Thus, although hamburgers and fries are synonymous with 'comfort food' in America, in other countries, these food items are exotic -- also the pull of the 'whining' child has less clout than in America, hence the lesser popularity of Happy Meals and the greater emphasis on adult staples like beer. The idea of media violence in "Pulp Fiction" rather than "I'm lovin' it" shows how America is capitalizing on even negative or perversely, darkly attractive associations of American culture in other lands, as is the heart attack on a bun that the Japanese love to buy. Yet in the United States, McDonald's new campaign "I'm Lovin' it" caters to a more upbeat youth market and stresses health, athleticism, and wholesomeness. Americans do not need to be told that McDonald's is all-American, unlike foreigners, and one of the attractions of the chain is its uniformity, thus McDonald's seldom caters to American regional tastes, as it does to international dining habits.
McDonald's is clearly pursuing the right strategy domestically, as he Justin Timberlake ad oversaw an "unbroken string of monthly sales increases" ("Online Extra: Marketing in the 'the Age of I'" 2004, BusinessWeek Online). These increases were also partly due to the McGriddle breakfast sandwiches and entree salads, playing upon American desire for novelty in the form of a breakfast sandwich that tastes like maple syrup and also a desire to adopt more healthy eating habits and still eat at McDonald's. The new dollar meal stresses value for American consumers, although its sandwiches are less of a bargain in other nations, based upon the base salary of consumers.
In China, unlike Europe where adults make most of the dining decision in a family, children have more sway, given China's infamous one-child...
McDonald's head of marketing recently stated: "What has changed is technology has facilitated our ability to reach people on a more customized, more personalized basis....We've just launched the beginning of McKids. The first store just opened in China. There will be 25 McKids stores there. it's got a line of toys, a line of clothes, a line of videos, all directed at young kids. The first one will hit the U.S. next year" ("Online Extra: Marketing in the 'the Age of I'" 2004, BusinessWeek Online). Of course, the ethics and social responsibility of selling high-fat, high-calorie, and low-nutrition food to yet another market in a world already coping a burgeoning waistline of course dubious at best. But although McDonald's ethics may be questionable, one cannot deny its skillful purveying and regionalization of its menu and message.
Works Cited
Lev, Michael. (25 Feb1997) "In Japan, McDonald's means great marketing."
The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 21 Apr 2007 at http://www.licenseenews.com/news/news161.html
Marketing Strategy Mandatory for Business Success." (2001). Trailer Body Builders.
Penton Media Inc. Retrieved 21 Apr 2007 at http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/mag/trucks_marketing_strategy_mandatory/index.html
Online Extra: Marketing in the 'the Age of I.'" (12 Jul 2004). BusinessWeek Online. Retrieved 21 Apr 2007 at http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_28/b3891011_mz001.htm
Squires, Jim. (18 Feb 2007). "McMenu Madness: Part I -- International." Retrieved 21 Apr 2007 at http://fjetsam.com/index.php/features/mcmenu-madness-part-i-international.index.html
