These CEOs want a starring role in our lives – and there’s not much we can do about it | Larry Ryan

These CEOs want a starring role in our lives – and there’s not much we can do about it Larry Ryan Do we really need a McDonald’s CEO fronting ads or a Gianni Infantino Panini sticker? No. But in the age of Trump, the boss class feels emboldened A few weeks ago, the CEO of McDonald’s appeared in a video sampling the chain’s new “Big Arch burger”. In the clip, Chris Kempczinski, or “Chris K” as he casually calls himself, labelled it a “product”, matching the sterile tone of the review – all harsh lighting, corporate office backdrop and an awkward man talking and eating while wearing a shirt fitting uneasily under a light wool V-neck. Why would McDonald’s, with its huge marketing budget and commercial success, choose to platform this guy? His stilted efforts were mocked and memed, with executives at Burger King and Wendy’s posting their own versions – what fun. Inevitably some market watchers claimed it drove engagement and sales. But to me, it seems to be just the latest flagrant example of CEOism: when CEOs/founders/heads of organisations centre themselves in the action – just because they can. Chris K isn’t the only one guilty of it. Lately, you can’t seem to move for reports that CEOs are pushing themselves into the spotlight. During the Super Bowl, the founder of Ring featured in the company’s ad – only for the whole thing to backfire when people were freaked out by the dystopian surveillance the doorbell tech was espousing. Which then forced him to go on an “ apology tour ”, therefore remaining at the heart of the story. Strains of this can also be found in the sporting world. Perhaps the most prominent example is Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, who after more than 10 years in the post continues to insert himself into the game. At the last World Cup in Qatar, Infantino interrupted the start of the tournament’s first match to give a welcoming address from the stands . Ahead of last year’s Club World Cup, he unveiled the official sticker album , which even featur...