Major fast-food giants are (finally) stepping beyond the white lines of conventional marketing strategies, embarking on surprising collaborations across sectors from fashion to tech to seize key cultural moments. But these aren’t just surface-level stunts; these giants are intentionally creating distinct experiences that transcend the confines of what we know to be fast food spaces. In fact, these are invaluable moments that customers remember long after that last bite.

Take McDonald’s collaboration with Moschino as a recent example, showing how the iconic golden arches can seamlessly transition into high-end fashion. Despite some initial hesitation, McDonald’s not only went for what can best be described as wholeheartedly unexpected, but they even struck a post-runway deal, allowing Moschino to use certain graphics in exchange for charitable donations and ultimately creating some additional real-world impact.

McDonald’s has a history of exploring unconventional-yet-culturally-on-point collaborations, such as their decision to team up with Crocs to launch character-inspired clogs—featuring beloved personalities like Birdie, Hamburglar and Grimace.

But they’re not the only player in this game of cultural connection. Burger King’s recent collaboration with Fila in Brazil shows how the chain similarly entered the world of fashion. This partnership, along with their promotional campaign, was designed to introduce exclusive merchandise while sparking the creative imaginations of their audience, reinforcing a connection between flame-grilled burgers and the lively world of streetwear fashion.

Why this matters and what it means. 

First, know that these partnerships aren’t just about selling more burgers or extra sides of fries. They’re about crafting memorable experiences that increasingly resonate with people’s passion points and lifestyles, and an avenue towards integrating themselves into our culture. Yes, of course they want to capture the attention of new audiences, but they also want to deepen existing relationships with their customers. 

Doing that requires that quick-service restaurants genuinely grasp who these audiences are and what they care about. They need to hone in on their customers’ preferences—both demands and needs. This involves active listening and engagement, whether it’s related to fashion, health, sustainability, or any other area of interest. Because in order to succeed in the competitive world of quick-service restaurants, you’ve got to help your customers see you as something important in their lives.

Tap into moments—not just trends.

The McDonald’s and Burger King examples speak to the importance of fashion in all of our lives and the evolution of fashion trends. But not every collaboration involves something so steadfast—sometimes things are fleeting and you’ve got to be quick to capitalize on them.

And when it comes to capturing significant cultural events, Pinkberry offers a prime example through its partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures. They launched a new frozen yogurt last summer to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the Barbie movie called Barbie Land Berry Pink frozen yogurt. This collaboration not only brought a fun twist to the world of frozen treats but it proved how Pinkberry as a brand could stay connected to cultural excitement.

But even then, always remain authentic.

It’s important to remember that successful brand collaborations are based on authenticity and must therefore stay true to a brand’s values and reason for being. Despite the obvious allure, quick-service restaurants shouldn’t hastily join every trendy space because it’s rising in popularity. When brands enter areas without genuine connection or alignment, their credibility is jeopardized. Remember, the threshold for entry requires that your brand not only fit into these cultural moments in collaborations but also add value to customers’ lives. They should avoid situations where customers could perceive things as a disconnected, or even worse, as a superficial partnership.

Future-proof your brand.

Proactively boost customer experiences by engaging in deeper partnerships with all things tech—consider bringing in new ordering systems or supplementing your menus with augmented reality, while ensuring digital solutions work together seamlessly. Keeping up with the latest tech lets quick-service restaurants make things even better behind the scenes and ultimately give customers what they want—quality, affordability and speed. 

And they also want you to do all of the above with some degree of sustainability. This means aligning with eco-friendly initiatives to demonstrate your commitment to taking care of the planet and people’s bodies. Whether it’s by sourcing ethical ingredients, reducing packaging waste, or promoting eco-conscious practices, quick-service restaurants are positioned to shape the future of sustainable dining and that’s a responsibility they should embrace now.

As Executive Strategy Director for North America at Iris, Dipti Bramhandkar has spent the last two decades building great brands, big and small, through rigorous strategy. Her strategy experience has been honed by working with iconic brands like Jeep, Burger King, Virgin Atlantic, Cadbury Dairy Milk, P&G (Head and Shoulders, Pampers, Crest and more), Nestle Cereal Partners (Cheerios, Shredded Wheat and more), Tylenol, Pfizer (RX to OTC switches) Smirnoff, and more. Receiving her B.A. at Cornell University and M.A. at Cambridge University in English literature, she is also an award-winning playwright, filmmaker and proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company which was founded by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Her previous experience includes senior strategy roles at BBDO, McCann Erickson and Saatchi & Saatchi on a diverse set of categories including CPMG, healthcare, fast food, automotive, telecoms, and the arts.

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