Gold Big or Gold Home: McDonald’s Brilliant Marketing

by Judy Lee in Business on January 26th, 2010

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McFood is glorified as ‘golden’ everywhere. There are ads on transit shelters, on the buses, in the buses, on TV, on billboards, in the restaurants, and wrapping the restaurant fronts. It’s a McDonald’s overload.

Just as the Olympics are busting around the corner, McDonald’s has upped their own game as the official restaurant of the event that is going happen between 2009 and 2011. I’m seeing more ads that relay messages like, ‘Wake Up and Smell the Excellence.’ McDonald’s isn’t just talking to Vancouver, it is hitting the many people reeled into the excitement of the sports, spirit and super fat food. How many more calories does McDonald’s want us to eat up with the Olympics ads? Isn’t it enough that they are at the top of the fast food chain? Burger King only comes in second place. Even then, I don’t think Burger King competes in the same arena as McDonald’s, French fry comparison aside (McDonald’s wins hands down).

Always ahead of the curve, McDonald’s is gold for a reason. For the last thirty-five years, McDonald’s has jumped in to support the Olympics. Without their huge dollar figure support the Olympics wouldn’t even be possible. It’s obvious that the Olympics need McDonald’s but does McDonald’s really need the Olympics? Yes, and no.

They are the fat people makers. Even their McSalads can’t fool you. They are calorific after a healthy douse of dressing. To look good, the McDonald’s brand is all about two things: the happy factor and the quality factor. The happy factor is complete with upbeat jingles (ba da ba ba ba…I’m lovin’ it!), free smiles, and optimistic yellow or gold colours. The focus on the gold theme lines up with the quality factor of the Olympic Games and the elite athletes. Beyond that, the Olympics tie in with health, sport, and community themes, all of which just add to McDonald’s golden brand.

The golden presence of the Golden Arches is unavoidable. They serve to remind you that they are there. There will be more McDonald’s love and just as much as McDonald’s hate. Those who love it will eat more of it. Those who hate it might hate it less if they soften up to McDonald’s rah-rah community efforts. It can’t be denied that they are definitely representing themselves on the world stage. Now that’s golden.

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Judy Lee

Judy has an orange bag. In it, she has her essentials including her MacBook, shiny iPhone, and Moleskine. They are her must-haves because she is always on the go. Living the Vancouver life, she is passionate about working out, eating out, and hashing out strategic plans for good marketing.

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http://www.thestylespy.com Erica

A total random fact, but the most popular food item at McD’s during Olympics is the chicken nugget. So you might notice more McNugget advertising (like the bus shelter above). McD’s is also launching a McNugget Scavenger Hunt on Twitter during the Olympics.
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/judyelee Judy Lee

Cool info, Erica! I do love those chicken nuggets. Also, I hear they are launching a new sauce, Sichuan! It’s for the McD’s in the Olympic athlete’s village. I hope it makes it way to the rest of the McD’s too.
AJ Pau

Oh man, I’m going to be fat. I’ve recently rediscovered their Big Breakfast, and I must say I indulge more often than I should nowadays hahaha

Great article!
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/judyelee Judy Lee

Thanks, AJ! Big Breakfast? I have to try that. I’m already big on their Big Macs, Filet-O-Fishes, and…fries. Lovin’ it.
http://highmaintenancewoman.blogspot.com Jordana

It’s kinda ironic eh considering that probably not that many of the atheletes would eat something as unhealthy as Mc Dicks when training! I do luve their mcnuggets though!
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/judyelee Judy Lee

So true, Jordana. If I were an Olympic athlete, I’d be looking for all the extra edges that I can get. Boring stuff like fibre? But, I’m not an Olympic athlete…and, I love nuggets too. Also, what happened to the hot mustard sauce? It was so good!
Andrew

Wow, Judy. Congrats on this article. It was a great article and it was great reading it. Much love from HK
AJ Pau

Big Breakfasts were what I ate at McD’s as a kid. Clearly, I didn’t turn out to be an athletic athlete LOLL
http://www.socialsquared.com Jess Sloss

The irony of making Canadian Olympic Athletes promote McDonalds food is almost too much for me.

Surely you can’t become an Olympic athlete if you eat Mcdonalds regularly, can you?

Unfortunately these sorts of advertising deals continue to push the olympics into “Sports for money sake” rather than the “sports for humanities sake” that the Olympics have been sold to us on.

If broccoli were the sponsor, now we’re talking.
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/judyelee Judy Lee

Big Breakfasts in moderation…balanced with some broccoli on the side? The Olympics has definitely changed from what it was back in the day. To add to that, media placement options are ever expanding! Ads are everywhere.
http://hausofhybrid.com Erin Gee

Let’s be realistic, the Olympics are an expensive event and McDonalds has billions of dollars. To have a sponsor with that kind of money is great because it takes the pressure off of finding another HUGE sponsor or MORE little sponsors.
McDonalds isn’t a sponsor because athletes eat their food, they’re a sponsor because the Olympics promote healthy living, a good lifestyle, and a great example for children – remember Ronald McDonald House? It’s a children’s charity.
Unless a sponsor is totally against an athlete’s beliefs, they’ll promote them. In case you didn’t know, amateur athlete’s don’t make much money – ESPECIALLY Canadian athletes. Fact.
http://www.neilgodin.com Neil Godin

Great article Judy. Everyone complains about McDonalds — and about the Olympics (at least here in Vancouver), but we all love the action, the athletes, the competition — whether on the ice and snow, or between fast food chains. I agree with Jess’ comment on the irony of Olympic athletes promoting unhealthy food. But. McD will be McD whether they sponsored the games or not. And there would be no ‘Big O’ if it weren’t for sponsors. So. Let the games be played?