Earlier this week, McDonald’s announced a new marketing initiative with the following statement:
Continuing with its intent to revitalize worldwide marketing at the Golden Arches, McDonald’s today unveiled a new brand creative direction that will be the strategic “glue” for upcoming worldwide marketing and advertising campaigns.
The plan includes a new theme-line — “i’m lovin’ it”(TM). This creative direction represents one more step in an ongoing process to maximize McDonald’s creative talents and marketing assets around the world. Introduced today at McDonald’s Worldwide Marketing Conference in Chicago, the creative direction was developed by Heye & Partner, an advertising agency based in Munich, Germany, long associated with McDonald’s.
Charlie Bell, McDonald’s President and Chief Operating Officer, said, “This compelling creative approach proves that great ideas can come from anywhere within the McDonald’s System. Given the outstanding talent we have around the globe, we are further leveraging our best thinking. What we are putting together is a whole lot more than a theme or a creative execution. ‘i’m lovin’ it’ will be a unifying element for the global creative approach this fall that connects with customers as only McDonald’s can. We are on our way to a new era of marketing at McDonald’s. We intend to have some fun, and even share a few surprises.”
The brand direction process began at a February meeting at the corporation’s home office that brought together creative talent from McDonald’s global system. This meeting launched a creative “competition of ideas” that resulted in the new brand direction and theme-line.
Going forward, creative teams working on McDonald’s business throughout the world will execute the creative direction, including style, musical approach and theme-line in their own local markets. McDonald’s is collaborating with top music talent in its execution. Music, video, print and other creative aspects of the approach will be unveiled later this fall.
McDonald’s Global Chief Marketing Officer, Larry Light, today congratulated the German agency along with all of the agencies participating in this worldwide marketing initiative. He said creative from all the participating agencies will be integrated into the new plan.
“There are no agency winners or losers,” Light emphasized. “McDonald’s is committed to a multi-agency approach. The real winner is the McDonald’s System as our new borderless approach to marketing enables us to take advantage of the depth of creativity and talent found within all of our agencies.”
Light said, “It’s a great approach and I’m loving it. And so did our marketing partners at the conference today. We are leveraging our tremendous global talent and sharing it around the world to get the best and brightest ideas working for our Brand.
“We put a stake in the ground in February, challenging our creative forces to deliver best-in-class creative. They are delivering. The upcoming campaigns will be relevant, hip, energetic and powerful. Our advertising will connect to customers, especially young adults and moms and kids. We’re confident customers will like what they see when worldwide teams unveil the full creative package this fall.”
