The guard is evolving at the Golden Arches as a long -standing chief marketing and customer experience Tariq Hassan leaves And is replaced by Alyssa Buetikofer.
Currently Marketing Director (CMO) for McDonald’s Canada, Buetikofer is a veteran of the brand that has held a variety of American and global marketing stations For the Big Mac Maker since 2011.
She enters the hot seat of the fast food chain at a turbulent time for the company.
In the last quarter of 2024, McDonald’s has displayed its largest world decrease in sales since 2020. While American sales resumed growth, they were still 0.3%slow. According to internal dataHowever, 90% of the American population visits the fast food chain each year, showing that it is still in the lead for the guests.
In its family property, marketing will hold the key to win the “Value Wars” While McDonald’s competes with Taco Bell and Burger King in a downward race to call customers short of money.
The brand also repels the threat of GLP-1 weight loss drugs and criticism around its DEI policies. In addition to that, he recently sailed an E.coli epidemic linked to his ingredients.
Lawrence Parnell, principal researcher for public relations and communications at the College of Professional Studies of George Washington University, says that the new McDonald CMO might want to start planning by resolving what is not To do first – whether it says no to reduce prices, or make no excuse for a change in corporate policy – to “arrive at a viable marketing communication approach that will resonate with the public and protect [the] brand.”
Adweek explores four Buetikofer business challenges will face in her new role, and an overview of how she could lead McDonald’s through them.
1. Supersizing value
John Cena plays in the latest McDonald campaign for his McValue menu.
McDonald’s seeks to restore its reputation as a value destination, with CEO Chris Kempczinski Say when calling the company’s results that it would focus on the service of “daily value and affordability to customers”.
The wars of value have been warm since last year, because the increase in fast food prices – fueled by factors such as the rise in labor and ingredient costs – is in the process of making the object of publications on social networks and social media titles. Most Americans (78%) Now see fast food as a luxury Because it has become more and more expensive, according to a survey in 2024 of Financial Advice website Lendingtree.
In response, fast food brands, including McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy’s, Popeyes and Dunkin ‘have tried to court customers concerned with new offers of value. In January, McDonald’s made its debut on its McValue menu, the first update of its value offer since 2018.
A advertising campaignCreated by Wieden + Kennedy Ny and the actor with John Cena, excited the McValue benefits, which include an offer “Buy one, add one for $ 1” and a $ 5 meal agreement.
In this competitive landscape, McDonald’s may have the best chances of success if it prioritizes value to all aspects of the customer experience, not just Price, said Cait Lamberton, marketing teacher at the Wharton school of the University of Pennsylvania. This could mean improving and highlighting offers as a quick and efficient service, low waste packaging, good Wi-Fi or easy parking in restaurants.
2 Navigate the rise of GLP-1 drugs
RO is one of the many health platforms offering access to Wegovy and Ozempic
By 2035, Morgan Stanley Research Estimé 24 million peopleOr 7% of the American population could use drugs to suppress Appetite GLP-1, including Ozempique and Wegovy. The same analysts believe that the national consumption of sparkling soft drinks, bakery products and savory snacks could drop up to 3% of the same year.
With other fast food titans, McDonald’s will have to adapt its product and marketing strategy because people eat less and opt for smaller portions. The emphasis on marketing of smaller and low value options could be essential to overcome this new wave of consumer preferences.
“The new McDonald’s value menu is aligned with broader economic pressures, but can also reflect a strategic response to the evolution of consumer behavior motivated by GLP-1 drugs,” wrote Citeline, Greg Rossi, in A recent blog.
“As users of these drugs adopt more conscious eating habits, they could opt for smaller portions or completely skipping fast food. The extension of the value meal to $ 5 and the introduction of low-cost grouping options could help McDonald’s to maintain relevance by emphasizing affordability in relation to indulgence, ” He continued.
3. The wars of culture dei
Dei Communications will no longer be complicated in the era of Trump 2.0 while the leaders move away from the leaders of the activists.
McDonald’s has recently become The last mark to stop some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI) In the midst of conservative reactions in the United States
In January, the company said that it would take charge of specific objectives to achieve diversity at high management levels and end a program that encourages suppliers to develop diversity training. The U-turn occurred four years after introducing diversity initiatives after facing prosecution against sexual harassment filed by employees and a discrimination trial brought by former franchise owners.
Although McDonald’s decision to go back from Dei is part of a current trend, it can inflict long -term damage to the brand, said Jack Mackinnon, principal director of cultural collage information. The collage study America now 2024 has shown that 81% of Americans say that inclusive marketing is just as important for them as four years ago, and this number increases among consumers of generation Z, generation Y , blacks, Hispanics and LGBTQ +.
“Consumers have low tolerance for what they consider as performance efforts at the moment, and if brands seem to collapse at political pressure rather than holding their values, this could hurt them in the long term “Said Mackinnon.
Jo -llen Pozner, associate professor of management at the Leavey School of Business at the University of Santa Clara, raised another dilemma: the DEI Rollbacks conflict of McDonald with his Expected corporate valueswhich include inclusion and “the opening of our doors to everyone”.
“The stakeholders of McDonald’s – customers, employees and investors – will have trouble predicting what it means for McDonald’s and its brand identity. This confusion, in turn, can easily compromise the reputation of McDonald’s reliability, “said Mackinnon.
4 Post E. coli Crisis confidence restoration
The E.Coli epidemic was linked to the onions served on the big macs of McDonald’s in the United StatesMcDonald’s
In October 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) traced an epidemic of E. Coli with onions served on quarter -books.
More than 100 people in 14 states fell ill, with at least one death linked to escape. The incident caused a project for collective appeal against McDonald’s and down to 7% in the weeks that followed.
In an internal memo Published by CNN Subsequently, the outgoing CMO Hassan and Michael Gonda, the director of the American impact of the channel, said that McDonald’s had promised $ 65 million to help the franchisees affected by the incident. $ 35 million additional dollars have been engaged in marketing programs that can help bring people back to restaurants.
In December 2024, McDonald’s received the whole by the CDC. However, Buetikofer is still faced with a challenge in managing long -term benefits, including restoration of confidence among consumers.
