While tactics evolve, the fast food giant believes that consistency in a comprehensive marketing strategy is the foundation of the brand.
McDonald's differentiates itself from its competitors by adapting its tactics while maintaining a degree of “calmness” about its strategy, said marketing director Hannah Payne.
“There's a level of stillness and serenity around strategy that really grounds us,” she said in a session hosted by Kantar today (April 23).
“The tactics may become flexible, they may change, the direction may be a little different…but from our side, the strategy remains solid and true.”
Strategic consistency was a key theme that emerged from the session. But Tom Sussman, deputy chief strategy officer for McDonald's agency Leo Burnett, said the brand was not “resting on its laurels.”
Quoting BBH founder Sir Nigel Bogle, Sussman said McDonald's way of working was to “move it forward without stopping”. He said the team is focused on moving things forward with brands that it knows will resonate with consumers and drive growth.
It's no surprise that our marketing strategy is fundamentally based on business strategy.
Hannah Payne, McDonald
“The team is heavily invested in the brand. We never do something for our own gratification or because we think it will be fun for ourselves,” he said.
But he points out that it's a risk to take when it's warranted, pointing to the Raise Your Arches campaign, which didn't feature any burgers.
Payne said McDonald's is a huge brand that invests heavily in marketing, but it's also important to choose what it does carefully.
Coca-Cola CEO: Knowing what to prioritize and not to prioritize is equally important for growth
“We have a very large audience, and there are new initiatives and innovations that can come out and distract us,” she noted.
“And in fact, remaining honest about the drivers of growth that are part of our business strategy keeps us grounded in terms of those priorities.”
McDonald's Head of Consumer Insights, Finaletti Scholzaniti, said McDonald's understands the power of market orientation and consumer insight as it looks for ways to leverage its strengths.
“We're relentlessly interested in what's happening in the market and what's happening with our customers. What's driving the business?” she said.
McDonald's shares insight that changed its approach to trust
Speaking at Marketing Week at Cannes Lions last year, McDonald's senior director of marketing transformation, Joanne Coletta, explained how McDonald's has put marketing at the center of its growth in recent years.
“We now know without a doubt that investing in the work that builds our brand builds a 1.5x higher ROI in the short term than other types of work,” Coletta said. spoke about the trust they have in the brand.
In today's speech, Payne reiterated the company's belief in marketing to drive growth.
“It's no surprise that our marketing strategy is fundamentally based on our business strategy,” she said.
