First impression: This isn't the website of a big multinational corporation. This is a place to have fun. It draws you in with games. The opening game has you creating a song using singing fish, and you can play back your recording. The game also reinforces the message in current commercials that show their fish is caught by happy local fisherman. In essence: McDonald's is helping us stay healthy and is helping struggling American farmers and fishers.
About 3/4 of the information on the site is entertaining. About 1/4 is what you would classify as directly promoting McDonald's.
The company has done well in trying to change its image from fast food to a healthy choice (although I still avoid eating there.) It has more transparency on fats and sugars as the site lists the contents of each menu item. McDonald's even recruited "Mom's Quality Correspondents" who write on the website about their happy family experiences at McDonald's and praise the food quality.
If you want to read that Forbes article about McDonald's beating Starbucks in social media, here it is: http://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/02/21/how-mcdonalds-toppled-starbucks-from-the-social-top-spot/
Good find. Who ever visits McDonald's website?
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