McDonald’s Brand Elements

 A variety of brand elements can be chosen that inherently enhance brand awareness or facilitate the formation of strong, favorable, and unique brand associations:

1.      Brand Name:

The first McDonald’s restaurant was opened in 1940 by brothers, Maurice (“Mac”) and Richard McDonald in San Bernardino, California. In the first phase, they offered a wide selection of items. Later that in 1948 they renovate the business and launched huge quantities of low-priced products. To achieve this, the brothers limited the menu—which only featured hamburgers, potato chips (later replaced by French fries), drinks, and pie. They included a self-service system. Customers get their product in a short time and at a low price than other competing restaurants. McDonald’s was a huge success, and the brothers began a franchise program. In 1954 Ray Kroc became a franchise agent for the brothers. In April 1955 Kroc launched McDonald’s Systems, Inc., later known as McDonald’s Corporation, in Des Plaines, Illinois, and there he also opened the first McDonald’s franchise east of the Mississippi River. In 1961 Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers.

 

2.      Logo: McDonald’s uses Golden and Red as primary colors in its logo design. The Golden color represents the famous arches of its first franchised restaurant, while the red color represents the food industry of this company. The synergy of both colors creates the great brand identity of McDonald’s. The fascinating story of McDonald’s success cannot be completed without the mention of its famous logo design. Those Golden Arches are one of the most popular things on the surface of Earth. From North America and the Middle East to Sub-Saharan Africa and Subcontinent, McDonald’s restaurant logo can be easily recognized by anyone from any geographic background.

 

3.      Symbol: The arches symbolize “mother.” This “maternal” aspect of the logo supposedly encouraged people to eat McDonald’s rather than a home-cooked meal.

 

4.      Character: The logo of McDonald’s has been revamped several times before it went through the final iteration in 2003. In 1948, they called the new system “Speedee Service System”. The winking chef in the logo was designed to represent the fast service of the food facility. 1961: The Golden Arch Logo; 1968: The ‘M’ Logo; 2003: The “I’m lovin’ it’ Logo. From 1968 till 2003, the McDonald’s logo went through several revisions. One of the most successful marketing campaigns in McDonald’s history, the one-liner ‘I’m lovin’ it’ became a worldwide slogan of the company.

 

5.      Packaging: Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. McDonald’s Corp. achieved its goal of sourcing all its paper food packaging in restaurants from recycled or sustainable fiber. Most of the paper bags, food wrappers, napkins, cup carriers, and other fiber-based materials used to package meals for customers came from recycled or certified sustainable fiber sources. Overall, the company says 80 percent of its packaging came from renewable, recycled. McDonald’s also uses paper straws and wooden cutlery in some markets and is exploring fiber lids and reusable cups.

 

6.      Slogan: McDonald’s first slogan was recorded in 1960 “Look for the Golden Arches”. Further, this slogan was meant to convey brightness and being clean. McDonald’s has trademarked “I’m Lovin’ It”. Some of McDonald’s slogans and taglines include:

·         Let’s Eat Out (the mid-1960s)

·         The Closest Thing to Home (1966)

·         You Deserve a Break Today (1971)

·         Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun (1974)

·         We Do It All for You (1975)

·         Nobody Makes Your Day Like McDonald’s Can (1980)

·         It’s a Good Time for the Great Taste of McDonald’s (1984)

·         My Mcdonald’s (1997)

·         We Love to See You Smile (2000)

·         It’s What I Eat and What I Do (2005)

·         What We’re Made Of (2008)