Last week McDonald’s turned 75. It was a big thing over the Internet with articles spread all over telling the tale, showing pictures of its history and all of the things you can expect when you talk about an iconic company reaching such a milestone. However, almost everyone seemed very skeptical about McDonald’s next 75.
Recent numbers showed that the company is not making as much money it used to and this is just the beginning of the end to the golden arches empire. Most articles blame the new generation, who has more conscience about health and prefer more upbeat and modern eating environments. And I’m pretty sure they are right and I bet you think the same.
That’s ok! People change. It’s hard to convince a lot of people for a long time. It’s easier and faster (and cheaper!) to offer whatever people want. Nowadays, people want to feel better about what they eat and where they eat. It’s far more important to millennials share where they are than the food itself. McDonald’s is not cool anymore, it’s depressive, it’s old, it’s disgusting. The vegan place is awesome, the gourmet sub is amazing and the Mexican grill is just my favorite spot in the world! That’s the way things are today.
And how about you old Donald? Times are tough, uh? Yes, they sure are. But, you don’t need to mess it up either!
Old Donald still is one of the most known brands in the entire planet! Planet! These guys are everywhere. They are in all free world, of course, but they’re in the tough places as well. You name it! McDonald’s is a popular restaurant in Brazil, in every state, not just in the main cities, in the little towns as well. 119 countries. One hundred and nineteen. Thirty thousand restaurants. Thousand! 68 million customers on a single day! Millions. That’s like feeding the entire population of New York, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, and Tokyo combined! Twice!
So, how the Golden Arches became so popular? With its freaking brand! And how they build their brand? Selling hamburgers. That’s focus. The same burger in here. The same burger in Sydney, Athens, Rome, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv and Cape Town. Always the same burger, always the same message. Over and over.
And how can you ruin an empire like that? Simple. You start to destroy every little thing that made your brand a global asset. You start adding more options in your menu. You start selling burritos (and call them wraps). You forget about your burger and focus on the fruit and the yogurt. You open McCafes in every corner of the world. You start changing your restaurants and its perceptions at random in different parts of the globe and, of course, you forget about your powerful and iconic red and go green. Yes, green!
I’m pretty sure management thought thase was great and natural moves, but for the brand perspective, they are all wrong.
What is McDonald’s today? The company doesn’t have a clue! And the consumer, even less!
That’s tragedy! The brand is simply bleeding to death.
Line extension, lost of focus, brand conflict and visual identity dismantle. All of that. Altogether. Want to get worse? Try to do that in the worst period for your business.
Wake up old Donald! It was all over the media last week. Start looking to your past and remember how you get here. You stand for something. You sell freaking burgers! Don’t try to disguise yourself cheating and lying to everyone that knows you, because, everybody knows you!
Go sell burgers. And get in position! You still are the leader of the market. You go and introduce new burgers, thick burgers, Angus burgers, hormone-free burgers. Don’t let Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s do that. They are putting hot dogs in their burgers! Come on!
There’s a lot of Americans that want and need your product. Think about the hard workers of this country that get out of their shifts exhausted, craving for a big and warm meal with a thick meat inside. They don’t want a vegan sandwich or that fabulous guacamole veggie wrap. They want a burger! And that’s what you do.
So, stop whining and go to TV and explode a glorious burger to the lens. Forget about the happy people and the green colors. Stick to your essential. Don’t try to change your consumer perception suddenly. They just won’t buy it.
Still lovin' it?: Mc'D's challenge
