell can tell its side of the story (Levy, 2011 In a YouTube video, Taco Bell president Greg Creed explains the ingredients in the company's taco meat under the title, "Of course we use real beef" The 1:32 video, verifies that the company's taco meat is 88 percent USDA inspected beef. The other 12-percent (he grins) is “our secret," which he cheerfully describes as 5 percent water (to keep the meat moist and juicy) 4 percent Mexican spices, and 5 percent oats, caramelized yeast, citric acid, and other ingredients. · Search engine optimization was used to make sure Taco Bell's point of view appears on the first page of a Google search (Beck, 2011) During the crisis, a link on the company's website directed the viewer to a microsite dedicated to addressing the ingredients in the taco meat. It also posted a link to its response on Facebook with a coupon for a free taco (Levy, 201. · A Twitter campaign was launched using the hashtag #beef in addition to #7aco Bell in all tweets related to the lawsuit (Daitch, 2011).Explanation / Answer
Taco Bell has come out to the public and stated that its beef is only 88 percent beef, which left 12 percent to… other? The admission by the Yum! Brand fast food chained has recently sparked questions across an increasingly food conscious America regarding what else is in the beef that isn’t, well, beef.
While the information has been available on Taco Bell’s Web site, the ingredients that comprises the other 12 percent seems to have received major attention on Tuesday.
In an effort to get ahead of the chatter regarding the scientifically-crafted ingredients, Taco Bell said on its Web site that the ingredients “do have weird names,” but they’re all “safe and approved by the FDA.”
“They’re common ingredients also found in food items at your grocery store,” the company states. “Each ingredient helps make our Seasoned Beef taste great. Many of them are items you might use at home such as salt, peppers, and spices. Ingredients like oats and sodium phosphates help make sure the texture is right.”
The fast food chain also stated it used only USDA-inspected, “100 percent premium real beef” and no monosodium glutamate, or MSG, a flavor enhancer linked to nausea, chest pains, and numbness.
“We believe it’s important that consumers make informed decisions about what they eat, and so for many years have provided details of our ingredients on our website,” Rob Poetsch, Taco Bell spokesman, told ABC News.
Derek Lowe, a chemist and blogger with a Ph.D. from Duke University, said to Yahoo News that he sympathizes with people who are surprised these ingredients are food.
Currently the FDA allows food manufactures to label beef products as “beef” as long as the product is composed of at least 40 percent real beef. However, in a first world economy such as America, should manufacturers be allowed to swindle people out of 60 percent of whole food?
Below is a list the ingredients along with what Taco Bell had to say about them:
1. MALTODEXTRIN
“It sounds weird, but it’s actually a form of mildly sweet sugar we use to balance the flavor. You may have had it the last time you had a natural soda,” Taco Bell says.
2. TORULA YEAST
“This is a form of yeast that gives our seasoned beef a more savory taste,” the company says.
3. MODIFIED CORN STARCH
“Actually, it’s derived from corn, which is a food staple in Mexican culture as well as many others. We use a small amount as a thickener and to maintain moisture in our seasoned beef. It’s common in many foods like yogurt,” Taco Bell states.
4. SOY LECITHIN
“When you prepare as much seasoned beef as we do, you don’t want it to separate. That’s what soy lecithin does. It helps (with moisture) to bind substances that would otherwise separate — like oil and water. It’s a common ingredient in many grocery staples, like chocolate bars and salad dressings,” says Taco Bell.
5. SODIUM PHOSPHATES
Taco Bell says it uses this “to help make sure our seasoned beef is the right texture.”
“They’re also commonly found in deli items, cheeses, coffee drinks and desserts,” the company says.
6. LACTIC ACID
Taco Bell says, “This safe acid occurs in almost all living things, and we use a very small amount to manage the acidity to get the right flavor.”
7. CARAMEL COLOR AND COCOA POWDER
Taco Bell says the caramel color “is caramelized sugar, which is a commonly used food coloring (also found in cereals and pancake syrup). Cocoa Powder doesn’t add any flavor to our recipe, but it helps our seasoned beef maintain a rich color.”
8. TREHALOSE
Taco Bell: “It’s a naturally occurring sugar that we use to improve the taste of our seasoned beef.”
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