MARKETING MIX: The castaway client

Noticed the recent improvement in McDonald’s advertising? Credit (in

part, at least) must go to Ronald’s right-hand man, vice-president and

chief marketing officer for the past two years, John Hawkes. Although he

put in early marketing stints with Rio Tinto Zinc and Cross Paperware,

Hawkes has been with McDonald’s since the average Brit thought

beefburgers were an exotic foreign food. Now, 14 years on, there is

barely a high street in the land which does not sport the instantly-

recognisable Golden Arches. As today’s castaway, Hawkes arrives on the

Mix island to find his own choice of five objects and one book, as well

as the customary Bible, subscription to Marketing and solar-powered

Internet.

* To read: Bluff Your Way Round The Internet.

* A photo of McManaman scoring the winning goal against Manchester

United in the Cup Final. Any Cup Final, any time. I don’t come from

Liverpool but I’ve supported them for about 100 years.

* An endless supply of CDs I’ve never heard of, to remind me of my two

children.

* A guitar. Ever since my student days in a band, I’ve wanted to develop

my song-writing skills and this would be a great opportunity to sing

without offending anyone.

* An endless supply of golf balls (plus a sand wedge).

* Last but definitely not least, a small but fully functioning

McDonald’s restaurant. There’s always one close by normally and it would

be an oasis on my island. It would be air-conditioned, its freezer would

be fully stocked with cold drinks, there would be an endless supply of

food and, of course, clean toilets. And the Golden Arches would be a

beacon for potential rescuers.

This article was first published on Marketing