My experience of people first thing in the morning is this: They do not want to be messed with.
They want their coffee, they want to get to where they’re going as quickly as possible, and frequently, they want their Egg McMuffin.
Unfortunately, McDonald’s lame “Pay With Lovin’ ” campaign (more like a social experiment), seems determined to hinder, embarrass and infuriate customers precisely at a time when McDonald’s needs all the help it can get, and at a time of day when people have no patience to be toyed with.
Today’s Wall Street Journal contains this personal story of someone asked to dance with other strangers at a McDonald’s in exchange for a free Egg McMuffin. Me? I’d rather pay the two bucks, especially if it’s at any time before 10 a.m.
Is asking people to perform personal missions in exchange for free fast food a different idea? It sure is. So is asking people to show up for funerals in clown costumes. But in neither case is it a good idea. Part of brainstorming creative marketing ideas involves free thinking–but the crucial next part involves winnowing out the bad ideas before it’s too late. Which is something that should have happened with this one.
What should they be marketing? That Egg McMuffin in the morning. How easily and affordably it’s gotten, and how wonderful it tastes. Sometimes it really is that simple.