McDonald’s

To reach on-the-go coffee drinkers who may not think of McDonald’s as a quality coffee destination and accelerate morning sales in general, the fast-feeder had to get Canadians to try its beans. An aggressive two-week-long free sampling offer called “Tasting is Believing” encouraged Canadians to visit McDonald’s daily for coffee and suggested pairings with breakfast food items.

OMD approached the promotion like an event, inviting consumers via an OOH teaser campaign saying “Let’s Start Fresh on April 20th,” and leveraged social media to spread the message virally.

On April 20 the disruption phase kicked off with five giant, steaming McDonald’s coffee cups placed in high-traffic urban commuter locations. Complementing these were 3D superboards and regional OOH and transit executions highlighting decreasing amounts of coffee beans. Local restaurant operators handed out empty cups on the streets, encouraging consumers to bring them in for a free cuppa joe. And McDonald’s was among the first in Canada to execute a free Facebook gift: a virtual free cup of coffee that invited users to RSVP and spread the word to their social circles.

More than 6.1 million coffees were served during the two-week sampling period – 75% more units than the same period a year ago and 27% above forecast. And 72% of consumers that came in for a free coffee also bought a food item. Increased sales were even realized in breakfast items which had seen flat or declining sales prior.

Average sustaining coffee growth is running at +34.4% year-to-date with an incremental growth of +24.6% versus the in-going period. Post-promotion, McDonald’s breakfast sales are up +9% and breakfast guest counts are up +13.2%.