Say goodbye to those distinctive golden arches…and say hello to the new look of McDonalds in Japan.
Two new stores (Omotesando, Shibuya East) have now opened with only a ‘QUARTER POUNDER’ logo in red & black and two menu options: Quarter Pounder with cheese set, and Double Quarter Pounder with cheese set.
Is this the end of the McDonalds brand as we know it?
What will this do for the fast food giant’s international reputation?
Basically, McDonalds is creating a new brand - or rather, they have identified that one of their product lines has developed a brand identity of its own.
The Quarter Pounder is one of the most distinctive product lines after the Big Mac, gaining pop recognition from Pulp Fiction as well as the status as McDonalds’ burger with the highest fat content.
So why start selling the Quarter Pounder through its own store?
Consumers immediately identify it with McDonalds, even without the ‘golden arches’ The move will attract media attention (this a case in point!) Selling only one product means that they can do it quickly and well - recent menu diversification by McDonalds has complicated operations Creates a very strong brand identity - simple design and singular offerings make the burger the focus of attention The burger acquires more ‘cult’ status
What are the risks for McDonalds?
Inconsistent branding may cause confusion Customers cannot be tempted by other products in-store, like snacks or desserts This approach may be easy to replicate Health groups may complain
Overall, I think this will be a good move, but perhaps not suitable for global roll-out. A brand with the recognition and global presence of McDonalds can benefit from shaking up the norms every now and then. In trend-conscious Japan, these stores will make a statement. However, a worldwide brand shift this large may erode some of their existing brand equity, especially in countries where they have been pursued over health issues. Source: Quarter Pounder official website via Etre
译文:
麦当劳：你喜欢那样的商标？
对那些有特色的金色双拱门说声再见吧......对麦当劳在日本市场上的新面孔打个招呼吧。
这两家新店（表参道，涩谷东）以“四分之一磅”为标志并且采用了红与黑的色彩搭配，新开的这两家店只有两种套餐选择：四分之一磅芝士套餐和二分之一磅芝士套餐。
我们熟悉的麦当劳商标就这样没了？
这对全球快餐业巨头的名气会有什么影响？
基本上可以说，麦当劳兄弟创造了一个新的品牌----或者更确切的说，他们让它鹤立鸡群，发展成为了一个与众不同的、有自己特色的品牌。
四分之一磅是继巨无霸之后又一最具有特色的产品，巨无霸得到了广泛的认可，正如麦当劳这种高脂肪含量的食品一样。
那么麦当劳要在它自己的店里面销售“四分之一磅“这种产品呢？
因为麦当劳，所以顾客们会很快注意到它，即使没有了“金色拱门”。麦当劳的这一举措会吸引很多媒体的关注（这很重要！）。只销售一种产品意味着他们能做到高效和优质----麦当劳的餐式多样，这给其运作带来了麻烦。创造一种设计简单、供货单一的独特品牌能让汉堡变得更引人注目。汉堡需要更多人们的狂热崇拜。
这样做会给麦当劳带来什么风险？
不统一的商标可能会造成顾客的困惑，这样店里的产品，比如点心和甜点，就不会被顾客青睐。这种做法也很容易被别人复制，遭来卫生组织的抱怨。
总之，我认为这是一个好的举措，但是也许这不利于全球销售。一个已经被全球认可的像麦当劳这样的品牌不是的改变一下其形式也许是有益的。在意识超前的日本，这些商店将会做出证明。然而，一个全球性的品牌如果转变过大则可能会削弱其现行品牌，尤其是在那些质疑他们产品是否健康的国家里更是如此。