Americans have quite different relationships with McDonald's—many can't live without it, while others don't even want to hear about it. The company's rebranding strategy was a fascinating journey of adaptation and innovation.
It didn’t take a marketing expert to see McDonald's problem—it was unhealthy. The answer was as clear as day. The brand was associated with obesity, one of the biggest issues in the U.S. As more and more people started linking McDonald's to weight gain and health problems, even its legendary color scheme—red and yellow—became a symbol of an unhealthy lifestyle.
In the early 2000s, McDonald's faced growing criticism regarding unhealthy food, environmental concerns, and a general perception of declining quality. This pressure forced the brand to change its direction.
The company realized that to stay relevant, it needed a comprehensive rebranding strategy that would address these issues and restore its image. Over the years, McDonald's has undergone multiple rebranding efforts, primarily aimed at improving how people perceive the restaurant. One of the most successful rebrandings took place in 2016.
Over the years, McDonald's made many changes to improve its image. From adding healthier menu options to occasionally modernizing its restaurants, significant efforts were made to make McDonald's a more appealing food destination.
Yet, something still wasn't right. 2016 was the year when creative leadership decided to change a seemingly small detail, which ultimately led to significant results.
Despite all the changes, one thing remained the same—their color scheme.
One of the most crucial aspects of the rebranding strategy was expanding the color palette used in their packaging. How does this affect the perception that the restaurant is unhealthy?
In the food industry, color plays a massive role in marketing. If you walk into a Whole Foods store, you'll notice an abundance of green over brown. These earthy colors symbolize freshness and health—key pillars of the Whole Foods brand.
For McDonald's, adding various vibrant colors to their palette was crucial because it reduced the dominance of red and yellow, giving the brand an entirely new visual identity.
As part of the rebranding, McDonald's collaborated with students from Miami International University of Art & Design, who redesigned the packaging and started creating fashion accessories from it. This was meant to highlight McDonald's efforts to make all their packaging from recycled materials.
McDonald's achieved great success with this campaign. They showcased their eco-friendly policies, promoted a healthy lifestyle, and removed some of the negative associations linked to unhealthy food.
Regarding numbers, they aligned with the brand’s improved reputation. In 2018, McDonald's recorded a 5.5% annual sales increase, along with its best full-year sales performance.
Even today, McDonald's continues to adapt and remains the world's largest fast-food chain. This is what makes rebranding successful—the brand evolves, yet it’s still the same old McDonald's.
Thanks to this rebranding, the company managed to maintain and even strengthen its market position, staying ahead of its competitors. This is a great example of how well-executed and timely rebranding can change the game.
On BrandOn’s website, you can also find examples of rebranding in the Armenian market that have given brands a fresh new look and energy.