McDonald's brand campaign promises more of everything

Nation's Restaurant News, March 22, 1999 by Gregg Cebrzynski

In life, the great philosopher Mike Ditka once said, there are many choices. At McDonald's, according to a new TV campaign, there are even more choices. As a matter of fact, there's more of everything: fun, smiles, memories -- you name it.

A little ditty even reminds folks where to go for fun and food at a price that will make them come back for more fun and food. The lyrics are new, but the tune is retro: "You get more for the money, a lot more for it, honey. You get more for the money 'cause McDonald's treats you right."

Yes, it's former disco diva Donna Summer singing her pipes out on a variation of her famous "She Works Hard for the Money."

The campaign was created by Arnold Communications of Boston for about a dozen markets in the Northeast and Michigan. Five spots were produced, and the initial ad opens with a guy cruising along in his car, talking about how the world has become a no-frills habitat, what with cut-rate airlines, warehouse shopping and self-serve gas stations that people have to contend with.

"And whoever said, 'Less is more'?" he asks. "Hey, more is more."

That's the cue for Summer to belt it out like there's no tomorrow while the camera cuts between food and every known demographic group noshing on burgers and fries. The words "more choices, more smiles, more value, more better" flash on the screen as the commercial rolls. "More better," though ungrammatical, will be understood by the kiddies.

The spot ends with a whispered voice-over of the tag, "Did somebody say McDonald's?"

The commercial does not sell Happy Meal toys or offer two Big Macs for 99 cents. It is, of all things, a brand-building ad for one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

But that's what McDonald's needs to build now: a "brand context" into which future promotions will fit, according to Tom Lawson, chief operating officer and managing partner at Arnold Communications.

As he said, you can't do discount deals all the time. Sometimes you have to emphasize the intangible benefits of fun and memories to generate a tangible return on investment.

And it's not as if McDonald's has abandoned discounting. The "More for Your Money" campaign is designed to provide an umbrella theme for local promotions.

The commercial is a slick little piece of entertainment. Although the camera does cut pretty quickly between schoolgirls jumping rope, young adults cavorting in a convertible -- in a G-rated sort of way -- and businessmen eating lunch outside an office, the shots are not a distraction. The value message is clear, and the idea that McDonald's is the right place to eat for everyone in the world comes across through the variety of people depicted in the ad.

The question is whether an ad that explains what McDonald's is all about has any meaning for consumers, who already know that they can get more for their money with two-for-one deals and value meals, and that the McDonald's experience is a pleasant one; otherwise, they wouldn't go back time and again. But focusing on brand image never can hurt. It goes to the heart of what a brand stands for, why it's important now in the lives of consumers and why consumers should believe the brand never will let them down.

McDonald's has made marketing mistakes in the past, but recent sales gains show that the chain is on a path to correcting them. If nothing else, the TV spot is a refreshing break from movie-related ads, and it may solidify the relationship McDonald's has established with its millions of customers.

The "More for Your Money" campaign is expected to run throughout the year. If it turns out that results are not what they should have been, perhaps McDonald's will consider a new campaign using Summer's sensuous "Love to Love Ya, Baby."