McDonald's company is a multinational which owns more than 30,000 franchises of fast food restaurants under McDonald's brand, in 121 countries. The company also heads other brands of restaurants, as Aroma Café, Boston Market, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Donatos Pizza and Prêt À Manger. In 2001, incomes reached 14.87 billion dollars, with a 1.64 billion dollar net income. France is one of the most dynamic markets: in 2003, the figures of McDonald's France business progressed by 10 %, to reach 2.2 billion Euros. At the beginning of 2004, France had more than 1000 restaurants. In France, McDonald's welcomes more than 1.2 millions customers a day.
McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer serving nearly 47 million people in more than 100 countries each day. Approximately 70% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local businessmen and women.
The international marketing of McDonald's is very interesting to study because it represents a very important model that consists in providing the same offer through the world with an adaptation per country. Even if this model is sometimes questioned, it appears efficient considering the brand image of McDonald's.
[...] A strategy largely exploited by the American multinational is the promotions targeting children: the clown Ronald, the toys, spaces for play, the Happy Meal menu as well as birthday parties are made in order to satisfy children The speech of the Company The family's restaurant McDonald's proposes to its young customers a menu adapted to their age and their needs: it is composed of a hot sandwich, chips, a drink, ‘cookies' and a different gift every week. Today, the families account for 49% of the customers of the restaurant. [...]
[...] Maybe it is just a new strategy not to be sued again; the company lets one think that it takes care of its consumers' health. The concept of the ‘McDonald's family' is not real because the representation of the family changes from one advertisement to another; it is never the same family in the advertisements. It is supposed to represent all communities. It evolves like a family joining together during more or less a long time. McDonald's did not choose the characters of a fixed and representative family (i.e. [...]
[...] Today, the leading competitor is Subway, whose marketing strategy is principally based on the comparison of calories between Subway sandwiches and McDonald's sandwiches. For example, the last American Subway's commercial says that 3 chicken Subways contain fewer calories than a Big Mac. And in France, where taste is very important, the Belgian Quick and the American McDonald's are in confrontation in the market of the fast food. Quick is McDonald's unique challenger with of market shares in France. Quick tries to differ and not to look like McDonald's by keeping the European culture and by building up its own gustative identity. [...]
[...] Even if some companies prefer having a global marketing strategy, many international firms have to adapt the variables of their mix marketing to the different cultures. Then, it is important to know different economic or cultural elements as: Consumption habits Preferences and tastes Standards of living Educational level Cultural preferences are a major reason to adapt the outputs because they have an impact on the purchase behaviors and the consumption of the products. But, there is not only the culture or the purchase behavior, there is also the place which can incite Mac Donald's to adapt. [...]
[...] Indeed, the firm has adapted several elements of its strategy. The target In developed countries, McDonald's targets children, this is the reason why it has developed some links with Disney. In 1963, the company created Ronald who is the brand's mascot for children. On the contrary, in developing countries, it is more often youngsters who prefer to meet up with friends at a McDonald's outlet. In fact, each country has its habits. For example, in Bangkok, teenagers wear McDonald's T-shirts because it is considered whereas in the US, wearing McDonald's T-shirts gives the impression that you're an employee of the brand. [...]
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