Marketing Plan Critique

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Marketing Plan Critique: McDonald’s
McDonald’s and its slogan “I’m loving it”, has turned into one of the most known fast food chains in the world. In this essay, we aim to shed light on the company’s marketing plan, to do a critique on the points we consider they could improve. However, given the fact that we are assessing a company as large as the fast food giant is, we will only address to certain parts of the plan, such as: S.W.O.T. analysis; the four marketing p’s.
S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS CRITIQUE OF MCDONALD’S U.K.
Strengths. The main strength of McDonald’s lies in the fact that the restaurant exists in almost every country in the world, and that it is a well-known brand (McDonald’s 3). However, this situation makes the company susceptible to bad press, or marketing flaws. For instance, if something happens in a restaurant in any part of the world, the rumor can spread an affect the company worldwide.
Weaknesses. McDonald’s position as one of the leaders of the fast food market has forced the company to keep innovating year after year. However, the innovations of menu, and even the addition of new features to the restaurants cannot stop the decay if a new and better solution arrives
Opportunities.The customers that go to McDonald’s often go because of the family environment found in the restaurant. Nevertheless, since most employees are teenagers, they do not know, nor care about the company ethics and serve people with disdain.

Threats. The fast food market is ever changing. Currently, the consumer’s tastes are drifting toward more “gourmet” choices. McDonald’s cannot be a fast food chain that serves cheap food, and be offer gourmet options at the same time. If they do, the results are not going to be really up to the people’s expectations.
THE FOUR MARKETING P’S CRITIQUE
Product. McDonald’s offer Western food and desserts in the whole world. Most of the McDonald’s products are in a maturity stage in their life cycle. This means that it is possible that if the company does not innovate anytime soon, their products will enter the decline phase, becoming a potential loss of money, and clients.
Price. McDonald’s offer fast food at budget prices. In that way, it can cater the needs of a large segment of the population. Nevertheless, the cheap food prices can result in a perception of lack of quality, which occurs in many countries where McDonald’s is located. In the same way, the restaurant cannot compete with more premium options that offer a better-perceived quality.
Promotions. McDonald’s advertising campaign focuses on the experience that eating in the restaurant is. However, to most of the franchise clients, the experience is the less critical part of their choosing. Most of he clients go to the restaurant because of the price, rather than the experience.
Place. Given the fact that McDonald’s was originally conceived as a restaurant for kids, its decorations tend to be festive. However, in places where kids are not the main consumers, the restaurants have migrated toward the adult public, offering a more mature choice. Nevertheless, to those adults, McDonald’s will never be perceived as a restaurant, it is instead, a place to eat, and then leave.
As we can see, the main critic we can do to McDonald’s is that it can compete with more premium options, and although it tries, it is hard to truly achieve it. In the same way, for many people, the franchise is pegged to the idea of cheap and fast food that is not meant to be enjoyed, but to be consumed as a form of sustenance.
Works Cited
“McDonald’s Marketing Plan.” McDonald’s U.K. McDonald’s.Web.<http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/content/dam/McDonaldsUK/People/Schools-and-students/mcd_marketing.pdf> 14 June 2015. .