Discussion
Marketing magazine has argued that as a global company, McDonald’s had the advantage of drawing from campaigns and product launches that have been successful in other markets, when developing the campaign.Experiences to draw on included the 2006 pre-social era rudimentary McDonald’s UK website titled “Make up your own mind,” which was part of an ambitious brand revitalisation, where customer could ask any questions they might have had about the brand. “We’re certainly able to leverage the strengths of a global brand and a global company and pick up the best practices that exist elsewhere,” Bagozzi commented. McDonald’s Canada also benefited from its marketing independence in going for something tailored to the local audience. “We really have a belief in this company that you should be really focused on your customer, and the customer needs in each country can be quite unique and quite different and we want to be relevant to the customers in our marketplace,”Bagozzi added.
By stating that “Our Food. Your Questions” has “redefined transparency” and “made McDonald’s top of mind”,Marketing magazine is really recognizing McDonald’s Canada’s effort in creating an outstanding campaign. On the digital platform, consumers were invited to ask their toughest questions. In exchange, McDonald’s promised to step up and give clear and concise answers. It was a courageous and savvy move that recognizes the importance of creating a kinship with consumers,Alex Sévigny, director of the McMaster-Syracuse Master of Communications Management program told Marketing magazine.“Trust and reputation are becoming a fundamental part of building a brand and maintaining a brand community. The McDonald’s campaign is great in that respect. It’s absolutely brave because it required them to give the public a backstage pass to how things work.”
However, Ad Age argued that McDonald’s Canada’s campaign worked in part because it did not give consumers too many opportunities to trash it and the campaign stayed away from potentially sensitive issues. Stuart Schwartzapfel, VP-audience insights at social-media agency Big Fuel, emphasizes, however, that too much control is not a “better practice”. McDonald’s Canada did not allow users to comment on the YouTube pages, which he said “implies dubious intentions,” as it provides users no space to talk to the brand.