By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-07-09 00:52:22 | Word Count: 664
We all know that McDonalds has a huge marketing and advertising budget that allows them to be a leader when it comes to advertising trends. They have a number of memorable commercials that date back fifty to sixty years, but for the first time, McDonalds has begun to run commercials that announce their free Wi-Fi service. I understand this might not come as a surprise to some but this is an important commercial because they are the first in the fast food industry or in the restaurant business to do so.
For about a year now I started to see window signs at McDonalds that advertise free Wi-Fi but never any commercials promoting this desirable service. My first reaction was somewhat closed-minded but it was pre-iPad and I just didn’t see the larger picture. I thought to myself, “who goes to a fast food restaurant like McDonalds to use free Wi-Fi?” but in reality, this is way smart. It started to make some sense when the restaurant began advertising their new coffee, espresso, or iced coffee variations to compete with specialty coffee stores like Starbucks. Nonetheless, when a place like McDonalds starts to offer free Wi-Fi, you take notice.
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A corporation like McDonalds advertising Wi-Fi can only mean everyone else will follow suit. Instead of thinking this has to do with their new coffee and espresso bars, I think the move to run commercials has more to do with devices like the Apple iPad, smart phones, and laptops. McDonalds is one of those franchises that are able to mold themselves to every emerging consumer trend. They sync with us and see every trend through with a perfectly calculated, full blown marketing campaign. Offering free Wi-Fi and affordable coffee house style beverages helps them broaden their consumer reach. Instead of just marketing to kids and their parents, the coffee and Wi-Fi strategy caters to young or older professionals with or without children.
When the U.S. was in the thick of the recession, McDonalds quickly responded by focusing and promoting their dollar menu. McDonald’s sales were up and they were hiring! The move to Free Wi-Fi is a perfect follow-on response to the emergence of handheld devices and neutralizing any ambient advantage once held by Starbucks. Just consider how many consumers actually chose Starbucks simply because they knew they could stay connected. McDonald’s has removed that competitive advantage.
McDonalds is a terrific example of expert marketing and advertising strategies. Their campaigns are usually well thought out and prove that much research goes in to their decisions. Burger King is good too but it really is a distant competitor and clearly inferior to McDonald’s consistently great marketing. Well McDonalds… I’m loving it!
