McDonald’s -
Educational PR Campaign
Representatives from McDonald’s tasked my team with crafting a 360-degree communications plan focused on McDonald’s community impact that earns trust and improves brand reputation among Gen Z consumers. We were also required to highlight McDonald’s “People story” and consider how the brand’s support and appreciation for employees can contribute to a positive brand reputation both internally and externally.
This project was fully conceptualized by myself and my team over a period of six weeks. We checked in with our client throughout the process to receive feedback and ensure their satisfaction. We then pitched the campaign to our client and received an overwhelmingly positive response.
Strategic Integrated Planning Model
The question: How can McDonald’s strategically align itself and its People-centric initiatives with the values and morals of Gen Z consumers?
The insight: The financial burden of attending college and accumulating student loan debt is one of the main deciding factors among Gen Z when considering the pursuit of higher education.
Knowing what we know about Gen Z’s relationship to education, we focused on highlighting McDonald’s breadth of educational programs and opportunities. More specifically, we wanted to show how McDonald’s and its independent franchisees support restaurant crew through Archways to Opportunity, and the various scholarship opportunities McDonald’s offers to Gen Zers in pursuit of higher education.
Strategies
1. Utilize transparent, authentic storytelling by highlighting franchisees and crew members.
According to research by The Lacek Group, unique and authentic content is more likely to grab Gen Z’s attention. Additionally, franchisees and crew members can act as third-party advocates to boost the credibility of McDonald’s brand and community initiatives. This approach demonstrates a sense of authenticity and transparency that is highly valued among the target audience, therefore leading to greater brand trust.
4. Partner with relevant digital creators and influencers.
According to research by Captiv8, an influencer marketing agency, almost three quarters of Gen Z consumers follow content creators online, primarily to discover new brands and products. An article by Insense also stated Gen Zers are more likely to trust the opinions of real people and view influencers as more reliable sources of information. As this campaign is focused on creating greater brand trust, the use of influencers is a smart move. It not only caters to Gen Z’s media consumption habits, but also gives the campaign a higher sense of credibility among the target audience.
2. Use a multi-channel approach across paid, earned, shared and owned channels.
Utilizing multiple channels across the PESO spectrum is a necessary component that will allow McDonald’s to engage with its target audience in different ways. This will ensure a comprehensive approach to the client brief and keep our tactics strategically aligned with the goals of the campaign.
5. Encourage user-generated content across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
To provide Gen Z with the collaborative opportunities they seek, McDonald’s should encourage user-generated content, a format preferred by 61% of Gen Zers as reported by AdWeek. McDonald’s CMO Tariq Hassan supports this trend, stating “McDonald’s fans are true creators and influencers in their own right -- they’re engaging with brands more than ever.” By creating interactive content across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, McDonald’s can appeal to Gen Z’s affinity for UGC and increase social media engagement with the campaign.
3. Leverage Gen Z’s frequent use of social media (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram).
A recent report by Mintel found that 98% of Gen Zers use social media, spending multiple hours per day online. The top platforms used are YouTube, TikTok and Instagram respectively. By creating campaign content for these platforms, McDonald’s can meet Gen Z where they are at, thus increasing awareness, engagement and the likelihood for user-generated content.
6. Emphasize the positive impact of the following programs: Archways to Opportunity, HACER Scholarships, Black & Positively Golden, APA Next.
McDonald’s can appeal to Gen Z’s educational values by emphasizing the good that each of these programs does for different communities. Archways to Opportunity demonstrates McDonald’s unwavering support for its restaurant crew while the other three programs help to ensure equitable educational opportunities for the Black, Hispanic and Asian American populations. Altogether, these programs display the strong ethics and consistent actions that Gen Z seek in a trustworthy brand.
Tactics
