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McDuh: Brand Marketing Confusion
Today while listening to CNN Radio I heard that McDonald's market share was static and the company was looking for new options to make
money. (Yeah, like who isn't?) In their pursuit to capture greater market share they are considering McDiner, McCafe, McDonuts, and placing Internet connections in their fast food joints, McDonald's.
What's wrong with this brand marketing?
The entire success of McDonald's has been fast food.
Offering quick service, drive-thru and high turnover while serving more or less the same inventory with lots of movie-related promotional items has been an effective recipe. Are customers more hip to eating healthier? That's doubtful; our society is more obese than ever and those numbers just keep growing (pun intended). Why is McDonald's static?
Alternative menu messing with the brand marketing
McDiner – McDonald's fare served in a rock and roll diner.
It's not exactly an original concept and would the same food cost more if it's slapped on a real plate with parsley and pickle commingling? What about serving that milkshake in a soda fountain glass and bringing the extra in a metal shaker? Now there's an original concept worth bringing back.
McCafe – Instead of, will you have fries with that? You might hear, will you have frites with that? Hamburgers would
be designated as ground round or ground steak on a croissant with vine-ripen tomatoes, limon mustard, and an iced decaf latte.
McDonuts – It doesn't have the same brand imaging as Krispy Kreme.
On the other hand, what would you think about Krispy Kreme adding hamburgers and fries to the conveyor belt? When we think of donuts, we think of Krispy Kreme or Dunkin'. When we think of hamburgers and fries, we think of McDonald's (unless if you live in Southern California—you're thinking about an In-and-Out burger right now).
Another revenue stream that McDonald's is considering is adding Internet connections in some of their existing stores.
Why? Fast food is just that. Order it. Eat it. Poof! It's not meant for lingering nor is it cost-effective. The whole thing about fast food is turnover. The seating is not conducive to schmoozing or web surfing. Charging for Internet connections couldn't possibly add that much revenue. Wake up McDonald's and stop messing with your brand. If they think it's static now, wait until it becomes diluted.
Why not start by making a better burger? Why not stop lying to the vegetarians about putting beef flavoring on the fries? Why not
stop promoting every bad blockbuster that comes along with a cheap plastic toy? Why not improve food, service, and stick with the basics of brand marketing?
McDuh?
McDuh © BridgeMarketing.com 2002
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