IMC of McDonalds
Rachel Walker
Kaplan University

MT 359-01 Integrated Marketing Communication Strategies
Professor Kevin Cojanu
May 28, 2013

McDonalds is a well-known world-wide corporation. Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald started a barbeque car hop in California in 1940. First starting out they offered a menu that consisted of twenty-nine different items that were served by car hops. By 1947, their business started to slow way down and they had discovered that hamburgers were one of the largest sellers within food sales. That was when the transformation began. The grills, once cast iron, were upgraded to stainless steel and the research of candy machines resulted in the finding of the ideal hamburger shaper. Dick and Mac made a comeback in December of 1948 with a completely different approach and opened as a hamburger venue advertising the famous 15 cent hamburger. When the menu first started out they served 9 different items and French fries was not one of them. It wasn’t until 1949 that the French fries came to the menu to replace regular potato chips and they also introduced a triple thick milkshake. In 1955, Ray Kroc opened a restaurant in Illinois. This was when the famous golden arches were designed by an architect by the name of Stanley Meston. Little did they know that those golden arches would soon become their well-known trademark. The very first advertisement done for this restaurant was the amount of hamburgers sold with the first sign reading 100 million by 1958. Throughout the years that number has changed to billions and billions. In 1961, a restaurant in Illinois advertised Hamburger University that was run out of the basement of an Illinois restaurant. Those who graduated from the University received a Hamburgerology degree. Within that same year, the started their new logo of a slashed M and the McDonald brother were bought out by Ray Kroc. The first restaurant with indoor seating was introduced in 1962 in Denver, Colorado. McDonalds largest advertising campaign came in 1966 when Ronald McDonald was introduced through a television commercial where Ronald McDonald was sitting on a flying Hamburger during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. According to McDonalds.com, “Ronald was and instant hit.” (2013) The Franchise grew impressively throughout the next few years and they even opened restaurant internationally. By 1969, McDonalds started the advertisement of their new golden arches logo as well as reconstruction of the restaurants. McDonalds then decided to expand their advertising by adding friends for Ronald McDonald. In 1971, McDonalds introduced Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, Captain Crook, Grimace, and the Big Mac where they joined Ronald in McDonaldland. These new characters had the young children’s attention and then they developed toys and cartoons. In the year of 1974, approximately six years after the introduction of the Big Mac, The advertising jingle for the Big Mac is introduced. We know how this goes, “Twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameeseedbun!”(McDonalds, 2013) In 1995, McDonalds came out with their new advertising theme, “Have you had your break today?” That only lasted for a couple of years before they came out with “Did Somebody Say McDonalds?,” theme in 1997, and then changing it to “We Love to See You Smile,” in 2000. In order for McDonalds to enhance restaurant experiences, they launch the “Plan to Win” in 2003 and in September of that year, they have their first global ad campaign in Germany with “I’m lovin’ it.” Throughout all these new introductions and debuts, McDonalds has had many different advertisements on television, magazines, newspapers, billboards and even on the internet. According to BusinessDictionary.com, ICM is defined as:
An approach to achieving the objectives of a marketing campaign through a well-coordinated use of different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other. (2013, para.1)
With all the information at hand, I would say that McDonalds has been on the right track with their different marketing campaigns and strategies. As stated by Lane, King, and Reichert, “It is imperative to project a single, cohesive brand image into the marketplace and into the consumers mind.” (2011, pg. 83) McDonalds has done just that and the proof of that lies within the many different rewards and recognitions that have been received. In 2011, McDonalds was recognized as Most Innovative Food Company. There are many different recognitions within this fast food chain such as best global brand, world’s most powerful brand, most valuable global brand, most admired companies and the list goes on. Plus, the recognition of being ranked the #1 fast food restaurant in America in 2012 and 71 new locations opened, that just tell you that McDonalds has developed the brand image that has been greatly accepted by consumers.

References
Briggs, M. (2011). The history of the McDonalds Restaurant chain. Retrieved on May 28, 2013 from: http://www.helium.com/items/867501-the-history-of-the-mcdonalds-restaurant-chain
BusinessDictionary.com. (2013). Integrated Marketing Strategy. Retrieved on May 28, 2013 from: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/integrated-marketing-communications-IMC.html
McConnell, A., & Bhasin, K. (2012). RANKED: The Most Popular Fast Food Restaurant in America. Retrieved on May 28, 2013 from: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-popular-fast-food-restaurants-in-america-2012-7?op=1
McDonalds.(2013). History of McDonalds Restaurants. Retrieved on May 28, 2013 from: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcdonalds_history_timeline.html?DCSext.destination=http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html