In Spite Of All That Lovin’, McDonald’s Sales Still Sinking

Even though McDonald’s made a huge media push with its G-droppin’ apostrophe-lovin’ hug-acceptin’ Super Bowl-centered marketing campaign, the latest sales data from the world’s largest fast food chain shows that it’s going to take more than a few ads to turn this burger business around.

According to McDonald’s comparable sales report for February, business in the U.S. was down 4% last month, in spite of the month-long advertising campaign intended to generate more interest in the brand and get people in the doors with the promise of possibly only having to pay for their McNuggets with a hug or a call to mom.

“Creating consistently relevant and satisfying customer experiences have been hallmarks of McDonald’s business and historic success,” reads the report. “However, consumer needs and preferences have changed, and McDonald’s current performance reflects the urgent need to evolve with today’s consumers, reset strategic priorities and restore business momentum.”

Even while the campaign was running, we could see it wasn’t exactly the game-changer McDonald’s hoped it would be. Consumer attitude surveys showed that while the ads had made people think more about the fast food company, their feelings about McDonald’s remained entirely neutral.

McDonald’s says its goal is to somehow transform into a “modern, progressive burger company” and that it kicked off this month with a “Turnaround Summit designed to deliver renewed energy and focus around the elements of the restaurant experience that matter most to customers – relevant, high-quality food and beverage offerings, compelling value and outstanding service from a trustworthy brand.”

In addition to the “lovin'” campaign, McDonald’s has recently replaced CEO Don Thompson with Steve Easterbrook, who announced on his first week at the helm that the chain would stop sourcing chicken from farmers who fatten up their birds with antibiotics that are medically necessary to humans.

by Chris Morran via Consumerist