4 Lessons McDonald’s can Teach us About Successful Marketing

McDonald’s is one of the most widely recognised fast-food restaurants in the world, with 36,899 restaurants situated across the globe (to date). Founded in 1955, the company has gone on to experience insurmountable success, and now generates revenues of more than $24 billion – making it the 90^th largest economy in the world.

McDonald’s has without doubt created one of the most successful marketing campaigns of our time, having effectively marketed itself on a truly international scale.

Here we bring you some top marketing lessons that we can learn from this incredibly successful brand:

Understand your Clientele

The more you understand your clientele, the easier it is to reach out to them. McDonald’s has clearly demonstrated how well it knows its clientele through its many advertisements, including the recent coffee advert showing people from all walks of life enjoying a cup of McDonald’s coffee.

Another way that McDonald’s clearly understands its clientele is by tailoring its menu to specific regions. For example, they offer halloumi muffins in Cyprus, Greece and UAE, seafood burgers in Hong Kong and spicy options in India, ensuring that all palates are appropriately catered for.

Maintain a Consistent Brand Image

Despite the fact that there are some 35,000 restaurants worldwide, no matter which McDonald’s you enter, you can be guaranteed a consistent experience (aside from the language differences). From the wrapper around your burger to the spoon used in McFlurry’s, everything about McDonald’s is completely consistent.

To replicate this, be sure to use consistent colours, styles and fonts throughout every aspect of your business. Never change your logo or strap line’s colour, size or style, and keep all copy in a consistent style.

Be Smart

Despite being one of the largest and longest-running brands in the world, McDonald’s still manages to create innovative, clever and unique marketing campaigns that haven’t been done by other companies. The McFlurry was the first of its kind to be marketed and generated immense long-term success. Likewise, the McDonald’s Monopoly promotion was so successful that the company now runs it annually.

Play on your Strengths

Every business is unique, and a successful marketing campaign plays on the specific strengths of a business. McDonald’s knows that its strengths don’t lie in the quality of the food – they lie in areas such as familiarity, value and convenience. As such, McDonald’s marketing campaigns really play on this heavily, successfully appealing to millions of customers every single day.

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