chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Say What You Want

Re: Say What You Want

Prettyprincess — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:33:11 -0000

totally of subject but who thinks glee in the new twilight? the new fad? the "what is in right now"? well news flash IT IS! we all now stephanie meyer is gunna carry this out as long as she can but glee is gunna be around for seasons and seasons long

Re: Say What You Want

Joe — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:45:36 -0000

I love everything about McDonald's McCafe... everything except for the silly name

Re: Say What You Want

Jim Holbrook — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:06:40 -0000

two questions:
1. is it an "either/or" choice? could McDonalds deliver 'consistency' in a mass marketed way, and also overlay personal/social hooks as well? Would that help them or hurt them? Could Tide detergent do it? Gerber baby food? Buick? Hyatt Hotels? Miller Lite? Any brand with mass distribution and a broadcast media budget of over say $100M - - should they try to be more 'intimate'? Or is it a waste of time and money, and potentially somehow harmful to the brand? I dont see the danger, so why doesnt McDonalds try to be a little more user-friendly?
2. are some brands (businesses, categories?) more responsive to one approach over the other - mass vs targeted (or broadcast vs narrowcast, or push vs pull) - I am not sure of the nomenclature. But is there a 'test' of some kind that would say, gee, for your business, you ought to broadcast out your USP... but for your business, you ought to go down the "cafe" path (to borrow Chris' term)?

Just wondering.....

Re: Say What You Want

Elizabeth Pagano — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:35:29 -0000

You're right. Serving up fast-fatty foods and paying minimum wages is so un-progressive. Yet when other seemingly-progressive companies balk at offering sabbaticals to their employees, guess who's been serving up sabbaticals since the 1960s?? That's right, McDonald's was one of the first to adopt the practice, backing up "You deserve a break today" with real action.

Re: Say What You Want

Stacy Lukas — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:28:38 -0000

Sometimes, though, I think they're so good and/or routine that they surprise themselves. Case in point: The other day I was driving through and was planning on getting what I usually get -- a quarter pounder with cheese meal and a Coke. I'm not picky, I never ask for anything different. That's what I always get.

So I get up to the speaker and I hear, "Welcome to McDonald's, would you like to try a quarter pounder with cheese meal today?"

Surprised, I answered, "Actually, yes, that's exactly what I wanted. With a Coke."

Silence on the other side for about 5 seconds.

"Excuse me what was that?" the speaker barked back at me.

I answered, "You asked if I would like a quarter pounder with cheese meal, and that's what I wanted. So I said yes. With a Coke."

"Ok so you'd like a quarter pounder with cheese meal, with what to drink?"

"A Coke!"

I thought we finally had that all straightened out, I pulled up to Window #1, paid, pulled up to Window #2 and got my food, and drove off.

They gave me a Diet Coke.

Re: Say What You Want

Rick Boretsky — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:45:46 -0000

And only Mcdonald's can take an existing sandwich (the big mac) wrap it in a tortilla and then market the hell out of it as a new creation. I almost never eat there, and even I want to try that 're-'creation. Genius!

Re: Say What You Want

Daniel Faintuch — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:41:05 -0000

Great post.
When we, marketers, suggest and propose strategies that do not involve mass marketing, we never mean to claim that mass marketing does not work. All that we mean to say is that we believe that most companies are more likely to succeed by utilizing these different approaches. Although McDonald's is still successful, I doubt that a company getting started nowadays could reach that same size with mass marketing.

Re: Say What You Want

Jackie Perez — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:06:57 -0000

I couldn't agree with you more Chris! McDonald's are truly great business savy people and definetily VERY smart!

A couple of months ago, after a visit to McDonald's I was also moved by some of the same thoughts and was motivated in finding out more about McDonald's history and business strategy. I was surprised to find out about the different brands that McDonalds owns and was particularly interested in their ability to be the leaders in their industry for such a long time despite the economy, wars, trends, and seasons.

I do not know about the rest of the nation, but here in southern california, McDonald's has begun to renovate their restaurants and are begining to provide customer service that is unexpected of a fast food chain. I went through a McDonald's drive-through a couple of weeks ago during peak lunch hours and as I was waiting in my car , I was greeted by an employee with a tray of McNuggets and asked if I wanted to have some as I waited! wow! Also, on a different visit to the restaurant, when i finished placing my order the chasier asked me for my name to call my order, rather than just giving me a number. A simiple touch like this does make a difference in the way a customer feels & I am glad to see that McDonald's is continuing to inovate!

Re: Say What You Want

Rachel Burkot — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:07:13 -0000

McDonalds comes under a lot of criticism for being so unhealthy, but the sheer success of the franchise should be enough to wipe out that criticism. The fact is that people often PRETEND they care more about their nutritional needs than they actually do. The fact is, McDonalds gives us the greasy cheeseburgers and salty french fries that we crave - so they are successful.

Re: Say What You Want

Susan Guillory — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:49:03 -0000

Chris--
I completely agree with you. I have long loathed McDonalds' food, but with a four-year-old, I've inevitably found myself there far more often than I'd care to admit. And every time I find something positive to blog about.Their nutritious-ish kids' meals. The McCafe. The updated design.

I met the Global CMO at AMA's conference in Orlando, and love how they're listening to bloggers. They're not yet embracing the social media realm, but maybe that's where New Marketing Labs can step in??

Re: Say What You Want

Tom Lindstrom — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:54:28 -0000

At the moment it seems to be a working strategy to sell something for everyone like McDonads is doing.In the online world it is quite the opposite, you must focus on a small niche to make any money.

Re: Say What You Want

@JoshHurlock — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:38:05 -0000

McDonald's food is not good or healthy. I agree that in terms of marketing, McDonald's is well above anyone else. McDonald's comes out with salads and various items dubbed as healthy, but who knows how healthy the salads really are from McDonald's. This marketing makes people feel that McDonald's is not as unhealthy as everyone makes the food appear. Nonetheless, people go to McDonald's for cheap food and quick service and the marketing makes the decision easier with the idea that McDonald's is becoming healthier.

In terms of fast food, Wendy's is not as unhealthy and the food is better. McDonald's has the edge in marketing worldwide, but I know where I would rather eat any day of the week.

Re: Say What You Want

Amie Gillingham — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:32:15 -0000

@tomob: that's an excellent point. BK & McD fill two very different niches within their market. And I agree that one can go too far in the direction of anything for anyone, particularly in a business where a need for speed is part of the equation. People like me who want custom typically slow down an otherwise streamlined system.

Re: Say What You Want

Tim Jahn — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:28:01 -0000

Good point. McDonalds is a great example of how shoving messages down customers throats through mass (extremely mass) marketing can still work. The catch of course is that the customers (we) are enabling their success and their behavior. Doesn't make it right or wrong necessarily.

Re: Say What You Want

Tom O'Brien — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:02:25 -0000

@amie

Actually, McDonald's has chosen to compete on the dimension of operational excellence (from book - Discipline of Market Leaders) and that discipline does not include customization.

That is why BK has chosen customization - Operational Excellence is not available in the category (McD owns it) and Customer Intimacy (have it your way) is available.

One size fits all isn't for everyone, but doing anything for anyone is a recipe for failure.

@tomob

Re: Say What You Want

Amie Gillingham — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:11:12 -0000

And yet, it's their not caring about what I think/want that has led me to boycott them for the past 32 years (mind you, I'm not yet 38). As a child, I asked for a plain cheeseburger and they refused to give me one, claiming they don't make them that way. Even when I cried. Even when I pointed out that they *were* plain until they put all the fixings on. Even when my mom got a manager. I'll never eat there again, nor will my children if I can help it. This is how Burger King got their foot in the door back in the late 70's/ early 80's. One size fits all is a myth.

Re: Say What You Want

Chris Brogan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:04:03 -0000

@lethality - the word "brand" appears once in the piece and is used appropriately to reference other product lines McD's purchased to bolster their earnings portfolio.

Then again, you might not have been referring to me in your comment.

Re: Say What You Want

Lethality — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:15:42 -0000

@Beth - that isn't branding... thats just sound business. My problem is that people use "branding" interchangeably for other things too much.

Re: Say What You Want

Beth Evans — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:12:38 -0000

Both McDonalds and KFC are really popular in Beijing, where I live. These brands are taking advantage of their shrinking popularity in the U.S. and adapting themselves to local cultures around the world in market savvy ways, such as customizing their menus to local tastes.

Re: Say What You Want

VlogHog — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:56:09 -0000

Is this article about McDonald's or marketing? It's not clear from the title.

Re: Say What You Want

Harry Joiner — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:29:33 -0000

@Lethality - Point taken. In the words of Doc Searls, "Sales is real; marketing is bullshit." But my point about McDonald's, Starbucks, WalMart, and any other big, well established brand is that their is always great consistency between a world-class brand's promise and what they actually deliver. Therefore, the brand becomes a type of "shorthand" for a larger sales pitch. As info, this only happens when the entire company and its operating model are in total alignment behind the brand's promise (ie Unique Selling Proposition). Here's an example of what I'm talking about: http://tinyurl.com/cbyvuh

Re: Say What You Want

Jim Mitchem — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:25:49 -0000

Last time at McDonalds - a 5-yo birthday party. I admire the McDonalds brand, and even remarked to my wife last night after one of their spots came on (during Disney Channel show) that they're really making an effort to promote a healthier menu these days (via the aesthetic as well as the core message). Sure, their fries will always be king, but at least they're trying to compete with the healthier alternatives in fast food these days.

Re: Say What You Want

Lethality — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:16:31 -0000

@Harry - Honestly, the science that has been created around branding is fuzzy at best. Marketing-types like to over-analyze the situation and develop strategy and tactics that really overtake the purpose at hand, creating a small "sphere of importance" that exists in their own mind and that of whatever client they've gotten to bite off on it.

Re: Say What You Want

Harry Joiner — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:10:56 -0000

@Lethality: "Fact: 99% of the people that go to McDonald’s don’t analyze what they think about their “brand”." That's exactly the point of a brand. Consumers know what to expect before they get there. Indeed, that's why they go.

Re: Say What You Want

Lethality — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:57:07 -0000

Fact: 99% of the people that go to McDonald's don't analyze what they think about their "brand". i.e. sometimes marketing-types like here get a bit too full of themselves and make up stuff they think matters, when it really doesn't.