McDonald’s Launches “Biggest Packaging Initiative in the History of the Brand”

The new packaging will be first seen in the US, UK and Ireland next month, with a gradual roll-out throughout the 118 countries in which they operate to be completed in 2010.

01/11/08 McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food restaurant franchise, is to banish its current packaging in a bid to improve consumer ties to the brand, with an increased focus to be placed on the product instead of the iconic ‘I’m lovin’ it’ slogan.

Speaking to reporters in America overnight, the Global Chief Marketing Officer for McDonald’s, Mary Dillon, noted that the change was the “biggest packaging initiative in the history of the brand”. Each new package sheds greater light on the item enclosed, with pictures of the product and a tagline, such as “There is only one” for Big Mac, and “Share me nots” for chicken nuggets. They utilise a wide array of fonts and expand the colour range linked to the brand by using purple and blue in conjunction with their famous bright red and yellow. On the side of the package they will highlight nutritional information, the ‘I’m lovin’ it’ tag and pictures of ingredients including eggs, lettuce and potatoes.

McDonald’s appears keen to modernize their brand at a time when the ‘better for you’ ideology is beginning to take flight. The pictures of fresh ingredients on the side of the package certainly appear to be a subtle attempt to further boost confidence in the quality of their ingredients.

Ms Dillon remained tight-lipped about the cost of the new packaging, which was designed by British-based Boxer - a subsidiary of The Marketing Store, but believes the benefits will outweigh the costs of design and implementation. “It will increase the perceptions about the quality of our food,” she claimed. “This new packaging will actually help us reintroduce our iconic products to our customers and showcase new food.”

The new packaging will be first seen in the US, UK and Ireland next month, with a gradual roll-out throughout the 118 countries in which they operate to be completed in 2010.