Evaluating McDonald's Recent Changes: Consumer and Branding Perspectives
- jp11678
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
This article provides another example of an iconic brand losing their way: https://apple.news/AL29ZN_EUQzSl-2SjstA79g
Unfortunately, McDonald’s appears to have lost sight of their customers’ needs for the sake of cutting costs. In some cases, they have completely replaced human cashiers with in-store kiosks and a mobile app. As a result, I believe they risk losing their patronage and the brand loyalty that they and other marketers work so hard to attain.
From this example, we learn that more technology is not always better, especially if your customers don’t like it. I could see tech-savvy teens liking McDonald’s mobile app and kiosks, but the company needs to decide who their target is, what these consumers want, and then execute accordingly (ideally based on comprehensive and current consumer research using a blend of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.)
McDonald’s used to target families with children. Characters like Ronald McDonald, The Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese, along with the playgrounds built into their quick service restaurants (QRSs), all demonstrated their focus on families with children.
McDonald’s subsequently renovated both the inside and exterior of their QSRs to create a more modern and presumably broader brand appeal. If their target has, in fact, evolved to become broader to include teens, families and seniors, then the company must provide their customers with options to address the distinct needs of each of these audience segments.
From this article, it appears that some of their franchisees have entirely swapped human cashiers with in-store kiosks – not a smart branding or business decision in my opinion.
Great brand strategy involves thoughtful segmentation, precise targeting, clear positioning, and flawless execution of the intended positioning. In my 20+ years as a brand strategist, I’ve learned that if you do these well, your customers will follow.
What do you think about the recent changes at McDonald’s from both a customer and branding perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments (scroll down to the very bottom of this blog post passed the "Recent Posts".)
Very insightful information. I am a retired senior marketing executive, and I wish Blogs like this existed when I was still working. Technology makes it very difficult to stay on top of marketing trends, and technology makes it even more challenging to find new ways to stay ahead of the curve. Your insights are "spot on," and today's marketing strategists will continue to struggle with how to add that personal touch that humans crave through interaction and communication. Today's brand strategists are now burdened with an additional challenge - how to maintain brand loyalty, when you have technology working against you in many respects, instead of with you to formulate a long-term brand strategy that benefits everyone.