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Introduction

A study of Promotional Objectives for McDonalds........... McDonalds Promotional Objectives The companies' main objective is to be the family restaurant that people enjoy more. Apart from wanting to be the world's best quick-service restaurant, McDonalds have the following objectives: * Development: Lead the Quick Service Restaurant market by a program of site development and profitable restaurant openings, and by attracting new customers. Increasing sales through promotions will enable them to continue their program of expansion. * Menu. McDonalds have an objective to continual enhance and improve their menu. This will better satisfy their customers and give customers more reason to visit. Many ideas for new items on the menu come from the franchisees responding to customer demand. Consumer tastes change over time and McDonalds has to respond to these changes. The introduction of the Egg McMuffin in 1971, for example, meant that McDonald's could cater for the breakfast trade. * Our People: Achieve a competitive advantage through people who are well motivated and feel part of the McDonald's team in achieving the company's objectives. Their objective of good staff and training is highlighted in their training by having a goal "every minute of every hour - make customers glad they came1" Under this objective is McDonalds commitment to its franchisees, it recognises that the success and profitability of McDonald's is linked to the success of the franchises. A highly qualified team of professional consultants offers continuous support on everything from human resources to accounting and computers. * Restaurant Excellence: Focus on consistent delivery of quality, service and cleanliness through excellence in our restaurants. Also taking into account changing attitudes. This will ensure that customers go away pleased with the service they have received. * Operating Structure: Optimise restaurant performance through the selection of the most appropriate operating, management and ownership structures. McDonalds have an objective to grow earnings per share between 10% and 15% in each of the years - 1997 to 2002. ...read more.

Middle

McDonalds spent over �33 million on marketing in the UK in 1992 to reinforce their position as the consumer's favourite quick service restaurant, which in turn satisfies their promotional objective. This included a popular TV and radio advertising campaign featuring the theme line 'There's nothing quite like a McDonald's.' This is therefore not really a constraint but a key feature of the McDonalds brand promoting the whole company. Timescale Of Promotion McDonalds promotions attempts to change peoples buying behavior and often use AIDA (attention, interest, desire and action). The length campaigns last are an important decision for McDonalds and are time limited and usually based on McDonalds previous experience. It is important that customers do not get bored with a campaign and every campaign makes an impact. For example, Happy Meals are usually launched to coincide with a new film or video, e.g., the Lion King Promotion. To celebrate the Lion King's film release, McDonalds created a set of 8 soft toy premiums, which were representative of the main characters. Simba's pride was an adventure focusing on the next generation. It told the story of Kiara's (Simba and Nala's cub) journey into adulthood and her quest to bring peace to the Pridelands. The Happy Meal ran for 4 weeks, with 2 premiums available each week. These were - Week 1 Kiara: Simba and Nala's cub Kovu: Orphan taken in by Zira Week 2 Simba: The hero from Lion King - Zira: Scar's widow. Week 3 Zazu: Loyal bird Rafiki: wise baboon Week 4 Timon: A funny, happy meerkat Pumbaa: Playful warthog and Timon's side-kick. McDonalds hope that if a customer visits the restaurant every week for a month, they will develop a regular eating habit and these visits will continue after the promotion has finished. Further promotions then reinforce this pattern as well as attracting new customers. Types of Promotion The golden arch symbol was the most important promotion for McDonalds. ...read more.

Conclusion

The other soft drinks are now delivered in a bag in box system, which has saved 55% of waste. This constraint could affect their promotional objective of having consistent quality, service and cleanliness in the restaurants. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & Threats When launching a promotion it is advisable to study a SWOT analyse, so that these can be looked at to help their objectives to be met. The following is an example of my SWOT analyse. Strengths * McDonalds are extremely well known in the UK and to run an affective marketing campaign, planning is essential due to a competitive environment and must reflect and respond to change. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) are helpful to this. * Burgers are a popular fast food, often the first dining choice for families with children * McDonalds occupies some of the best prize locations in the UK Opportunities * McDonalds have huge experience and expertise in opening new markets. * There are always new places where McDonalds can open their restaurants. Weaknesses * Consumer choice is limited and there is usually competition in every town/city with Burger King. * McDonalds rely on people to keep eating fast foods - but it is possible that this could always change. * Competitors in other markets e.g. KFC and Pizza Hut Threats * McDonalds are vulnerable to price wars from their competitors. * Current food scares e.g. BSE and foot and mouth disease could turn their customers away from eating meat, although there are always vegetarian alternatives - McDonalds rely heavily on their meat sales. * Protest groups are always a common threat to McDonalds. The impact of interest rate changes and foreign currency fluctuations affect McDonalds. Although they try to minimise this by diversifying between a lot of different currencies. 1 McDonalds Annual Report 2 McDonalds annual report 3 www.mcdonalds.com, March 1992 4 The Times 100 5 The Times 100 6 Source: AC Nielsen Meal 7 McDonalds Annual Report 8 www.mcspotlight.org and London Greenpeace ?? ?? ?? ?? ...read more.

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