ASSIGNMENT 14.

Analysing McDonald’s Branding

Strategies

ADMIN GROUP 9
SHAURYA DEWAN B041
SRIJANA SINDHU B043
FY BBA-B

McDonald’s is currently ranked the 9th strongest brand in the world and is one of the
most visited restaurants, with a product that’s served in over 117 countries, feeding
millions of customers every day, McDonald’s branding success is undeniable.
Building a strong brand requires not only strategy but also tactics of how to
implement it. Focusing on thorough evaluation and creation of brand building process
leads to success. And success is achieved when customers knowledge of the brand is
inconvertible. The same was achieved by the company through proper development
and integration of brand elements is necessary to achieve this goal. The creation of
brand equity is the main target of branding. The models which apply theoretical
knowledge with consumer surveys are the best valuator of brand equity. A successful
brand building proved to be a key to McDonald’s success in today’s world. When
competition is stiff, information flow unstoppable and consumer have more
possibilities than ever, getting attention is the crucial part of doing business. The role
of McDonald’s brand is to keep customers engaged in the brand. Tying product to the
brand experience is as important as tying a feeling to the brand. It allows consumers
to discover the brand. McDonald’s was successful in bringing brand personality to
life. McDonald’s was also able to shape the entire generations what created a devoted
audience of potential customers. By selling not only features and benefits but also
experience, the specific lifestyle was promoted.

BRAND ELEMENTS:
The brand name is the most important element when designing a brand. The name
McDonald’s is famous, recognizable, and conspicuous and cannot be mistaken with any
other company. From the very first moment, it is spotted we know what it stands for. The
big yellow name is always easily noticeable and its bright colours attract attention
instantly. Such a well thought out name allows the introduction of new items to the menu
very easily, by simply adding “Mc” as a prefix to the product offered. This allows
McDonald’s to feel safe since any other product on a market cannot mistake its products.

The logo McDonald’s use is strongly connected to the brand name. The capital “M”,
sometimes called Golden Arches, with the distinctive smooth shape, looks the same as
the one in the name. This connotation increases memorability and recognition of the
brand. The Ease with which the logo can be used on any product offered or in any form
of advertisement invented is an important brand-building element. Having such a simple
yet distinctive shape and colour logo permits legal protection. Easily noticeable,
attracting yellow neon McDonald’s is always easy to notice. The attention is instantly
directed on this sign. Situating it on the roof of every McDonald’s restaurant, regardless
of the geographic location it is always unchanged, and so does the sign itself. Also, the
logo of McDonald’s, Golden Arches, when placed on substantial height is noticeable
from long distances easily, thus function it performs
form the brand is exceptional. Together with specific
colours and shape of the building, there is no chance
for a mistake.
Another brand element, which McDonald’s has
invented, is character and mascot, Ronald McDonald.
A clown with big red clown shoes, yellow clothes, red
hair and a big smile is an association no one can easily forget and has strong
memorability factor. While it might seem that it is geared towards children, McDonald’s
present him as a friend of children and adults. The neutral appearance allows to place him
in every restaurant. The smile on his face suggests the experience of McDonald’s
promises to provide an individual.

HOLISTIC MARKETING:
Relationship Marketing
This deals with the phenomenon of building trust with the brand. It begins by delivering a
great restaurant experience to the customer every time. The owners, suppliers and
employees work together to meet customer needs uniquely to ensure the McDonald’s
experience. For all the customers visiting Mc Donald’s, the environment seems to be the
same with the consistent services as in any other part of the world. Company’s
worldwide operations are held around a global strategy “Plan to win” and according to
this, the customers are offered with exceptional and improved services to enhance their
experiences. The main strategy of Mc Donald’s to retain and maintain its customers is to
ensure that every restaurant that is being visited provides the best QSCV (quality,
services, cleanliness, value) for their money.

Integrated Marketing
Deals with providing customers with what they want – choice and regional variety at the
right price. McDonald’s has continually adapted to the customer’s tastes, value systems,
lifestyle, language and perception. Regardless of the location, our menu options are
always developed with the customer’s lifestyle and financial needs in mind. Globally
McDonald’s was known for its hamburgers, beef and pork burgers. Most Indians are
barred by religion not to consume beef or pork. To survive, the company had to be
responsive to the Indian sensitivities. So McDonald’s came up with chicken, lamb and
fish burgers to suit the Indian palate.

Leveraging Secondary Associations:

COCOLA
McDonald’s is Coke’s largest restaurant customer, and the two companies maintain a
unique, symbiotic relationship.
Although McDonald’s and Coca-Cola seem to be a natural fit because most customers
would like to take a meal along with coke, it is the compelling partnership ‘Value
Propositions’ and ‘offers’ they jointly designed that makes the partnership extraordinary
successful. Since Coca-Cola and McDonald’s targeted similar consumers and they
benefited each other in their partnership because they learn from each other. Moreover,
since the alliance is cheaper and more effective, this saved both companies from
spending a lot of money and has led to an increase in the volume of sales of both the
business enterprise.

Walt Disney
McDonald's have introduced a collection of 100 exclusive Happy Meal toys as they are
inspired by Disney's admired collection of dramatic, video and television characters. One
toy is included with each Happy Meal and can be purchased at participating McDonald's
The McDonald's Happy Meal promotion featuring the Walt Disney World "100 Years of
Magic" celebration is a historical collection of Disney favourites, from classic characters
like Mickey Mouse, Dumbo, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins to the newer innovations,
including Ariel, Aladdin, Bianca, Pocahontas, Tarzan, Jesse and Hercules. The
partnership had ended 12 years ago however after a long hiatus, Disney and McDonald’s
announced a new promotion partnership. The partnership will pair Happy Meals with
figures from movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios,
Disney Live-Action and Marvel Studios. It will kick off with "Incredibles 2," followed by
"Wreck-It Ralph 2".

McFlurry Oreo
The fast-food chain has leveraged the strong and famous chocolate biscuit company
“Oreo” and inculcated the same into their ice cream flavours by creating McFlurry Oreo
as well as have made shakes over the same. The same has led to a positive brand
association for both.

INTERNAL BRANDING:
Internal Branding consists of activities and processes that help inform and inspire
employees about brands. when employees care about and believe in the brand, they
are motivated to work harder and feel greater loyalty to the firm.
In the year 2017, the company formed a new team of creative, innovative and
disciplines storytellers with the aim of changing perceptions of its brand within and
outside the organisation. The company put together a team of staffers who would tell
stories about the brand based on their people, work culture, food quality and
community impact. The supervisor of this job is required to provide communications
counsel with inside and outside the company, support internal business partners and
drive awareness amongst the employees as well as the customers to enhance the
company’s overall brand image.

The company also trains its employees with an aim to improve its customer service
and also explains to them about their positioning and promise. Fortune Magazine
2005 listed McDonald’s as the “Best Place to Work for Minorities.” McDonalds
invests more than $1 billion annually in training its staff, and every year more than
250,000 employee’s graduate from McDonald’s training facility, Hamburger
University.

In the year 1975, the company started took an initiative called drive through service.
McDonalds also started a charity known as the Ronald McDonald Charity. The
Ronald McDonald House charity offers thousands of sick children in approximately
48 countries hope and it inspires courage. They say laughter is the best medicine and
nothing makes people smile more than a Happy Meal.
 MANAGING BRAND EQUITY:
Building and painting brand equity can be quite a
challenge. But with the help of effective brand
awareness campaigns and delivering superior customer services companies can build
up their brand equity.

McDonald’s was the first restaurant of its type to provide consumers with nutrition
information. The company prints nutritional information on all of its packaging and
also provides nutritional information on the McDonald’s Internet site. The company
also offers salads, fruit, roasted chicken, bottled water and other low fat and calorie
conscious alternatives.

The company is located in over 170 countries across the world and it successfully and
easily adapts its global restaurants to appeal to the cultural differences. For example,
it serves lamb burgers in India and in the Middle East, it provides separate entrances
for families and single women. Also, the drink sizes and fries are much smaller than
the ones in the US, and burgers are a bit smaller too, to suit eating habits.
McDonald’s ensures the correct sizes before exporting for international target

markets.

Home delivery has gained wide spread acceptance and has become competitive
advantage for the company.
BRANDING STRATEGY:
When the parent brand covers a new product within a product category it currently
serves it is known as Line Extension. The company makes use of the line extension
strategy.
For all the products (food and beverages), there exists an umbrella brand name the
corporate brand is highlighted and used in all of its items. For example, Mc Float, Mc
Grill, McVeggie etc.

A brand extension is when a company uses the same brand name but markets a
product in a different product category. With the right marketing tools and tactics, a
brand extension could be a brilliant way to increase brand awareness and build brand
loyalty. McDonald’s
partnered with Kraft to

produce packaged coffee including bags of whole-bean and

ground coffee, as well as pods for single-serve brewers.  It
started McCafe, a gourmet coffee shop which carries
cappuccino, cafe latte, desserts and pastries and follows a
successful international run.
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https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/relationship-marketing-by-mcdonalds-
marketing-essay.php
http://strategic-partnering.net/case-3-coca-cola-mcdonalds/
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/16/business/coke-and-mcdonalds-working-hand-in-
hand-since-1955.html
https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?q=Mcdonald
%27s+branding+strategy&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
https://milesonmedia.com/holistic-marketing-incorporates-internal-marketing/
https://www.coursehero.com/file/35222575/McDonalds-Brand-elementsdocx