Challenge

When McDonald’s launched its new McCafé summer beverages collection, FCG tapped into key ethnic insights to develop a winning strategy to drive awareness and sales in Metro Chicago’s African-American consumer market.    

Solution

An integrated marketing campaign that featured sweeter McCafé beverages, which appeals to the taste profile of African-American consumers, was developed to attract and engage thousands of beverage drinkers where they live, work and play. Utilizing advertising, experiential marketing and public relations, FCG built a creative platform that leveraged key consumer passion points – music, art and fashion. To encourage sampling and in-store traffic, FCG created McCafé Nights at the Oasis, a signature series of events held during major Chicago summer festivals, including African Festival of the Arts, which attracts nearly 20,000 consumers. At the events, consumers sipped on a variety of hot and ice-blended McCafé beverages while enjoying live neo-soul and urban jazz performances, poetry readings and couture fashion shows. The media buy included a heavy radio rotation, web banners, out-of-home, print and digital ads on social media outlets that feature African-American content. 

Impact

As a clear indication of the campaign’s success, sales of McCafé products among African Americans in the Chicago marketplace surpassed initial projections. According to McDonald’s tracking data, there was a 41 percent increase in sales during the campaign. More than 12,000 McCafé samples were distributed at the African Festival of the Arts, and the McCafe launch was featured in key African-American media outlets such as WVON-AM, Rolling Out magazine, the Chicago Defender and others. McCafé Nights at the Oasis reached more than 9,000 new fans via local McDonald’s and radio partner social properties.