Enough already with "meatatarian" marketing

Via Burger Business

I like meat. I eat quite a bit of it. But there's nothing more tiresome than a junk food brand thinking it's being edgy by trolling vegetarians.

Remember this one?

It's an old idea, and this kind of oppositional marketing is only funny once or twice.

Call me a "meh-tetarian" I guess...

McDonald's comes through with "something bigger" for #PeaceDay

"We love the intention, but think our two brands could do something bigger to make a difference."

That was the rather chilly response by McDonald's to Burger King's cheeky McWhopper proposal for Peace One Day.

But it turns out they actually meant it:

According to Burger Business, McDonald’s was the key impetus behind this global initiative to provide food assistance to refugees and other displaced people by the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) food-assistance wing.

McDonald’s funded this 30-second TV spot, by their agency TBWA. Liam Neeson is the VO.

The objective, according to McDonald's, is to "raise awareness of the refugee crisis; and encourage people to donate to the WFP to make a tangible difference.”

Other participants in the program are  McCain Foods, Cargill, DreamWorks Animation, Facebook, MasterCard, OMD, Twitter, United Airlines... and Burger King.

Hunger is a root cause of human conflict, because people will do anything to ensure that they and their families can survive. In turn, conflict causes food insecurity, as crops are destroyed, farmers are displaced, and field-to-fork infrastructure is disrupted.

On a 2014 visit to Turkey, Pope Francis summarized the idea that the "war on terrorism" starts with fighting poverty and hunger in at-risk regions:  "What is required is a concerted commitment on the part of all ... [to] enable resources to be directed, not to weaponry, but to the other noble battles worthy of man: the fight against hunger and sickness."

Burger King wants to make love, not war, with McDonald's #PeaceDay

This is awesome, and not just as a marketing coup.

Burger King today placed this full-page ad in the New York Times and Chicago Tribune, offering to collaborate with McDonald's on a "McWhopper" for Peace One Day.

Burger Business quotes Fernando Machado, Burger King SVP for Global Brand Management: “We’re being completely transparent with our approach because we want them to take this seriously,” Machado says. “It would be amazing if McDonald’s agrees to do this. Let’s make history and generate a lot of noise around Peace Day. If they say no, we’ll hopefully have, at the very least, raised much-needed financial support and consciousness for the great cause that is Peace One Day. And both are well worth the effort.”

McDonald's, however, did not take the burger bait:

I'm not surprised, but I'm still a little disappointed. It was a fun and clever ploy, however McDonald's countered coldly with a holier-than-thou attitude. In the end, though, I now know about Peace One Day. And yesterday, I did not. The bigger question is, what am I going to do about it?

Better meat is coming to fast food

I've been going on about it for a few years now, but it's actually happening.

Chipotle dropped the gauntlet with its promise of more local, sustainable sources. McDonald's has tried to become more transparent about its farm-to-fork supply chain (especially in Canada and Australia). Also in Canada, an independent A&W promises "hormone-free" beef and chicken raised without antibiotics.

Now American chain Carl's Jr. (whose gratuitously sexed-up ads frequently feature here) is doing something really smart: They're offering their customers a choice.

According to Burger Business, Carl’s Jr. is ready to introduce the first “all-natural, no hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids, grass-fed, free-range beef patty” from any major quick-service (fast food) chain in the United States.

But they're not replacing their ordinary beef burgers, just offering the more natural beef as an upgrade:

“We’ve seen a growing demand for ‘cleaner,’ more natural food, particularly among Millennials, and we’re proud to be the first major fast-food chain to offer an all-natural beef patty burger on our menu. Millennials include our target of ‘Young Hungry Guys’ and they are much more concerned about what goes into their bodies than previous generations,” Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for Carl’s Jr., said in a statement announcing the new burger. “Whether you’re into more natural foods or not, it’s simply a damn good burger.”

Great news for people concerned about where their meat comes from, and how the animal lived. Now it's up to the restaurant's regulars to put their money where their mouths are.

McDonald's Norway's weird puppet love letter to farmers

A marionette McDonald's employee meets an elderly farmer, and what follows is an oddly romantic music video:



I'm still trying to figure this one out. Here's the description by McDonald's Norge:

The film is made by Qvisten Animation and depicts the long lasting bond between the Norwegian farmers and McDonald’s. The relationship is personified by two marionette actors controlled by the amazing Ricky Syers.  

There’s of course no love story without a proper love song. The beautiful interpretation of ”When You Say Nothing At All” by Ronan Keating, says it all. Especially so considering the puppets’ rather restricted ability to express themselves verbally. They show their feelings through body language and as the film shows they’re working hard to convey Mr. Keatings words as accurately as their bodies allow.

So the message is, "McDonald's loves its farmer suppliers and they love us". But the message is played out so literally that it's uncomfortably sentimental. I mean, we're really supposed to believe that this corporation exists because it loves rural life?

This campaign fits in with the basic strategy of other farm-to-fork initiatives in the United States, Australia and Canada. But the execution, by DDB Oslo, leaves me scratching my head. It just asks for too much suspension of disbelief, leaving me more cynical than ever.

Via Facebook

H/T Burger Business

Weird new Carl's Jr. ad features Jenny McCarthy laughing alone with salad

Apparently the point of this ad is that you're supposed to be focussed on model, horrible writer, and vaccine-denier Jenny McCarthy's ample cleavage in this ad:

I don't know about you, but I was more distracted by how completely off-the-rails annoying this woman is. 

There's a making-of video as well:

Don't you love it when 72andSunny CD Mick DiMaria gushes about how Ms. McCarthy is "still... amazingly beautiful" at 40? (I guess women are supposed to look not-beautiful at that age?)

Burger Business reports, "Last time Carl’s Jr. promoted salads its aim was to attract a broader audience than its traditional 'young, hungry guys' customer base. No doubt that’s the hope again. In a tight, low-growth market, every customer counts."

Good luck widening your demographic with this stuff, guys.

(In case you're unaware, "Women laughing alone with salad" is a thing in stock photography.)

McDonald's Australia offers supply-chain transparency app

The changing consumer perception of food is starting to have a real influence on fast food chains. In 2011, McDonald's USA started a "farm to fork" campaign about their ingredient sourcing. Last year, McDonald's Canada launched an "ask us anything" site to try to dispel urban legends about their food. Now, according to Burger Business, McDonald's Australia (Known there as "Macca") has gone even further with the marketing transparency, creating an app that can source the farms and producers who created the ingredients for your actual meal. This video explains:

Burger Business writes:

In its Facebook film explaining the app, McDonald’s admits that there remains “some confusion about just how real our food is,” despite its having spent many years and tried a variety of approaches to explaining its food sourcing and preparation. No amount of food-quality information will suffice for some fast-food haters, vegetarian activists and food elitists, but McDonald’s has provided far more transparency on this issue for a longer time than has any other QSR chain.

I'll give McDonald's points for effort, if not for the actual products. Supporting local farmers and producers is great. Pushing highly-processed packages of sugar, salt and fat on families... somewhat less so. But it's great to see big brands reacting to grassroots change.

If the world is ending soon, why bother eating healthy?

That seems to be the message behind this ad for a hamburger made with beef, bacon and "rendered pancetta"and topped with bacon and prosciutto, and served on a bacon bun.

According to Burger Business, this $12 monstrosity is being offered by California chain Slater's 50/50 (the name is a reference to all their patties being half beef and half ground bacon). As the copy promises, if the Mayan apocalypse  is coming, you might as well eat whatever you feel like.

Worst case scenario, you die with a belly full of salt and grease. Best case, you have to live with it.

Arby's rebrands with CP+B, but will they fare any better than The King?

Fast food roast beef sandwich chain Arby's has a new logo, a new tagline and a new enemy: Subway.

The ad isn't bad. The logo update, kind of a mess. And the tagline?

This brand evolution is the work of CP+B, who won away the nearly $100 million Arby’s account in February without a review. It was a gift from Arby's Chief Marketing Officer Russ Klein, who was the one who hired CP+B to rebrand Burger King in 2004. 

Klein left BK in 2009, and CP+B (according to former partner Alex Bogusky) fired the $300 client two years later over creative differences. However, the joint statement issued by agency and client stated, "We are incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together, but have mutually decided that now is the right time to part ways. We are fans of each other’s work and wish each other much success in the future."

The edgy CP+B work for BK was legendary, going viral and causing other creatives to turn green. But it failed to stop a steady decline in sales.

Burger Business wrote:

CP+B certainly can’t bear all the fault for BK’s inability to grow, but management clearly decided that the agency has had its shot. And has missed. The chain reported a 2.3% decline in worldwide same-store sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010. The brand advanced some in Europe, but in the U.S. and Canada sales decline 3.9% for the year. Wendy’s is building; McDonald’s is cruising. BK has been falling behind.

In short, the advertising didn't work. And the vultures were quick to circle the once-untouchable creative shop.

Slate's Seth Stevenson wrote,

Crispin was the sexiest ad agency in the country. It had been named “Agency of the Year” at the Clio Awards for two years running. It was designing enormous campaigns for well-known brands like Volkswagen and Burger King. And yet the more accolades Crispin received (Ad Age judged it the No. 1 agency of the decade at the end of 2009), the more my distaste for the outfit sharpened. Crispin’s raunchy, bro-focused vibe rubbed me all the wrong ways, targeting the lowest common denominator with campaigns that valued provocation above substance and casual cruelty above inclusiveness.

Now, the same marketing chief has brought CP+B over to Arby's to try a new strategy. Instead of differentiating by cool factor, Arby's is firing a very focussed shot across the bow of Subway, the top seller in the "sandwich" category of American fast food chains.

It's a solid message for a one-off campaign, if people end up caring where their meat is sliced. Here in Canada, unsanitary high-speed factory slicing of Maple Leaf cold cuts in 2008 was found to be the cause of a listeria outbreak that killed 22 people. So processing matters.

But what exactly is Arby's beef? Their site lists the ingredients of their roast beef as "Beef, water, salt, sodium phosphate." However, there is an older ingredients list circulating that reads "Trimmed Boneless Beef Chunks (Minimum 70%) Combined With Chopped Beef For a Maximum of 12% Fat. Contains up to 9.0% of a Self-Basting Solution of Water, Salt, Sodium Phosphate."

They are also serving more and more turkey, which is officially described as "Turkey Breast, Turkey Broth, Contains 2% or less of the following: Salt, Brown Sugar, Modified Food Starch,
Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate."



Arby's has had its share of urban legend headaches about the quality of its meat, including a tenacious one that claims the beef arrives at the restaurant in gelatinous form. While the latter is only a hoax, basing their entire brand on "slicing up freshness" really could bite them in the buns if it draws too much attention to the quality and processing of their beef or turkey.

And now they've given Subway a reason to embarrass them.

Russ Klein is willing to bet again on CP+B. But I have to wonder why.

What does "premium" junk food really mean?

Burger King's "premium".

Last week, I saw an interesting post on Burger Business, a fast food industry blog about how the word "premium" has become a popular adjective for burger chains:

According to data compiled for BurgerBusiness.com by Mintel, its use on menus has doubled since 2007 (and this is even before Burger King’s new items), and not just at quick-service restaurants. In an economy where consumers are looking for top value without necessarily paying more for it, “premium” connotes high quality or high price without committing to being either. “Premium” sounds upscale, special, with a sophistication that “deluxe” lacks.

McDonald's "premium" line (from their online menu)

But what exactly does "premium" mean, in the realm of junk food?

The Oxford American English Dictionary defines the adjective as "relating to or denoting a commodity or product of superior quality and therefore a higher price."

Wendy's

The problem, of course, is that "premium" is not part of the USDA's grading standard. It's an entirely relative term. If the fast food chains are being honest, it could imply that the meat is better than what they were giving you before.

But this is marketing. What they really want to imply is "better than the other guy's."

KFC Canada: "The premium chicken breast is marinated in our hot & spicy seasoning
 for full flavor, then double breaded by hand for extra crunch."

It's total bullshit, of course. The word is absolutely meaningless in any real sense of food quality. But as a marketing term, it works. Hard.

From another Burger Business post:

Speaking at last week’s 2012 Protein Innovation Summit hosted by Meatingplace magazine, Technomic Executive Vice President Darren Tristano presented data on consumer attitudes to beef quality (not just burgers). According to Technomic’s 2011 Center of the Plate Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report, 28% of diners say the amorphous descriptor “premium” would make them more willing to pay up to 5% more for beef at a restaurant or supermarket. Another 11% say that seeing that word would make them willing to pay more than 5% more. 

Technomic’s findings come as many of the growing “better burger” chains strive to set themselves apart by promoting the high quality of the beef they use. Elevation Burger, for example, touts its use of “100% organic, grass-fed, free-range beef.” The Cheeburger Cheeburger chain adopted all-natural, additive-free Angus beef. Farm Burger in the Atlanta area proudly serves grass-fed beef free of antibiotics and hormones. These terms signal quality, certainly, but consumers like “premium” even better.

There's even a chart:

Source: Technomic Center of the Plate Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report

Note that the three descriptors below "premium" are specific and falsifiable. But people are much more likely to pay "slightly more" (and almost as likely to pay ("significantly more") for an adjective that costs the fast food chains absolutely nothing.

Here's how those same consumers describe their expectations of what "premium" beef implies:

Note that the top two responses have nothing to do with the way the meat was raised or processed, but only the cut and breed. Specifics about hormones and antibiotics don't even make the chart.

If the chains were to move towards hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, they'd greatly increase their costs. If you were them, after attending this "Protein Innovation Summit," which way would you go? (Burger business recommends "premium, 100% Angus sirloin."

Carl's Junior franchisee site

Which leads me to the conclusion that the problems with the industrial meat system will be with us until consumers are better educated.

Cultural differences in North American fast food burger marketing

Pulled pork on a hamburger is kind of a thing now, according to Burger Business. So it's no surprise that fast food chains are hopping on the bandwagon.

The best-known of the offerings right now is Hardee's/Carl's Jr., mostly because they advertise their products like this:



Slightly higher, in Canada, our homegrown national burger chain, Harvey's, is just... well...

Okay, they may be naively featuring the actual food as the star rather than gratuitous T&A. But this is Canada. We have our own ways of making people drool...

Yeah, that's right. We poutinized the mofo. Take THAT, America!

Ugly models don't sell burgers

For the past few years, Hardee's/Carl's Jr. has been unabashed in its use of commodified female sexuality to sell fast food. Nowhere was it as cynical as in last year's "Just the way it is" ad:



Well, it worked. According to Burger Business:

Carl’s Jr. same-store sales were up 2.6% for the quarter, compared with +2.1% for the year-earlier quarter. Hardee’s also posted a 2.6% gain in comp sales despite a difficult comparison with last year’s 9.6% increase. Adjusted EBITDA margin for company-operated restaurants rose to 19.3% from 17% a year ago.

Consumers vote for the kinds of brands they want with their hard-earned purchasing dollars. Want more respectful advertising? Stop making purchasing decisions with your gonads.

McDonald's goes mod for London 2012

One of my favourite industry blogs, Burger Business, has a feature on McDonald's new uniforms for its restaurants at the London Olympic Games.

Created by British designer Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of the Red or Dead label, the uniforms’ color palette that includes “gherkin green” polo shirts for women and “mustard yellow” shirts for men. 

Managers get black pants and white shirts; customer care assistants wear checked shirts with dark green pants or skirt. Skinny ties for male managers are “just a little bit of ‘Mad Men,’” Hemingway told The Telegraph. “We wanted classic design. A narrow tie will always be fashionable. There is a very subtle hint to the mod look, which has never gone out of fashion. Fred Perry has never gone out of fashion,” Hemingway said. “That’s why we’ve gone for a polo shirt with a bit of a trim.”

...

The look includes painters caps in place of baseball caps. Hemingway explained it to The Telegraph this way: “We wanted to break away from baseball caps. These are more bakers caps or something you’d find in a pizzeria in Italy. I have a thing about baseball caps: they are a little bit too American, and they are about sport and petrol pump attendants.” 

Mad Men. Mods. Bakers.  Would you like fries chips with that?

No escape from the smell of McDonald's?

Remember the part in Fast Food Nation, where Eric Schlosser visits a top secret flavour lab? I can't help but think of it whenever I smell a familiar fast food restaurant. So, for me, this new ad from McDonald's may not have delivered the intended message



An engineered aroma persistent enough to cross the Atlantic? Mmmmm...

Via Burger Business

Meet Gregory McCreeperson, McDonald's voice of wisdom

This is Gregory. He is the new face of McDonald's Extra Value Menu.

He is also creepy as hell.



Gregory (who has his own section on the McDonald's web site) looks like he's supposed to represent wisdom and experience, and they expect young guys to appreciate the irony of this frumpy old man giving unsolicited advice on life and love.

But the Burger Business blog sees him differently: "If he looks familiar, it may be because he looks like the weary, burned-out history teacher we all had in high school. If you were especially unlucky he also was your counselor who never really knew your name. "

It's also interesting to note than Spanish-speaking Americans are spared Gregory's advice:

McDonald's Germany introduces Italian Stereotype Burger

Italians! They make big meals for their large and unruly families, they make domestic violence sexy, they play soccer and carve ham!



At least, that's how the Germans apparently see them. In this German ad for McDonald's new Italian-themed “Mamma Italia” burger, Italian stereotypes live life with a passion that is very hard on their dinnerware — which is why McDonald's has introduced Italian food you can eat with your hands.

I always though plate smashing was a Greek thing. But what do I know?

I think Japan has a new slang term for "big ass"

At least, it will when people eat enough "Grand Canyon Burgers" — which tops the patty with cooked egg, mozzarella, Cheddar cheese and steak sauce made with soy and liquid smoke.

In case you're interested, the "Las Vegas" is topped with cheese sauce and more beef (looks like Steak-umms — shouldn't that be the Philadelphia Burger then?) The Broadway has a cream cheese and mustard sauce, and the Beverly Hills is another egg one.

Via Burger Business

Is McDonald's upcoming "Farm to Fork" campaign just empty calories?

Burger Business shared the address of this "unlisted" ad on the McDonald's USA YouTube channel:



Apparently, McDonald's Tweeted it last week.

Nothing too exciting, but the it's a sneak peak into how McD's new "Farm-to-fork" approach to supply chain accountability will play out.

Here's a report about a McDonald's presentation given to an Iowa farming group:

The food retailer known for its wide variety of menu choices and a willingness to explore new marketing frontiers said connecting patrons with the people who provide their food is important. 

Debbie Roberts, vice president and general manager of McDonald’s Midwest Region, told a gathering of Nebraska farmers that linking the farm to fork matters as people become more “comfortable” with their food. 

She said McDonald’s will present an ad campaign in 2012 that will feature farmers and growers that supply the products. 

“We will bring to the consumer, the folks who are actually producing the product,” Roberts says. “They will have the opportunity to meet those folks, see them on TV…put the face with the product.” 

She points out that consumers have become increasingly savvy, and they want to know more about the source of their food. 

“For us to be relevant as a brand, we constantly talk with consumers, and we listen,” Roberts adds. “That’s been the success of McDonald’s; to make sure we have a brand that responds to consumers.”

But is it more than window dressing? It feels like they're trying to copy Chipotle's message of family farmer support without offering any tangible action to back it up.

Burger King SPAMs Japanese women

one of the most fascinating industry news sites online, Burger Business, has an interesting bit about BK's new "woman-friendly" marketing strategy in Asia: smaller burgers.

"Petite and Girl-Friendly"

And apparently what women really want is SPAM.

Mmm... Soylenty Goodness!

So, in closing, BK is offering cheap, small portions of suspect meat because that's what the ladies all crave.

I wonder if the dudes in this Singaporean ad have the... ummm... "sliders" she's looking for?



Tip via The Consumerist