McDonald's: Having your Big Mac and eating it

McDonald's: Having your Big Mac and eating it

By 2006, after being at the centre of numerous media backlashes concerning issues such as the obesity debate and health scares, McDonald’s faced stagnated sales and loss of consumer trust. They refocused and overhauled just about every aspect of the business, altering their communications to be more brand-based, in order to regain customers’ trust. Advertising not only sustained the business during a period of internal operational refocus, but also crucially acted as a vital amplifier and catalyst for changing consumer perceptions, and consequently for business performance. The campaign resulted in McDonald’s enjoying 15 consecutive quarters of growth, an increase in payback from brand advertising from £2.33 in 2005 to £7.45 in 2009.