An IMC analysis on McDonald's International Women's Day campaign
As the last week’s class said, integrated marketing focuses on brand communication, the establishment of brand image and the communication of core concepts. It is not just a one-way output of price and commodity information, but a two-way interaction between the brand and the consumer based on empathy. This reminds me that many brands will carry out integrated marketing campaigns that focus on important time nodes like Valentine's Day or Chinese New Year. And the one that impresses me the most is McDonald's International Women's Day marketing campaign. I think it is a perfect creative campaign that communicates both the brand idea and the consumers.
McDonald's core design for the International Women's Day campaign was to turn its famed golden arches upside down from ''M'' to ''W''. It was used as the key visual of the campaign and distributed across multiple channels on all platforms. This seemingly simple design can actually convey a rich brand message and closely connect with consumers' emotions. Because the change was made to the brand's own logo, it was easier for consumers to feel the brand's support for topics such as women's empowerment and gender equality, and emphasized McDonald's commitment to creating opportunities for women within the workforce and the communities.
In the application of integrated marketing communication, McDonald's also carried out the following visual promotion tactics:
The first is in store decoration and packaging. McDonald's not only reinstalled the physical logo in a store located in Lynwood, Calif., but also in 100 female-owned stores across the country, customers were able to take home redesigned fry boxes, bags and cups. Crew members at participating female-owned McDonald’s across the US sported hats and shirts displaying the “W”, bringing celebration front and center at every purchase.
And on social media, they flipped every logo across McDonald’s social and digital channels for a global celebration. McDonald’s also released a short video honoring women who have played a part in the brand’s history. The spot focuses on Patricia Williams, owner of the McDonald’s restaurant where the logo has been temporarily flipped upside down. Besides, a landing page was also created to commemorate the day which included brief biographies celebrating a diverse group of women who have chosen the brand to be a part of their story. The move did generate a lot of discussion on social media, with many praising McDonald’s for its clever marketing in partnership with agency We Are Unlimited.
Since the initial marketing of this flipping golden arch design in 2018, it has also been featured several times in Women's Day marketing campaigns in subsequent years. It is evident that McDonald's loves it and the good results it brings. In the domestic marketing campaign, McDonald's China also continued this practice. In addition to the unified release of media content across all platform accounts, they have also increased the influencers marketing on platforms such as RED and TikTok. Together with the store’s product promotions, the message reaches consumers. It makes consumers feel that participating in McDonald's activities on Women's Day is also a way to support and recognize the power of women.
From this McDonald's International Women's Day case, we can see that an emotional connection between the brand and the user can undoubtedly help the marketing campaign to achieve unexpected results, and a successful integrated marketing will also have a long-lasting impact on the brand image in the minds of the consumers.
McAmen! The article's analysis of McDonald's International Women's Day marketing campaign is very accurate, especially the description of how McDonald's conveys brand information and establishes emotional connections with consumers by changing its iconic "M" logo. It shows how brands can cleverly use their most well-known asset, the logo, to communicate social issues. In recent years, many brands have been questioned by the public for calling Women's Day "Queen's Day" or "Goddess Day", etc., which is considered to weaken the original meaning and seriousness of the festival. Also ignore the original intention of Women's Day to celebrate women's achievements and promote gender equality. In contrast, McDonald's marketing approach respects the essence of the festival while conveying brand values, emphasizing the core values and significance of International Women's Day. By combining brand activities with social values, McDonald's can not only attract more consumers, but also establish a unique brand image in the highly competitive fast food industry.
ReplyDelete