Advertising Campaign
Therefore, it was imperative for McDonald’s to aggressively campaign so as to change the perception about the brand. McDonald’s India planned a meticulous campaign that was broken into three distinct phases. At each phase of advertising, an attempt was made to change the perception of the consumers with respect to the different attributes. The McDonald’s campaign through the various phases has targeted on different attributes however, the punch line has remained the same: “McDonald’s mai hai kuch baat”.
PHASE I
Marketing Objectives
Marketing objectives during this phase can be describes as:
- Increase the footfalls in McDonald’s.
- To convert the existing footfalls in more profitable ones
Target Audience
The target audience during this phase was youth.
Message Strategy
To increase the footfalls and to increase profitability following communication strategy was used:
- EDLP (Everyday Low Pricing) cone was used to increase the number of trials and attract middle-class customer.
- Economeals were introduced to increase the profitability of existing customers.
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Bounce back coupons were used to upgrade the existing customers to higher spending levels.
Communications channels mainly used were Print media and Television.
Creative Execution – Evaluation
Market research
All the strategies used were according to Indian market conditions. The EDLP was apt for Indian situations and so were the Economeals and bounce back coupon scheme.
Target Audience
In this phase the image of McDonald’s was one of a westernized restaurant so the target audience of youth was the right one to target as they are more probable to go for a westernized restaurant than a typical Indian family
Results
This resulted in a 48% increase in footfalls and 30% increase in sales.
PHASE II
The Phase two of McDonalds advertising campaign began in 2000.
Marketing Objectives
From the elements of the creative execution of the campaign, the following can be inferred as its marketing objectives.
- Create a distinct image of McDonalds in the consumers mind.
- To get the critical volume stream (SEC B) in and to provide them with a very Indian experience.
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To build the perception of McDonald’s as a welcoming, affordable family restaurant with an exceptional eating experience that makes you feel special and makes you smile. This was in contrast to its earlier image of a place frequented only by a selected elite youth.
Target Audience
The main targets of this campaign were
- In particular they targeted fathers who as head of family were the decision makers.
Message Strategy
- To establish McDonalds as an affordable family restaurant they followed the following advertising mix.
- Communication Tools used: Short TV ads(15 Seconds), Print material
- The message was to showcase the value offered be the chain of restaurants. This was done by ads which showed people from all walks of life coming to McDonalds and experiencing its unique products at great prices. (Refer Exhibit 7 )
- In addition to the television commercials McDonalds also used tactical print advertisements through posters and press advertisements. It was also essential to integrate McDonald’s with India, to become a part of everyday life. This was done by using McDonald’s icons in very Indian settings, and, by using every opportunity to relate to the consumer on their special days like Diwali, Dussehra, Holi etc. (refer Exhibit 8).
Creative Execution – Evaluation
Effective tagline
The ad constantly kept reminding consumers of how McDonalds was a unique place where one could enjoy with the entire family.
Common Situations
The ads depicted situations that consumers could identify with. The advertisement shows a couple ambling down a sidewalk when the wife shyly informs her husband that a new visitor is expected at home. Surprised at seeing the poster which reads that McDonalds veg surprise is priced at a mere Rs 17. They are now seated inside the restaurant enjoying a burger when the wife breaks the news to him.
Simple and effective delivery
The advertisement just reinforced the fact that McDonalds was place for the entire family and not for a selected few elite youth as perceived before. The benefits were communicated subtly and very effectively.
Cost Efficient
The shorter ads (of 15 seconds) were effective in capturing and retaining mind-share at a significantly lower cost.
Results
Between March and December 2001 market share of McDonalds increased by 2.85% (from 10.96% to 13.81%). The increase was also sustained over a reasonably long period.
PHASE III
The Third Phase of McDonald’s communication and positioning strategy was primarily aimed at strengthening McDonald’s role as an integral part of the family.
Marketing Objectives
Looking at the campaign run by McDonalds in this phase the following inferences can be drawn about its marketing objectives.
- Depict McDonalds’ special bond with children. This is evidenced by the series of ads showing the bond a child has with McDonalds
- To become a part of the Indian experience of celebration, for which they launched advertisements to mark Indian festivals.
- To establish it as a place where there are lots of good times for the entire family.
Target Audience
The target audience remained the same as phase 2 i.e. families with children. However their advertisements began to focus more on the child in the family, showing his emotions and communicating the fact that McDonalds understood those emotions.
Message Strategy
To establish McDonald’s as a part of your daily life. The television ad showed a small child being disappointed because they are moving away from their old home. He looks at the nearby McDonalds and remembers all the good times he has had there. However when he reaches his new home, he finds a McDonalds just next to his house, which brings a smile to his face. This advertisement positions McDonalds as something that is not just a restaurant but an integral part of your daily life.
Evaluation of creative strategy
The advertisement was very effective in conveying the message of the integrality of McDonalds with the Indian family’s daily life. The 30 second commercial started with a little boy’s disappointment at leaving his old home and ended with the discovery of a McDonald’s just behind his new home (Exhibit 9). Showing the entire family sharing the boy’s happiness at discovering a McDonald’s effectively conveyed the message that McDonalds is not just a place for little children, but for the whole family. This was typical of the third phase of advertising, where the aim was to become an integral part of the Indian consumer’s regular lifestyle.
The tagline remained the same, re-emphasizing that there’s something special about McDonalds.
Results
There was an overall growth in sales of 28% and an overall increase in the number of transactions by 23%.
Also McDonalds was successful in establishing itself as a premium restaurant providing good quality food and an environment that was both posh as well as ‘equal’. It also successfully established itself as an affordable place for the whole family, which would provide them a very good time in return for their money.
Conclusion
As we see that the McDonald’s went around meticulously planning and implementing its advertising campaign through the various phases, it has been successful to a large extent in changing the perceptions of the Indian public. This was an essential step for the success of McDonald’s in India. This nature of campaign has been picked up by several multinational restaurants that are setting shops in India i.e. Pizza Hut and Dominoes where they are also focusing on the “family” as their prime target.
The various phases of this campaign have been instrumental in the increasing acceptability of multinational fast food chains in India and a changing diet of the Indian populace. The McDonald’s campaign showcases the important role that advertising plays in the success of a brand and the change that it can bring about in the consumer perception.
References
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Interview with Vikram Bakshi, MD, McDonald's. Source: exchange4media.com
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Interview with Mr. Hemant Mishra, VP, Mudra Communications. Source: Mid-Day
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McDonald’s India website (www.mcdonaldsindia.com).
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“McDonald's Marketing Strategies”, Internet Marketing Tops, Inc ()
- “McDonald's cooks up new brand strategy”, Indian Express Newspapers, Sunday, April 2, 2000
- “McDonald's to release global TV ad in India by September end” Indiantelevision.com
Group 5 - - February 18, 2004
