McDonald's advertising
| Type | Public (NYSE: MCD) |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 15, 1940 in San Bernardino, California McDonald's Corporation, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois |
| Founder(s) | Dick and Mac McDonald McDonald's restaurant concept Ray Kroc, McDonald's Corporation founder. |
| Headquarters | Oak Brook, Illinois, USA |
| No. of locations | 31,000+ worldwide[1] |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | James A. Skinner (Chairman) & (CEO) |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Products | Fast Food (hamburgers • chicken • french fries • soft drinks • milkshakes • salads • desserts • breakfast) |
| Market cap | US$ 60.07 billion (2008) |
| Revenue | ▲ US$ 22.79 billion (2007)[2] |
| Operating income | ▼ US$ 3.879 billion (2007)[2] |
| Net income | ▼ US$ 2.359 billion (2007)[2] |
| Total assets | ▲ US$ 29.391 billion (2007) |
| Total equity | ▼ US$ 15.279 billion (2007) |
| Employees | 390,000 (2008)[2] |
| Website | McDonalds.com |
McDonald's has for decades maintained an extensive advertising campaign. In addition to the usual media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards and signage, sponsors sporting events ranging from Little League to the Olympic Games, and makes coolers of orange drink with their logo available for local events of all kinds. Nonetheless, television has always played a central role in the company's advertising strategy.
To date, McDonald's has used 23 different slogans in United States advertising, as well as a few other slogans for select countries and regions. At times, it has run into trouble with its campaigns.
Contents |
History
There have been many McDonald's advertising campaigns and slogans over the years. The company is one of the most prevalent fast food advertisers. McDonald's Canada's corporate website states that the commercial campaigns have always focused on the "overall McDonald's experience", rather than just product.[3] The purpose of the image has always been "portraying warmth and a real slice of every day life."[4] Its TV ads, showing various people engaging in popular activities, usually reflect the season and time period. Finally, they have never in their advertising history used negative or comparison ads pertaining to any of their competitors; the ads have always focused only on McDonalds alone.
Controversies
- See also: McDonald's legal cases
In 1996, the British adult comic magazine Viz accused McDonald's of plagiarizing the name and format of its longstanding Top Tips feature, in which readers offer sarcastic tips. McDonald's had created an advertising campaign of the same name, which suggested the Top Tips (and then the alternative — save money by going to McDonald's). Some of the similarities were almost word-for-word:
- "Save a fortune on laundry bills. Give your dirty shirts to Oxfam. They will wash and iron them, and then you can buy them back for 50p." — Viz Top Tip, published May 1989.
- "Save a fortune on laundry bills. Give your dirty shirts to a second-hand shop. They will wash and iron them, and then you can buy them back for 50p." — McDonald's advert, 1996.
The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, which was donated to the charity Comic Relief. However, many Viz readers believed that the comic had given permission for their use, leading to Top Tips submissions such as: "Geordie magazine editors. Continue paying your mortgage and buying expensive train sets ... by simply licensing the Top Tips concept to a multinational burger corporation."
In 2003, a ruling by the UK Advertising Standards Authority determined that the corporation had acted in breach of the codes of practice in describing how its french fries were prepared.[5] A McDonald's print ad stated that "after selecting certain potatoes" "we peel them, slice them, fry them and that's it." It showed a picture of a potato in a McDonald's fries box. In fact the product was sliced, pre-fried, sometimes had dextrose added, was then frozen, shipped, and re-fried and then had salt added.
"I'd Hit It" banner ad controversy
I'd Hit It is the name of a McDonald's banner ad, part of the i'm lovin' it campaign. The phrase, which is slang for "I would have sex with him/her," proved controversial.
Current campaign
i'm lovin' it is an international branding campaign by McDonald's Corporation. It was created by Heye & Partner, a longtime McDonald's agency based in Unterhaching, Germany, near Munich, and a member of the DDB Worldwide Communications Group, Inc. It was the company's first global advertising campaign and was launched in Munich, Germany on September 2, 2003, under the German title ich liebe es. The English part of the campaign was launched on September 29, 2003 with the music of Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora (Mona Davis Music) and vocals by Justin Timberlake, in which the slogan appears. In 2007, after a public casting call which received 15,000 submissions, McDonald's selected 24 people to appear as part of the campaign.[6] Images of those chosen, who had submitted a story and digital photograph which "capture[d] ... themes of inspiration, passion and fun," appear on McDonald's paper bags and cups worldwide.
Translations
Slogans
Here is a partial list of slogans:[7]
Global
- Things that make you go 'mmmm' (2007) Breakfast US; (2001) Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand
- "I'm lovin' it" (Current)
Australia
- You deserve a Break Today (1980-1984)
- Love a Burger, Love a McDonald's (1981)
- It's a Good Time for the Great Taste (1984-1988)
- McDonald's is cooking ... breakfast! (1987-1992, breakfast)
- Good Time, Great Taste (1988-1992)
- It's MacTime (1992)
- It's MacTime Now (1992)
- It's MacTime Again (1994)
- MacTime Rocks On (1994, Featured David Essex's song Rock On)
- Only McDonald's (1998)
- Feed your inner child (2005)
- Bacon bacon bacon (2007, bacon menu)
- I'm Lovin' it!" (2003-current)
Austria
- Everytime a good time (1999-2003)
- I'm lovin' it (2003-present)
Canada
- When you want something, McDonald's gets it for you (1989-91)
- Breakfast is the perfect way to start your day (1991, breakfast)
- There's a little McDonald's in everyone (2001)
- I'm lovin' it (2003 - present)
Germany
- Das etwas andere Restaurant (The something different restaurant - 1971)
- Essen mit Spass (Eating with fun - 1978)
- Gut, dass es McDonald's gibt (Well that McDonald's exist - 1982)
- Der Platz wo Du gern bist, weil man gut isst) (The place where you like to be because you eat well - 1987)
- McDonald's ist einfach gut (McDonald's is simple good - 1991)
- Everytime a good time (1999)
- Ich liebe es (I'm lovin' it - 2003)
Hong Kong
- Nobody can do it like McDonald's can (1979-1983)
- It's a good time for the great taste of McDonald's (1984-1988)
- Good time, great taste (that's why this is our place) (1988-1992)
- Only McDonald's (1993-1994)
- Every time a good time (2000-2003)
- I'm lovin' it (2003-present)
New Zealand
- McDonald's for breakfast, it's a great start to your day (1990's)
- It's Mac Time (late 1990s)
- That's our tucker (1990's & 2005)
- Make every time a good time (early 2000s)
- Proud to be part of the change (2006 - Present)
- I'm lovin' it (2003 to present)
Netherlands
- Ze zei meneer tegen me.(she called me Sir!)
- Je mag hier met je handjes eten (You can eat with your hands here!)
- Gek op Mac (Crazy about Mac)
- McDonalds is altijd goed (McDonalds is always good)
- Everytime a good time
- I'm lovin' it (2003 to present)
South Africa
- Make every day a McDonald's day (1994)
Sweden
- It's a Good Time for the Great Taste (1984)
- Good Time, Great Taste (1988)
- Kom till McDonald's - vi ger mer (1993)
- Livet har sina goda stunder (1995)
- Every Time a Good Time (1999-2003)
- i'm lovin' it (2003-present)
UK
- You'll enjoy the difference (1974)
- There's a difference at McDonald's You'll Enjoy (1974-1986)
- It's a Good Time for the Great Taste (1986-1988)
- At McDonald's we've got time for you (1985-1986)
- A Visit To McDonald's Makes Your Day (1988-1992)
- There's nothing quite like a McDonald's (1992-1997)
- Enjoy more (1997-2003)
- i'm lovin' it (2003-present)
- The Sign of a Good Burger (2006)
- Make Up Your Own Mind (2006)
US
- Lets eat out! (1960)
- Look for the Golden Arches! (1965)
- The closest thing to home (1967)
- McDonald's is your kind of place (1967)
- You deserve a break today (1971)
- Enjoy the best food at McDonald's (1973)
- We do it all for you (also known as You, you're the one) (1975)
- Nobody can do it like McDonald's can (1979)
- You deserve a break today (1980)
- Nobody makes your day like McDonald's can (1981)
- We cook it all for you at McDonald's (1982)
- McDonald's and you (1983)
- It's a good time for the great taste of McDonald's (1984)
- It's Mac Tonight (1985)
- McDonald's is your place to be (1986)
- Good time, great taste (that's why this is our place) (1988)
- There's nothing quite like a McDonald's (1980s)
- You Deserve A Break Today (1989)
- Food, folks and fun (1990)
- McDonald's today (1991)
- What you want is what you get (1992)
- Do you believe in magic? (1993)
- Have you had your break today? (1995)
- My McDonald's (1997)
- Did somebody say McDonald's? (1997)
- McDonald's - It can happen (1999)
- We love to see/make you smile (2000)
- Put a smile on (2000)
- Make every time a good time (2002)
- Smile (2002)
- I'm lovin' it (2003-present)
- It's what I eat and what I do (2005, combined with 2003 slogan to make It's what I eat and what I do...I'm lovin' it.)
- What we're made of (2008-present)
Slogans, mottoes and jingles
Jingles
Perhaps the best-known slogan was "You deserve a break today" (a song sometimes incorrectly attributed to a young Barry Manilow[8])in fact, written by jingle singer/song writer Kenny Karen. In the accompanying TV commercial, there was almost no mention of food. Instead, the ad featured an all-male McDonald's cleaning crew, singing after-hours about their individual tasks, and emphasizing that "at McDonald's it's clean!" just before launching into the almost operatic chorus: "You deserve a break today / So get up and get away / To McDonald's!"
- The Big Mac's song (1975)-
| “ |
Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun |
” |
- McDonald's menu song (1988)-
The McDonald's $1,000,000 Menu Song was an instant-win promotion created as part of an advertising campaign, which ran from 1988 to early 1989. As the name suggests, the song, which was a remake of Reunion's 1974 hit single "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)", incorporates all of the items (at that time) on the McDonald's menu: sandwiches, other lunch/dinner items, breakfast items, dessert items, and drinks, in that order.
Flexi discs containing the song were attached to advertising sheets. On most versions of the recording, the singers were not able to recite the song perfectly from start to finish; when the singers made a mistake, the record was over. If the singer was able to complete the song, the record was a $1,000,000 instant winner.
80,000,000 records were distributed, and only one of them was a winner -- it is unknown whether the contest was ever resolved.[9]
It began as follows:
| “ |
Big Mac, McDLT, a Quarter Pounder with some cheese, Filet-O-Fish, a hamburger, a cheeseburger, a Happy Meal. McNuggets, tasty golden french fries [....] |
” |
- McDonald's today jingle (1992)-
| “ |
What you want is what you get at McDonald's today. |
” |
- i'm lovin' it jingle (2003)-
| “ |
ba-da-ba-ba-ba... i'm lovin' it. |
” |
Promotional partners
Cross promotions
- NASCAR
Starting in 2008, McDonald's sponsored Elliott Sadler's #19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry for 6 events (in the U.S.). Over time McDonald's has sponsored numerous NASCAR cars including Bill Elliott's car, Jimmy Spencer, Andy Houston, and Kasey Kahne. McDonald's racing not only sponsors NASCAR cars but also sponsors other racing series/divisions, including the #02 McDonald's car of Justin Wilson in the IndyCar Series.- Bobby Hamilton, Jr.'s #35 car Busch Series
- Kasey Kahnes #9 Dodge car in the NEXTEL Cup Series
- Bill Elliott
- Hut Stricklin #23 Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) car
- Jimmy Spencer
- Andy Houston
- IndyCar Series
- Justin Wilson's #02 car
Celebrity spokespersons
- Venus Williams[10]
- Destiny's Child (2004-2005)
- Justin Timberlake (2003)
Media tie-ins
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See also
- Burger King advertising
- Fast food advertising
- McDonaldland
- Ronald McDonald
References
- ↑ McDonald's publication. "Corporate FAQ". McDonald's Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Joe Bramhall. "McDonald's Corporation". Hoovers. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ End of story for one fast food ad
- ↑ McDonald's pressrelease
- ↑ "Advertising Slogans, "M"". TV Acres.com (2006-08-04). Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
- ↑ Barry Manilow
- ↑ Michael Gitter and Erika Glazer (1999). Do You Remember TV? The Book That Takes You Back. Chronicle Books. pp. 51.
- ↑ [3]
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