【By Chen Sijia, Observer News】"The reputation of American brands has become dim." On September 2nd local time, the CEO of the American fast food chain McDonald's, Chris Kempczinski, gave an interview with CNBC, stating that as the international community's view of the United States is no longer as positive as before, global consumers are gradually moving away from American brands.
Kempczinski said that McDonald's has been tracking how global consumers view the United States and the McDonald's brand, "the halo around the United States has somewhat faded."
McDonald's CEO Kempczinski, screenshot from video
McDonald's operates in over 100 countries and regions. Last month, McDonald's released its second-quarter results for the period ending June 30, 2025. The report showed that McDonald's second-quarter revenue was $6.843 billion, an increase of 4% year-over-year excluding the impact of exchange rates; net profit reached $2.253 billion, an increase of 9% year-over-year excluding the impact of exchange rates.
Although McDonald's is considered one of America's iconic brands, according to data collected by the company, Kempczinski believes that consumers' views on this fast-food chain have not deteriorated. He thinks it may be because McDonald's has been operating overseas for a long time. He stated that McDonald's plans to focus on building its brand image in various countries and regions.
Last month, the American public relations consulting firm Weber Shandwick released a report indicating that global perceptions of the United States declined significantly in the first half of this year. President Trump's "America First" agenda and the uncertainty of political leadership not only broke the status quo but also prompted the world to re-evaluate the role of the "American brand" on the global stage.
The report stated that although many foreign consumers still value American goods, Trump's tariff policies could cause foreign markets to lose confidence in the United States and begin developing alternatives, thereby reducing dependence on American products. More and more people believe that compared to the United States, China can play a more positive role in the international community.
A report released earlier this year by the American polling company Morning Consult also pointed out that global consumer dissatisfaction with the United States has sharply increased, and some American brands have found that the purchasing intention of overseas consumers has clearly declined.
The report analysis said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 and the新一轮 of the Israel-Palestine conflict in October 2023 led to a decline in the perception of the United States in Russia and countries with large Muslim populations. After Trump announced his tariff policy at the beginning of this year, the favorability of the United States among global consumers dropped sharply, increasing the risks faced by American brands in overseas operations.
The UK's Independent newspaper wrote that as the actions of the US government anger consumers worldwide, consumers in many countries have begun to move away from American brands and support local brands to express their dissatisfaction with the United States.
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