One video became a meme.
The other helped build a multi-billion-dollar brand.
The contrast between Chris Kempczinski and Lei Jun is becoming a case study in modern CEO branding.
Here’s the difference 👇
✅ “Product” vs. “My Breakfast”
In the McDonald’s recent promo video, Kempczinski talks like… a CEO.
Words like “product” and “units.”
Corporate. Polished. Distant.
Meanwhile, Lei Jun regularly posts simple videos on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok).
What’s he doing?
Eating breakfast.
Soy milk. Fried dough sticks.
Then he asks his followers:
“What are you eating today?”
It’s not marketing.
It’s shared daily life.
And that’s how he built tens of millions of followers.
✅ The “Micro-Bite” vs. The “Drift”
One moment defined the McDonald’s video:
The tiny bite.
Many viewers felt the CEO looked like he didn’t actually want to eat the burger.
Now compare that with Lei Jun promoting the Xiaomi SU7.
He didn’t just stand next to the car.
He drifted it. On camera.
And that’s very on-brand for him:
• Throwing a “bulletproof” watermelon off a building
• Demoing products himself
• Filming spontaneous street tests
The message:
The CEO is the brand’s #1 fan.
✅ Turning “Cringe” Into Marketing
Both CEOs had awkward viral moments.
But the reactions were opposite.
The McDonald’s clip became a meme.
Meanwhile, Lei Jun had his own viral moment years ago:
His famous “Are you OK?” English speech.
Instead of hiding from it, he embraced it.
He turned it into a Xiaomi ringtone
and even used it in shows and events.
What could have been embarrassing became endearing.
👉 The real lesson
In the social media era, CEO branding isn’t about perfection.
It’s about being human.
Corporate polish creates distance.
Authenticity creates followers, fans, and communities.
And sometimes…
The difference between a meme and a marketing machine is simply whether the CEO is willing to be himself.
