McDonalds Develops Instore Television Network
Fast food giant McDonalds is to follow in the footsteps of Tesco with the creation of a high-tech in-store television network for advertisers.
The system will carry entertainment and marketing content and will be shown on screens installed in ten London restaurants from May. The system will then be rolled out to McDonalds restaurants nation-wide in phases with large conurbations targeted by the system first.
Brightspace Media has been chosen by McDonalds as a partner in the venture and will oversee the installation process. The system promises customers a mixture of music, sport and fashion programming, as well as information about McDonalds’ community involvement and sponsorships.
It is also claimed that the system will adapt to suit the needs of customers, providing news during the busy breakfast period and lighter entertainment throughout the afternoon.
McDonalds is keen to stress that the network is intended to enhance customer satisfaction within the restaurants, rather than simply providing more in-store advertising space. The fast food chain claims to have approached five or six brands with partnership opportunities to ensure that advertising content remains relevant rather than inundating customers with ad campaigns.
Commenting on the new network, Chris Robson, head of property at McDonalds UK, said: “Over the last 12-18 months we have been upgrading our estate and providing customers with a more modern and relevant dining experience.
He added: “The strategy incorporates a significant restaurant refurbishment programme and additional customer offers including wi-fi access, internet terminals, and now we are moving into the exciting arena of digital screens. This will allow us to enhance the customer experience by providing interesting and relevant content, which will undoubtedly further enhance the environment for customers.”
Andy Pitman of Brightspace Media added: “The McDonalds brief is particularly interesting in that we are devising new channel formats for a new media space. The programming needs to reflect the fact that, although people don’t come to McDonalds to watch TV, they will be entertained by screen content while they are there. We are therefore devising a totally new editorial approach with content strands being created for transitory audiences while being blended editorially for brand partners.”
Last month it was revealed that trials of Tesco’s new in-store television network have yielded positive results for advertisers, which have seen sales increase by an average of 10% in stores equipped with the new system (see Tesco TV Trials Prove Successful For Advertisers).
Brightspace Media: 0207 836 8383 www.brightspacemedia.co.uk
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