As if blogging wasn't self-serving enough, I've created these 'copy alerts' (doesn't the word 'alert' just make you sit up and take notice?) to let you in on current copywriting projects.
Here's a pr/editorial piece on VOIP technology and a Louisianna cropduster turned salon owner. Fascinating!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
McShortcut Disappoints, Breaks from Brand
“Would you like to try our new Iced Coffee today?”
“No, I say firmly, as my mini-van eeks its way through the McDonalds drive in. I’ve been through this enough times (sadly 3-4 times a week now that they are serving sweet tea) to know that what I want today is 3 Happy Meals and no more for the whining kids behind me.
“Welcome to McDonalds, order when you are ready,” crackles a faint female voice through the loudspeaker, not the suave gentleman that greeted me just seconds ago.
Must be a shift change, or the manager had to step in, I reasoned quickly to myself as I rolled along digging a few quarters out to get my money ready for the next window ahead.
But then, the next day (ok I admit, the sweet ice tea had me going for awhile there) I was at a different McDonalds drive-in, going for nothing but a quick cold drink ($1 any size!) on my way to pick up a kid from school. The same familiar voice greeted me, tempting me again to try the new iced mocha. Then the “real” McHelper got on the mike to take my order and it hit me. I’d been outwitted by a pre-recorded marketing message. A chapter in McHistory has come to a close, or at least for me that is.
McDonalds is supposed to help me make shortcuts in my daily life and now they think they can take them and our relationship will stay the same?
Why do I think McDonald’s use of a pre-recorded greeting in their drive-thru is just wrong?
1. It makes you feel like you’ve been duped.
If you’ve ever been “down low…too slowed” or if you’ve ever started talking to an answering machine, you know what I mean.
2. It’s really lazy.
Really. I mean, the live person taking your order couldn’t just ask you if you wanted an iced mocha themselves. Really?
3. It’s impersonal.
What do great brands like McDonalds, Disney, and Starbuck have in common? They follow the marketing mantra that the individual customer is special, or at least, he’s a lot happier (read: spends more money) if he’s made to feel that way.
I like to drive through Starbucks and pretend like they are really that happy that I decided to stop by for coffee. I am sure that Mickey is always surprised when he puts his fat white glove to his face for the 50th time that day, and I know that when I finally make it to that McDonald’s window and the grinning teen hands me 3 fast food boxes that put the “happy” in even the whiniest of kids, that they aren’t reading a script when they ask me how I am that day…or at least that’s what I thought before McDonald’s Iced Coffee came to town.
“No, I say firmly, as my mini-van eeks its way through the McDonalds drive in. I’ve been through this enough times (sadly 3-4 times a week now that they are serving sweet tea) to know that what I want today is 3 Happy Meals and no more for the whining kids behind me.
“Welcome to McDonalds, order when you are ready,” crackles a faint female voice through the loudspeaker, not the suave gentleman that greeted me just seconds ago.
Must be a shift change, or the manager had to step in, I reasoned quickly to myself as I rolled along digging a few quarters out to get my money ready for the next window ahead.
But then, the next day (ok I admit, the sweet ice tea had me going for awhile there) I was at a different McDonalds drive-in, going for nothing but a quick cold drink ($1 any size!) on my way to pick up a kid from school. The same familiar voice greeted me, tempting me again to try the new iced mocha. Then the “real” McHelper got on the mike to take my order and it hit me. I’d been outwitted by a pre-recorded marketing message. A chapter in McHistory has come to a close, or at least for me that is.
McDonalds is supposed to help me make shortcuts in my daily life and now they think they can take them and our relationship will stay the same?
Why do I think McDonald’s use of a pre-recorded greeting in their drive-thru is just wrong?
1. It makes you feel like you’ve been duped.
If you’ve ever been “down low…too slowed” or if you’ve ever started talking to an answering machine, you know what I mean.
2. It’s really lazy.
Really. I mean, the live person taking your order couldn’t just ask you if you wanted an iced mocha themselves. Really?
3. It’s impersonal.
What do great brands like McDonalds, Disney, and Starbuck have in common? They follow the marketing mantra that the individual customer is special, or at least, he’s a lot happier (read: spends more money) if he’s made to feel that way.
I like to drive through Starbucks and pretend like they are really that happy that I decided to stop by for coffee. I am sure that Mickey is always surprised when he puts his fat white glove to his face for the 50th time that day, and I know that when I finally make it to that McDonald’s window and the grinning teen hands me 3 fast food boxes that put the “happy” in even the whiniest of kids, that they aren’t reading a script when they ask me how I am that day…or at least that’s what I thought before McDonald’s Iced Coffee came to town.
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