Tolga Tekbasan – McDonald’s Netherlands

In this Brand Growth interview with Tolga Tekbasan, Senior Brand Manager at McDonald’s Netherlands, key insights will be shared regarding the fast-food giant’s marketing strategies, focusing on KPIs, creativity, and sales activation. As Tekbasan delves into the nuances of his role focused on Campaigning & Media and the broader marketing approach at McDonald’s, it became clear that the brand’s success is deeply rooted in its ability to strike a balance between traditional and sparkling innovative strategies.

CAMPAIGNS AND CREATIVITY: A CENTRAL FOCUS

At the heart of McDonald’s marketing strategy lies campaigns and creativity. Tolga highlighted the importance of maintaining a sentimental connection with the audience, focusing on brand love and trust. While traditional business goals such as opening new restaurants and achieving revenue targets are overarching objectives, Tolga´s team homes in on creating resonating campaigns.

“One remarkable aspect of our approach is the local autonomy. Contrary to the expectation that a global brand like McDonald’s would be controlled centrally, we have considerable freedom at the local level regarding creatives and campaigning, especially in the Netherlands.”

“Our creativity extends beyond the traditional realm of commercials. We actively seek to be present in cultural events such as festivals, aligning with the interests of our target audience, particularly Gen Z and millennials. It is important to not interrupt the audience’s experience but to integrate the brand seamlessly into places where the audience naturally engages. In this way, it is very fun to be a marketeer at McDonald’s since we are allowed to explore, innovate and try new forms and channels to engage with our audiences. You could say we work with limitless marketing possibilities. Furthermore, we are not only a coveted employer but also a highly desired partner by various other organizations,” Tolga shares.

“Our creativity extends beyond the traditional realm of commercials. We actively seek to be present in cultural events such as festivals, aligning with the interests of our target audience.”

KPIS AND BRAND METRICS

Tolga shed light on the KPIs that McDonald’s closely monitors. While business goals such as revenue and restaurant openings are overarching, the brand team zeroes in on building brand image through brand love, personal perception of the McDonald’s brand, brand trust, and creating advertising that resonates as key indicators. The focus on sentiment and trust-building sets McDonald’s apart in its pursuit of sustained growth.

The challenge of reaching Gen Z, who are less brand loyal and harder to engage through traditional media, was acknowledged. McDonald’s tackles this by exploring alternative channels, particularly digital, and by aligning with cultural trends that resonate with this demographic.

“While business goals such as revenue and restaurant openings are overarching, my brand team focuses on building brand image through brand love, personal perception of the McDonald’s brand, brand trust, and creating advertising that resonates as key indicators.”

NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND FUTURE TRENDS

Tolga identified challenges, particularly in reaching Gen Z as mentioned, where indifference and a willingness to switch loyalties pose obstacles. McDonald’s aims to overcome these challenges by staying attuned to digital trends and cultural shifts. The brand is actively exploring the impact of emerging technologies on the creative processes, and adapting to the evolving media mix, with festivals and cultural events as potential avenues to engage Gen-Z. McDonald’s media and creative partners TBWA & OMD also play an immense role in the strategy and the creative work is a result of their extended collaboration.

“In terms of future trends, we find ourselves in an ever-evolving landscape of creative development. With technological advancements, brands are presented with both opportunities and challenges. The rise of AI-generated content, exemplified by Coca-Cola’s fully AI-generated commercial, prompts brands like McDonald’s to explore new avenues. Creativity is crucial for brand growth, particularly our brand growth. It is of vital importance to create unique and bold campaigns to make the brand ‘cooler’ and ensure that creativity remains at the forefront of our campaigns,” Tolga explains.

McDonald’s SALES ACTIVATION AND THE PATH FORWARD

While McDonald’s overall marketing strategy emphasises branding and creativity, Tekbasan also acknowledged the importance of sales activation, as the company strategically shifts its focus towards enhancing brand recognition through lifestyle-oriented campaigns. This shift is evident in the integration of sales activation with day-to-day operations by the Menu team to closely monitor sales, pricing, and operational efficiency.

“These operational adjustments have sparked ongoing optimisation discussions within the organisation. Our team, while less directly involved, collaborates to ensure that creative campaigns align with the overall business goals and contribute to sales success. Despite the macro-level emphasis on building a strong brand image in overall communication, there is a close coordination between sales activation and operations at the micro level,” Tolga shares.