McDONALD'S PULLS OUT ALL STOPS FOR NEW BURGER
By Adnews Staff
Yesterday the U.S.-based McDonald's Corporation kicked off the largest product launch in its 41-year history. The company is hoping that its new Arch Deluxe burger will give adults a reason to come to the Golden Arches besides being dragged by their kids. The new burger is distinguished by a "special sauce" made of mustard and mayonnaise and a bun made from potato bread dough. Speaking via satellite to reporters in five cities, McDonald's chairman Mike Quinlan said the fast food chain expects to sell a billion dollars worth of Arch Deluxe burgers in the first year. To help reach this goal, McDonald's is unleashing its formidable marketing power. During the month of May the company is spending multimillions on sales promotions and TV, radio, billboard and magazine advertising in North America. All this was preceded by a teaser campaign on television last week. Next week direct mail pieces with coupons will go out to 10.8 million homes in Canada. During the coming weekend there will be TV commercials on every prime-time program on the networks. All the launch advertising for Canada and the U.S. has been created by Fallon McElligott of Minneapolis, except for two French commercials from the Montreal head office of McDonald's national agency in Canada, Cossette Communication-Marketing. An English version of one of those spots is also being aired. McDonald's Canadian agencies will create advertising to run in Canada after the launch period. The hamburger giant has four Canadian shops: Cossette, Vickers & Benson Advertising in Toronto, Palmer Jarvis Communications in Vancouver and McArthur Thompson & Law Advertising & Public Affairs in Halifax.