McDonald's Styling

After the rebrand in 2006, McDonalds changed their overall style when it comes to adverts on the telly and posters. 
For my campaign,  i will be taking the newest styling from the adverts as inspiration for my own styling. i think by doing it this will be more relevant as it will be recognisable as McDonald's.


Below are links to some recent adverts for McDonalds:

Looking at both these adverts they both carry the same style, of using bright colours and random illustrations. I feel they do this to appeal to a wide variety if people, especially the 2nd advert using the reference to a 'bob' rather than a £1. This will target the older generation as they will remember when currency was called that, but to keep the styling up to date and modern, they include wacky and random images which will then in turn connect and draw in the younger audience.

Again some humour is brought into both adverts, the first one showing the flipbook and saying 

'image how much fun you can have with change' 1p!!

 well technical you can't have any fun with it that's what makes it funny, and the photo of the geeky looking 'bob' in the second one. Random and quirky things add humour, it's the simple things that have the most effect.

I am a fan of this sort of styling as it's wacky and random, plus i don't think i could go wrong with it to be honest as there wouldn't be a reason for why i used the random images. I would only have to state why i did it in that style and here's why.


As i want to be different and use a mixture of type and illustration/imagery, i've taken some inspiration from the first advert shown with the use of different typography used throughout, it all seems to fit in with the specific style of the advert really well. This is something i will definitely be considering.

             

Poster campaigns

To get an idea of how McDonald's promote themselves and food to the viewer, i decided to look at a few advertising campaigns for McDonald's to understand the layout and design of the company and get some inspiration.

I see that there's a trend between most of the adverts of having quite humorous approach, simple but straight to the point to get the message across quickly.

                             

                             

                                

                            

These images shown above are a few of my favourite humourous adverts used in promotion, not much to them but they work and have the desired effect on the audience. Very easy to understand, with the use of imagery rather than typography. If typography is used it's kept straight to the point, so it's easier to read quickly like the rest.

I particularly love the cow on the trampoline idea, really funny metaphor for a milkshake made me chuckle, but is really clever thinking.

Most of the McDonald's adverts include the corporate colours, so it reinforces the brand but some of them don't need to if the logo is used. the cow and trampoline is a nice example.

Below are a couple more adverts that don't use the corporate colours as a main focus, looking at these help me decide on what look to go for.

The clever thinking used over the McDonalds advertising is reflected in the adverts above. 

I particularly like the burger box idea to represent a laptop to advertise free Wi-Fi throughout the McDonalds restaurants. Genius idea, as it's reinforcing the brand with the use of the food and the logo.

Not many adverts i have come across use much typography or any other media, usually just imagery, this is something to take into consideration. As i am thinking of keeping away from the typical Mcdonald's adverts and use typography or maybe illustration, but somehow keep the same styling so it' recognisable as McDonald's.

Target Audience for McDonalds?

McDonald's don't have a target audience age wise and why would they need one. It's food after all and everyone eats food, unless you're a complete idiot. Therefore i feel they target people through what food they sell, hence the slogan:

There's a McDonald's for Everyone

It's about the variety of food they sell that targets specific people, rather than age. So if you fancy a binge then feel guilty after, McDonald's is for you, but also if you prefer the healthier option they have a salad menu.

I honestly thought out of the two i'd have picked the burger straight away, saying that i think the salad looks rather appetising too!

Taking the choice at McDonald's into consideration, I think i could come up with some decent outcomes promoting the variety found on the menu and how it does suit everyone. 

I may even take a trip to McDonald's for inspiration, to get ideas on what sort of people order what, and wether there's any stereotypes associated with certain foods. If not i could always make my own stereotypes.

McDonalds - When, where..

McDonald's has become apart of British people's lives since the first restaurant opened in the UK in 1974.
Since then 1,200 more have opened all over britain, from then on it has become the UK's favourite restaurant, serving over 3 million customers a day.

It was the late 1990s to early 2000s when McDonald’s started to seem less relevant to its customers in the UK. The biggest fast food chain needed a sudden reality check, with out of date restaurant interiors, a menu which hadn’t changed in around 30 years and at the forefront of the obesity debate in the UK, the brand had become fashionable to dismiss and out of touch with the major trends in society.

The logo started to look outdated, well who could blame it after 40 years.

The arrival of 2003...

It wasn't much of a Redesign, but it did it's job. Sticking to more vibrant colours and a catchy slogan and theme tune, not to be forgotten. It's more updated and a lot more modern, the theme tune was also performed by the popular artist at the time, Justin Timberlake. 

Which did it justice for the female audience, these days he's not used singing the theme tune, just the music.

BA DA DA DA DAAAAA!, 

it's so catchy and memorable. Definately doing it's job. 

McDonald's introduced ''Forever Young'' in 2006, redesigning all of the restaurants, the first major rebrand since the 1970s.

The style still includes the traditional McDonald's colours, but just slightly fresher.

The red is more muted to a terra cotta colour, whereas the yellow has turned less golden and more yellow, the ''sunny'' look. Additional colours olive and sage green are added to the mix to give a warmer look inside the restaurant.

The overall look is less plastic and more environmental with brick and wood. The interior now have modern hanging lights to produce a softer glow, contemporary art or framed photographs hang on the walls. This is to fit in with the modern style of today. The use of bright colours keeps it up to date and modern, even then styling of the chairs are considered. Nothing is forgotten, everything about the McDonald's experience has to be memorable, to reflect the theme tune.

I get the impression they are trying to reflect the freshness and environmental aspect from their food through their interior. As all the food now is a lot more healthier than a few years ago, as they now use 100% beef, chicken etc. I get this from the colours used in the image above, like i said before everything is wooden and less plastic.

Looking at the brief

The McDonald's Brief asks for an integrated campaign to celebrate the inherent democracy of the brand. 

With the proposition of it being The People's Restaurant; It doesn't matter who you are you or where you come from there's a Mcdonald's for everyone!

With the target audience being 16-34 in the UK, it should be quite easy to relate to the styling of the campaign, as i fit into the category.

Now I know what the brief is asking best get to it!

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