The new global packaging will be phased into McDonald’s restaurants on adult bags and cold cups beginning this year. New “i’m lovin’ it” Happy Meal packaging will roll out in March 2004. Conversion of all packaging in McDonald’s 30,000 restaurants worldwide is expected to be complete by late 2004.
Larry Light, McDonald’s executive vice president and global chief marketing officer, says, “This new global packaging continues our relentless focus on customers and on communicating a new energy and attitude for our brand. It’s another signal that things are changing at McDonald’s, and we are communicating with customers worldwide with a new voice and new attitude. It is the first time in our history that a single set of brand packaging, with a single brand message, will be used concurrently around the world.”
McDonald’s new packaging features photography depicting real people doing things they enjoy – listening to music, playing soccer, and reading to their children. The images portray how people live and what they love. McDonald’s “i’m lovin’ it” theme will appear in a variety of different languages to reflect the global community McDonald’s serves.
Boxer, a design consultant firm based in Birmingham, England, was chosen by McDonald’s to develop the initial graphic packaging design. Boxer used an mix of “street casting” and more traditional models/athletes to depict key packaging scenarios.
Boxer selected renowned British photographer Nick Clements, known for lifestyle photography, for the McDonald’s packaging assignment.
David Poole, Boxer managing director, says, “We were really inspired by McDonald’s new approach to borderless marketing and the challenge of applying this philosophy to package design.Our goal is to create a personal communication with customers via strong lifestyle imagery they can relate to and understand.”
McDonald’s is the world’s leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 local McDonald’s restaurants serving 47 million customers each day in more than 100 countries. More than 70 per cent of McDonald’s restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women.
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