“New Year, New You” is not just about eating more salads and hitting the gym. Okay, for me it is, but this “fresh start” mentality goes for big companies too. Every new year brings new opportunities for brands to re-invent themselves and increase sales. McDonald’s is no exception. The fast food chain announced a “brand transformation,” changing its philosophy on how the company reaches and communicates with customers.
McDonald’s recently unveiled a new ad about love between unlikely friends with a unique twist on the longstanding tagline “I’m Lovin’ It.” The ad features characters like SpongeBob & Plankton, Dorothy & the Wicked Witch of the West and everyone’s favorite, “Grumpy Cat.”
The ad is cute, but there’s something else noteworthy going on.
For some time now advertisers have focused on meeting customers where they are online. From Facebook and Instagram, to YouTube and Twitter, brands struggle to create a strategy that reaches their core audience. My first run-in with the new McDonald’s ad was New Year’s Day on Snapchat. Later that day, I saw the same ad on my Instagram feed. Days later, I watched the full version on TV during an NFL game.
I’ll admit, I’m hyper-sensitive to this multi-platform strategy, but it’s an idea brands big and small should imitate in the new year. Consumers don’t receive their information from one place or platform, and the sought-after “millennial” group being targeted in the McDonald’s ad is hard for advertisers to pin down. Not every social media or traditional advertising platform is right for every brand, but experimentation is part of figuring out what works.
Here’s an example closer to home:
We apply the multi-platform model with our client the Virginia Dental Association (VDA). In 2013, the VDA launched its statewide “Healthy Body, Healthy Mouth” campaign with an on-air commercial:
To increase the reach of the VDA’s message, RCG created a Facebook campaign to highlight VDA-member dentists who show support by stating “A Healthy Body Starts With a Healthy Mouth.”
In addition, clips from the TV ad also run as “pre-roll” advertising before various web videos (the ads that play before you can watch your video). We also added information about the campaign to the VDA website.
The result: increased viewership of the VDA brand and overall campaign messages.
How can your 2015 marketing campaign be cross-platform and hit the most people in the most places? Please let the RCG team know how we can help.
Happy New Year, everyone!
