From the video, it is clear that McDonald’s is squarely focusing on Hispanic, African-American, and Asian subcultures (Chittimalla, 2016). As such, despite being a recommendable strategy, the organization fails to put into context the new age and generation of every culture. Not only that, but it is also apparent that people from the Middle-East have been sidelined in the company’s marketing strategies. Hence, it would be strategically wise to consider the Arabic community as a vital segment for the organization’s marketing plans. However, the only challenge is that the group is highly strict about what they eat, and their meals must conform to their religious beliefs and customs, of which McDonald’s must abide by entirely.
In most countries found in the Middle-East, the population is predominantly made up of Islamic and Jewish households. But due to constant wars in the local dwellings, most people have resorted to seeking asylum in other destinations, including Europe and America. As such, in their current setups, they still adhere to their beliefs and traditions, particularly when it comes to food. For instance, Muslims and Jews consequently share a common diet, wherein pork is strictly forbidden. This outcome goes contrary to the McDonalds menu, which is slightly integrated with pork, such as sausage, ham, and bacon. In the long-run, the company is losing out on this ready market of the Arabic subculture. In addition, although such people can request for exclusion of pork in their meals, it would be in the organization’s favor to respect their culture while doing their marketing (Chittimalla, 2016). For example, they can market their chicken items without pork and prepare them separately. For further competitive advantage, the company can get its food approved by a Rabbi.
Question 2
The first challenge that manifests in such a case is that McDonald’s must incredibly partake in extensive market research on the type of products they offer towards a particular segment. This assertion translates that, if, by chance, they happen to use the wrong advertisement, promotion, or verbiage, they stand to run the risk of insulting any other ethnic segment (Lidan, 2016). A good explanation is when the Southwest Salad had diverse commercial types, produced to fit the various ethnic profiles. The risk could have been evident in case there could have been only a single ethnic group in their promotion. Such an outcome could have, in turn, made other ethnic groups think negatively of McDonald’s. Business-wise, any assumption or doubts emanating from consumers can be harmful to an organization because customers can divert their sights to other companies, resulting in a drastic drop in sales.
Question 3
In general, the video can be termed as informative, especially when you reflect on how the company has tried to handle their target market. As revealed, the Southwest Salad commercials are one of those cases whereby the McDonalds can be commended. In this regard, appealing to every consumer makes them feel important since their culture is considered, thus establishing a healthy relationship. In turn, this outcome has helped McDonald’s when it comes to competitive advantage because companies that have failed to go the same route have failed, owing to the lack of loyalty and diminished brand awareness. Therefore, if McDonald’s continues with the same trend, it is possible to overthrow other significant competitors, although they must also strive to include other ethnicities, primarily those originating from the Middle East.