The world’s largest fast-food burger chain is in the second week of its two-week promotion to accept high-fives instead of five-dollar bills.
McDonald’s Super Bowl commercial kicked off the marketing effort “Pay With Lovin’,” which randomly chooses customers for a free meal if they do an act of kindness.
“I’ve been in a restaurant every day this week getting ready for our visit for an inspection, and I’ve been exposed to customers every single day who get to pay with love,” Shelley Black, owner-operator of six local McDonald’s, said. “It’s really generated enthusiasm and positive responses, not just from the customers receiving the food but the crew is really getting into it as well.”
The “Pay With Lovin’ ” initiative is part of McDonald’s new marketing efforts by Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s USA Deborah Wahl, who joined the company in March of 2014.
“We’re just really trying to get a positive image back into the community, as opposed to some brands attacking others in negative advertising,” Black said. “Instead of focusing on negative advertising, we’re trying to focus on the positives.”
The marketing strategy has only positive outcomes, according to senior Allison Goldapp, a marketing management major at Oklahoma Christian University.
“First, it gets more consumers in the door who are hoping to be the customer who pay with love,” Goldapp said. “Second, it builds on the experience that someone gets from going to McDonald’s. During and after this promotion McDonald’s will now have a higher reputation for their care and consideration for their customers and community, which builds the brand loyalty that their customers could have for them.”
The company’s effort to reconnect to their audiences through spreading love is also an attempt at re-imaging the brand to some consumers.
“When I think of McDonald’s, I kind of think of cheap fast food that’s not the best quality,” sophomore Kelci Welch said. “But, regardless of what quality their food is, it’s a great company and they have good morals and standards.”
Recent advertisements and the “Pay With Lovin’ ” promotion stand out against competitors, according to Welch.
“For them to make that ad, in the day and age we live in, where everyone wants instant gratification and are self-centered, it’s really cool what they’re doing with pay with love,” Welch said.
Each participating restaurant will give away 100 free meals during the promotion period. With more than 14,000 McDonald’s scattered across the United States, there could be over 1.4 million free meals given away.
“In the scheme of things, 100 meals over the course of two weeks is not going to affect McDonald’s significantly,” Black said. “McDonald’s is trying to give back to the community and get out there in a positive way. We just hope that ‘Pay With Lovin’ ‘ is going to continue on that message that we’re sending.”
Although 25 percent of the promotional meals were given out in the first few days after the Super Bowl, each owner-operator has the ability to give more, according to Black.
“We were trying to generate some excitement and a little buzz about what’s going on,” Black said. “The owner-operators do have the ability to give more than just the specific list of times that we’re given by McDonald’s, and we’ve been doing more than what’s on our list.”
If the campaign is successful, there may be the possibility of an annual promotion, Black said.
“I think it could be beneficial for McDonalds to continue the campaign annually, giving McDonalds customers more of a drive to eat at McDonalds during this time – similar to how people go to McDonalds more during the time when they are doing their Monopoly promotion,” Goldapp said.
The campaign started Feb. 2 and will run through Valentine’s Day.
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