Fork, Coupon Point The Way For McDonald’s Salad Promotion
McDonald’s is using a small, green fork and a $1 off coupon to entice consumers to try the QSR’s new fruit and walnut premium salad, which debuted nationwide this week.
Consumers who order a menu item that requires the use of a fork (think hotcakes or a salad) will receive a plastic cutlery set containing the iconic green fork, a black knife and a $1 coupon toward the purchase of the new salad and a drink.
The fruit and walnut salad consists of red and green slice apples, red grapes and frosted walnuts served with low-fat yogurt for dipping or as a topping. The salad, which launched on Tuesday, retails for $2.99 and is part of McDonald’s new balanced lifestyles campaign—”it’s what i eat and what i do.”
And to further incent customers to try the new product, McDonald’s plans to distribute more than 2 million samples of the fruit and walnut salad, which is offered all day.
“The best way to drive trial is to offer a motivating [incentive] to buy the product,” said Vicky Free, director of marketing for McDonald’s USA. “We wanted to provide an innovative way for people to try the product.”
McDonald’s is further driving buzz around the new salad with colorful print ads and TV spots and a new tag line—”get a fruit buzz.” Internet materials, P-O-P and merchandising materials also support.
The effort marks the first time McDonald’s has combined a coupon offer with its cutlery set nationwide, Free said.
“The combination of those two [items] really signifies something to customers that is new and different,” she said. “It’s a great way to motivate trial of this new product with existing customers. Our goal is to stop customers and invite them to take a second look at McDonald’s and really notice things are changing.”
In a separate promotion, McDonald’s restaurants are offering customers who buy any premium salad at New York area restaurants a free, one-week pass to any of the 95 New York Sports Clubs in the region through May 28. In addition, New York Sports Clubs will distribute $1 off coupons toward the purchase of a fruit and walnut salad and a drink.
