Ever since McDonald's introduced "I'm lovin' it" as its first global advertising theme last September, some people have wondered whether the message would fail, suggesting that anything from cold fries to sluggish service could undermine its authority.
"The pundits were very suspicious," recalled Ronald Paul, president at Technomic in Chicago, a restaurant consulting company. "The public was not impressed."
But Wednesday, eight months into the "I'm lovin' it" regime, McDonald's executives described a new round of 13 commercials from agencies around the world in which the theme remains nothing but love. They described, too, a world in which the jingle that accompanies "I'm lovin' it" springs forth from cell phones, wind chimes and sports arenas.
"The phrase `I'm lovin' it' is becoming part of the language," said Larry Light, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at the McDonald's Corp in Oak Brook, Illinois. "The campaign, the attitude and all of our integrated marketing have helped dramatically."
The campaign is barreling ahead even though company executives and outside consultants both said "I'm lovin' it" was one factor among many in the company's fortunes, making its precise impact hard to discern.
The company believes that it has discovered a long-term winner, after deciding to abandon other recent themes like "Smile." Among other encouraging measures of success, executives cited the most recent report on monthly sales at McDonald's restaurants open for more than a year, which rose 10.5 percent in April, for the 12th consecutive month of growth.
The new commercials are designed to expand the world in which people often mention their love for "it," moving beyond the original target of young people to reach mothers and children as well.
One commercial created by Leo Burnett Worldwide in Chicago, part of the Publicis Groupe, aims to link McDonald's with fitness, an increasing priority as the country's obesity alert level continues to rise. Told to go get the newspaper, a dog named Max brings it to the end of his owner's driveway. "Good boy!" she says, happy for an excuse to use the pedometer that came with the new Go Active Happy Meal.
The company continues to market to teenagers and young adults. One new spot by the Burrell Communications Group in Chicago uses quick cuts, music and images of a young man whose wallet chain is conspicuously displayed.
Beyond traditional advertising, McDonald's also hopes to build the five-note tune that accompanies "I'm lovin' it" on television and radio into an "audio logo," as Light put it. For example, the song may soon sound regularly at pro basketball games, something the company tried in recent months during some New Jersey Nets games. "Imagine hearing those five notes filling a basketball stadium every time a three-point shot is made," Light said.
And this summer the company will begin promotions revolving around the Olympic Games in Athens, with advertising featuring Justin Timberlake, Yao Ming and Serena and Venus Williams.
For all of Wednesday's enthusiasm, which was plentiful, McDonald's declined to estimate how much of its recently improved fortunes can be attributed to its marketing. The company has also moved to increase sales by adding menu items like salads and McGriddles breakfast sandwiches; beginning a physical fitness initiative featuring Bob Greene (billed as Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer); and keeping restaurants open longer.
Paul, the consultant at Technomic, noted that more than one hamburger chain was growing.
"The other thing to recognize is, it isn't quite all McDonald's," he said, citing growth at chains including Jack in the Box and Wendy's. "It's been a return to the burger places that has helped most of the players."
Burger King, the No.2 hamburger chain, has drawn new attention with a quirky campaign from its latest agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky in Miami. Efforts have included a Web site, created to promote TenderCrisp chicken sandwiches, with an actor in a chicken suit seeming to respond to visitors' typed commands. Burger King is owned by investors led by the Texas Pacific Group.
Last week, Burger King said that April sales at its company-owned restaurants open for more than a year rose 7.3 percent, while franchised stores were up 3.4 percent, combining for the company's first gain in 21 months.
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