McDonald’s going green (literally)?
If you don’t live in France you might have missed it, but since November 2008 McDonald’s have changed their color from red to green there.
Not much official communication about this rebranding since the “Come as you are” EuroRSCG campaign which first used it, but it looks like a simple question of surfing the environment-friendly wave and/or inspiring a higher class of product. This is how Jean-Pierre Petit, CEO of McDonald’s France explains the change:
Our logo (the Golden Arches) stay the same, but the change of background (from red to green) follows the evolution of our restaurants settings redesign strategy, and their integration in their local surroundings. The brand is less visible, but better integrated in the landscape. (source in French)
McDonald’s must have been suffering quite a lot from their image in France to make such a change. Even when they tested McDonald’s Dining in Japan back in 2003, offering a nicer menu and nicer settings, they darkened the red as their main color and changed the yellow to white.
Their choice of such a dark green makes me think they wanted to piggyback on the powerful Starbucks brand. Instead, it look like the old logo of British Petroleum.
Personally, I would have advised a brighter, more saturated, and friendlier summer leaf color. Something like:
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Will wrote:
I like the lighter green too, but I don’t think it offers sufficient enough contrast for visually impaired or if the logo was reproduced in black and white (photocopy / printout). I miss the red already, what next green coke?
Posted on 23-Nov-09 at 1:45 pm | Permalink
Vitezslav Valka wrote:
Nice info! Green wave is everywhere! :-)
Posted on 28-Nov-09 at 11:35 pm | Permalink
Ester wrote:
Hi, this logo is like JOHN DEERE’s logo. I think – ape John Deere … http://distributor.deere.com/cz/index.html
Posted on 01-Dec-09 at 1:29 pm | Permalink
Mark wrote:
I don’t find the bright colours very appetising personally.
I can see the new direction McD’s are trying for. Are they ditching the burger and fries for solely salads? I think not, but nice try!
Posted on 17-Sep-10 at 10:53 am | Permalink
spongebassie wrote:
This is an easy way to change your image without actually changing anything inside the company. Who says they actually work greener now? They just look greener. Consumers are so easily fooled by covers.
Posted on 17-Nov-10 at 1:12 pm | Permalink
matteo wrote:
Hi , I am writing my dissertation about green branding and during my research I came across this post. Interesting because when I first saw this campaign I suddenly thought about a green campaign, but apparently in their website the agency that made the adverts claimed that objective of the campaign was to increase loyalty. green loyalty maybe?
*the greener logo doesn’t look a real green…don’t think improve real green perception!
Posted on 26-Feb-11 at 11:22 pm | Permalink
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Posted on 20-May-11 at 7:16 am | Permalink
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Posted on 21-May-11 at 6:58 am | Permalink
Cayden wrote:
Big help, big help. And suprleative news of course.
Posted on 03-Jul-11 at 4:03 pm | Permalink