McDonald's, the fast-food giant, has had a remarkable evolution in its marketing strategies over the years. From the beginning of a small burger joint in California to becoming a global icon, McDonald's has continually changed its marketing approach to stay relevant in the ever-changing world of the fast-food industry. In the beginning, McDonald's marketing was centered around its iconic Golden Arches logo and catchy slogans like "I'm Lovin' It." The focus was on promoting affordability, convenience, and consistency across its locations worldwide. As the company expanded globally, McDonald's embraced cultural diversity by switching its menus and marketing campaigns to local tastes and preferences. For example, the menu in Japan has things like the teriyaki Mcburger to make the food feel like it's from Japan and make people want to try it. This localization strategy helped McDonald's establish a strong presence in markets worldwide. One of the main elements of McDonald's marketing strategy has been the use of famous people in its advertisements. Over the years, McDonald's has collaborated with a ton of celebrities, athletes, and influencers to promote its brand and products. One of the most recent examples is an ad Lil Yachty did (Menu Song Remix (youtube.com) ). This brings in viewers from not just his fan base but also the whole rap community. Another example, and one of the most successful, was Travis Scott. Travis Scott has one of the most loyal and die-hard fan bases you can get. Mcdonald knew this and started to work with Travis to create his own order on the menu called “The Travis Scott meal.” 
Once this product was released, social media caught fire, and fans of Travis and the rap community all couldn't wait to get their hands on this new order. McDonald's went above and beyond with Travis and released merchandise that sold out, showing that McDonald's isn't afraid to take risks and create something that's non-food related. McDonald’s then took what they made with Travis and offered it to other celebrities to draw different communities. McDonald's uses the popularity and influence of celebrities to grow brand visibility and credibility. Featuring famous people in its ads, McDonald's can attract and create emotional connections with consumers. McDonald's made one of its first celebrity ads with basketball legend Michael Jordan in the 1990s. The "McJordan" meal.
Jordan's popularity drew in sports fans across the country. Jordan has been a big supporter of McDonald's and has done commercials with Larry Bird another NBA legend. "The Showdown" - Bird vs. Jordan McDonald's ad - 1993 (youtube.com). Overall, McDonald's has changed a lot in how it markets itself, from changing its menus for different cultures to teaming up with famous people. These changes show how serious McDonald's is about staying on top in the fast-food world. They keep coming up with new ideas and working with popular people to make sure everyone still loves their food, no matter where they are in the world. This helps them stay the number one choice for people worldwide
Travis Scott Meets McDonald’s in a Partnership of Merchandising Minds - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Michael Jordan loved McDonald’s so much he always ordered the same item as his pre-workout meal - Basketball Network - Your daily dose of basketball
McDonald's Marketing Strategy: How McDonald's makes you love it! (buildd.co)
Good work. I am missing what you would do as the brand manager and what you learned from this assignment. Remember to cite credit for the photos as well.
ReplyDeleteNo points lost for the formatting issue that we were working on together.