McDonald's Packaging Goes Interactive
There are some interesting things going on over at McDonald's, where the brand is aiming to capture consumer attention via their "packaging."
First up, we have "Happy," the new animated spokesperson for the infamous Happy Meal, modeled after the infamous Happy Meal box.
Happy is promoting healthier food choices like yogurt, water, and fruit. The problem, or so it seems, is that Happy came off a little scary to some who then quickly turned to social media to voice their critiques. Gotta love social media ... lots of commentary about Happy's teeth!
We got into an interesting discussion in my class at NYU the other day. The students posed a question aimed at targeting and brand positioning ... should McDonald's even offer healthy choices? Hmm. The discussion centered around why consumers go to McDonald's in the first place, which to the students view is not for healthy food, but for burgers and fries. Comfort food shall we say. Quite the debate! I tried to stay out of it and merely moderate.
But I see the point. Good positioning is focused and some say single-minded. Good targeting is squarely focused on what your consumer wants/needs and those change over time. The magic comes from getting those to match.
Speaking of fries ... McDonald's also launched new "packaging" for their fries, in honor of the upcoming World Cup. Like "Happy," this packaging is also interactive. When viewed with a new app, you can actually use it to play a soccer game! Well played.
To my eye, one of the first World Cup promotions that goes beyond just some inspiring advertising, attempting to engage people into the sport of it all.
What's your take on this? What's your experience? JIM.
First up, we have "Happy," the new animated spokesperson for the infamous Happy Meal, modeled after the infamous Happy Meal box.
Happy is promoting healthier food choices like yogurt, water, and fruit. The problem, or so it seems, is that Happy came off a little scary to some who then quickly turned to social media to voice their critiques. Gotta love social media ... lots of commentary about Happy's teeth!
We got into an interesting discussion in my class at NYU the other day. The students posed a question aimed at targeting and brand positioning ... should McDonald's even offer healthy choices? Hmm. The discussion centered around why consumers go to McDonald's in the first place, which to the students view is not for healthy food, but for burgers and fries. Comfort food shall we say. Quite the debate! I tried to stay out of it and merely moderate.
But I see the point. Good positioning is focused and some say single-minded. Good targeting is squarely focused on what your consumer wants/needs and those change over time. The magic comes from getting those to match.
To my eye, one of the first World Cup promotions that goes beyond just some inspiring advertising, attempting to engage people into the sport of it all.
What's your take on this? What's your experience? JIM.