The McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest and

most well-known fast food chain.

In Canada, 2.5 million guests visit the restaurants

across Canada every day.

With its Canadian franchisees, McDonald’s Restaurants

of Canada Limited owns and operates more than 1,400

restaurants.

Mostly for product

promotions;

link to current

campaigns driving

traffic to corporate

site

Build positive reinforcement

around the brand. Hashtags

get customers engaged

the company usually thanks

them and encourages the

positivity.

To build awareness of the

current campaigns yet it does

not encourage any customer

engagement (through

disabling comments section)

Bounce Rate: 48.90%

Objective: to reach the masses and promote the brand

with little engagement

Our Food, Your Questions

Welcome to McDonald’s

#TBT

Objective: address misconceptions

Launched in 2012, by April 2013 20,000 questions

answered.

The “Our Food. Your Questions” part of McDonald’s

website had gathered more than two million hits.

McDonald’s Canada did not allow users to comment on

the YouTube pages, and it provides users no space to

talk to the brand

Sentiments about the campaign: negative/neutral:

doubt, distrust, curiosity

Objective: to showcase people’s real stories and

connections with the brand

450 people are interviewed at 35 different locations

across the country.

This campaign is part of the company’s new brand

vision which focuses on celebrating its strong Canadian

ties. It helps to humanize the brand. However, either

the website nor YouTube encourages interaction with

audiences

Customer Response: few comments, most of them

mixed with positive and negative ones. Negative

comments call it propaganda and blame McDs for its

food quality.

Objective: interact with audiences to recall

people’s memories, let audiences build emotional

connection with the brand

Customer response: #TBT is heavily used

together with #McDonald’s where customers

as well as McDonald’s share their nostalgic

experiences with the brand.

Many people enjoy sharing their childhood

experiences dining at McDonald’s. There are also

comments on throwbacks to people who had their

first job at McDs

While there are few negative comments and

responses. McDonald’s Canada replies to almost

every comment on Twitter, high interaction level

What are people really saying about the brand?

Posts and comments are mixed: both positive and negative;

Negative: comments and posts blaming McDs for its food quality and workers condition;

Positive: high level of engagement with #TBT, nostalgia is a common emotion felt with the brand.

Evidence of consumers having their specific loved McDonald’s food.

Despite some negative reviews, many people posts about their craving for McDonald’s, or comments

positively under the photos of their favorite food

Points of Parity: Quick,

Family-oriented for on-the-

go, brand recognition,

similar menu items

(burgers/fries), similar target

audience/customer base

POD: McDonald’s distinct “secret sauce”

Competitors: Fast-casual

restaurants, fast food

restaurants, burger joints

Points of Parity: Quick,

Family-oriented for on-the-

go, brand recognition, similar

menu items (burgers/fries),

similar target

audience/customer base

Frame of Reference: Burger and fast food restaurants that have managed

to sustain increasing growth over the years

McDonald's

Target:People who want to indulge

in their cravings

Things related to the

achievement of the target's

goal: Longing, feeling of

deservingBrand Personality: Spirited

POD: McDonald’s distinct

“secret sauce”

Indulgence Indulgence

Target's Goal: Satisfaction

Target:People who want to indulge

in their cravings

Story World: Breaking loose of all

boundaries in order to just go with

your instincts and indulge in

something that brings happiness

to you. Allowing yourself to

experience it by breaking rules.

Story World: Breaking loose of all

boundaries in order to just go with

your instincts and indulge in

something that brings happiness

to you. Allowing yourself to

experience it by breaking rules.

Brand Personality: SpiritedAllegory Type: Quest

The quest to satisfy a cravingArchetype: The Rebel

X vs. Y ideology: Structure vs. Indulgence

Target:People who want to indulge

in their cravings

Concept:

Focus on what people are actually going

there for.

Stop focusing on new products, but go

back to the basics of what people love

Target:

People who want to indulge their cravings

- this means a broad definition for

demographic

Phase 1: Build Awareness

Phase 2: Co-creation Contest

Phase 3: Drive to Action

Launch campaign:

series of videos on Youtube that depict

people in various situations doing whatever it

takes to satisfy their McDonald’s Craving.

TV ads will run parallel to social media

campaign to reinforce awareness.

Viewers and customers encouraged to post their

own videos;

These videos will be part of a contest;

Top three videos will be selected to be a

commercial about how far you would go to find your

cravings.

Winners will receive free McDonald’s for 1 year.

Top 25 #ShareYourCravings videos will chosen through

crowdsourcing.

“Top 25” will be displayed on campaign website for public to

vote on top 3 winners.

TV ads will run concurrently to reinforce drive to action.

Possible Responses:

Backlash response - “I don’t crave crap”

Negative videos submitted/parodies

Negative comments

Risk Mitigation:

Try humorous/witty responses to negative feedback

Keep it light hearted

Set up dedicated phone line for feedback

Allow negative videos to be submitted - enhances

authenticity

Brands should try to own their identity -

more authentic

Use POD to make a more effective SM

Campaign

Exploit positive associations

Be as transparent as possible

Full netnographic immersion is necessary

to understand the current state of the

brand