As I’m sure many of you have heard, the McRib is back! And you may ask, "Didn’t they do this last year, and the year before that?" Yup.
The McRib has been with McDonald’s since 1981, but has only been offered in these special promotions each year since 2006. This Adweek article begs McDonald’s, “Just make it a regular menu item already.” In fact, the article even displays “McRib is back” television advertisements all the way back to 1991.
So why does McDonald’s do this and what can we learn? According to a TIME article, "the 'limited time only' strategy plays off of the widespread human characteristic to hate missing out on something—regardless of whether or not you actually want that something.” This offer of a limited time by McDonald’s is just something to attract more customers to the store, and it ends up increasing sales.
This is just like stores offering a “buy one get one free,” “kids under 12 eat free”, or even offering coupons. The fact is, “limited time” only works, and people love heading to McDonald’s to buy the McRib. Heck, the McRib has its own Facebook fan page!
Did you catch the commercial for the Mc Rib being back? Look at the commercial by clicking on this link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iJVBQOf0rA. This commercial explains exactly what you were saying, Nate. A man is willing to skip his honeymoon so he doesn’t miss the Mc Rib sandwich, again.
ReplyDeleteLimited time offers create a sense of needing a product. This is how Disney continues to have such great sales for their movies. They have “The Vault” where their movies only come out at a specified time and then it will be locked away in The Vault for years to come. If you want a Disney movie, you have to buy it immediately when it is out of The Vault because you never know how long it will be in The Vault.
I agree that limited time offers are a good way to sell a product. Many people view these as "special" offers that one has to get as a privilege. McDonald's is doing a good job of selling these sandwiches, in my opinion.
McDonald's knows exactly what they're doing. It's the perfect strategy to amp up sales during a specific time. The McRib has its fan club, as Nate said, and they've figured out that this target audience will continue to come back every year.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Becky here. This marketing strategy has been around for many years and continues to be effective. Most all consumers want what is a limited offer. If McDonalds placed the McRib on daily menu it would not have as much value for a customer because they have access to it every time they order.
ReplyDeleteA limited offer gives them a reason to eat at McDonalds. McDonalds is also using this promotion to create a promotion culture. This means that their commercials create a sense of urgency when they are released. They also add humor to grab the viewers attention.
McDonalds is a highly recognized food chain and uses its image to create a public announcement to consumers about the McRib. A lot of people do not need to see the commercial to find out that the McRib is back!
I agree with Autumn, being that McDonalds knows exactly that they are doing! This is so effective because people who crave the McRib when it isn't being served have a hay day once it is during that specific time! Clearly, the target audience will come back every time the McRib is offered and will take full advantage of it as well.
ReplyDelete