# Marketing pro Tariq Hassan on how McDonald’s embraced its Donald Trump drive-thru moment

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/mixed-signals-from-semafor-media-6916354/marketing-pro-tariq-hassan-on-how-mcdonald-s-embraced-its-donald-trump-drive-thru-moment
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/mixed-signals-from-semafor-media-6916354/marketing-pro-tariq-hassan-on-how-mcdonald-s-embraced-its-donald-trump-drive-thru-moment.md
Podcast: [Mixed Signals from Semafor Media](https://stenobird.com/podcast/mixed-signals-from-semafor-media-6916354)
Published: 2026-02-06T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/OENRF3843826057.mp3?updated=1770344105
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/OENRF3843826057.mp3?updated=1770344105
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Duration seconds: 3216

## Resource

When now-President Donald Trump decided to put on an apron and serve customers at a McDonald’s drive-thru on the 2024 campaign trail, it put Tariq Hassan, then McDonald’s chief marketer, in a tight spot. On this week’s Mixed Signals, Ben and Max sit down with the former Golden Arches CMO to discuss the Trump episode, why he thinks ad makers should engage with journalists, and what goes into a good celebrity Super Bowl ad.

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## Transcript

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