McDonald’s looks to revamp sales through ‘I’m lovin’ it’ refresh
McDonald’s has launched what it describes as a “brand transformation” as it looks to arrest sales declines through a revamp of its “I’m lovin’ it” tagline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EShRCWOtNJ4
The tagline has been reignited to “add positivity and uplifting content” through the phrase “Choose Lovin’”, which features alongside the three-year-old “I’m lovin’ it” line in the brand’s new ad campaign.
Created by Leo Burnett and launched through TV and digital in the US, the first spot for the campaign titled “Arch Enemies” shows traditional animated enemy duos such as Batman and The Joker and Roadrunner and Coyote getting along in order to showcase the new focus on “lovin’” for the brand.
In a video posted by the company online, Deborah Wahl, chief marketing officer of McDonald’s USA, said the “brand transformation” is part of McDonald’s plans to keep the customer at the centre of the business. She also says the messaging is part of the company’s belief that powerful ideas have more impact than “relentless activity”.
“McDonald’s is moving from a philosophy of ‘billions served’ to ‘billions heard’,” Wahl says. “Powerful ideas change how we think, feel, act and what we do. A little more lovin’ can change a lot.”
The company says the campaign will also include new uniforms for workers, new packaging and signage in-store.
While the revamp currently only affects the US business, the new messaging may move to other markets as McDonald’s looks to slow global sales declines.
The company is currently facing global financial trouble – McDonald’s latest quarter results showed that total group sales had declined by 5% year-on-year to $6.99bn, while global revenue had declined by 3.3%.
The campaign is the latest effort for the company to enhance the customer experience after it recently launched the customisable “Create Your Taste” platform as well as opened dialogue with customers through the “Your Food, Your Questions” program.
In November, the company announced the launch of a mobile app worldwide that will offer promotions and payments in an effort to enhance the customer experience, and last month, McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson announced plans to drop menu items in US stores in order to focus on core burgers and breakfasts and simplify the ordering experience for the customer.
Jamie Hockin • 17 minutes ago
An interesting campaign. “Choose Lovin’” is a great direction for the brand to go since it’s much more customer engaging that ‘I’m lovin’ it’.
However, the creative execution massively fails to deliver on the potential to engage real customers emotionally. Deborah Wahl’s statement of intent to “keep the customer at the centre of the business” are not fulfilled in this advert/execution. It took a while to get the idea that these were arch enemies and the creative looks very similar to Google Androids current ATL campaign which will cause confusion. The animation doesn’t appeal to adults, but the quirky music is cool (though not helpful on mobile channels where there is limited audio use).
There is a massive opportunity to engage their declining audience with the idea that “a little more lovin’” can change a lot. Themes such as giving or sharing McDonalds with friends – and especially strangers, would much better suit the mood – creating great emotional hooks. Also answering a lot of the questions posed in their “Your food. Your questions” campaign – showing the “Lovin’” that goes into their food (with quality products, supply chain love, animal care etc) would go a long way, but none of this has been capitalised upon in the creative which feels shallow and plastic (much like how McDonalds is perceived I’m afraid).