Consumer motivation (McDonald's)

Advertising persuades and motivates the consumers to buy the product.

Motivation is the inward drive we have to get what we need. In the mid-1900s, Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, developed the hierarchy of needs.

I will try to explain the consumer motivation in one of the McDonald's advertisement, level by level, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

The McDonald's TV commercial 

break the habit of a lunchtime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dva-11FzyTg

Physiological

Food is very important and it is impossible to survive without having food everyday. People’s physiological need for hunger is recurring, you eat breakfast and are hungry at lunchtime and then again in the evening. Thus it is important to have a full lunch everyday. A lunch in McDonald's not only keeps you alive but also saves you from hunger.

Safety

You feel safe about your health. Although it is a fast food restaurant and fast food has always been labelled as unhealthy food, there are chicken and vegetables in the wraps which can provide you the basic nutrition and energy you need everyday, which makes you feel healthy. Moreover, the wraps in McDonald's are much better than disguisting can food or microwave food. Hence, it is a better choice for lunch.

You also feel safe about your employment, because the nutrition and energy you get from your lunch everyday can improve your performance in work.  

Love and belonging

In this advertisement, when the man is eating in McDonald's restaurant, he is surrounded by other people who are eating as well. And everyone is enjoying the food, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. Therefore, sMcDonald's makes you feel belonged, dine in McDonald's restaurant makes you feel comfortable. And McDonald's restaurant can be a place of relaxation or shelter from stressful workplace.

Esteem

Fast food has a negative connotation, so McDonald’s is trying to get consumers to think about its offerings as being better. In this advertisement, the man may be under pressure in his work, however, he feels satisfied and relaxed when having lunch in McDonald's. What's more, eating in McDonald's is considered to be a kind of self-reward lunch break from his work.

After this healthy, good-tasting lunch, you will be confident and energetic for work in the afternoon, and you will probably achieve some goals and get promotion.

Self-actualization

You believe that you will be completely alter from the person you were before after changing your habit of lunch. You have a nice job. You enjoy your lunch everyday in a nice restaurant, where you can relax and think about life during your lunch break. You smile a lot and always feel happy. You don't need to worry about your health and job. You never complaint about anything. You can always solve problems at work. You can become the person in life that you feel you were meant to be if you are consuming the product in the advertisement. 

Celebrity endorsement

Who is him?

Tiger Woods (or Eldrick Tont Woods) is an American professional golfer, who has been one of the highest-paid athletes in the world for several years. He is currently world no.1, and he has been world No.1 for 680 weeks in total.

Background

Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. He has a multiracial heritage that he acknowledged by inventing the word "Cablinasian" to describe his own ethnicity. Cablinasian is a combination of the words caucasion, black, Indian (Native American) and Asian. He is the only child of his biological parents, however, he has two half-brothers and a half-sister. He is a practicing Buddhist.

Personal life

In November 2003, Woods became engaged to Elin Nordegren, a Swedish former model and they were married on October 5, 2004. They have a daughter and a son. After the scandal revealed in the end of 2009, Woods and Nordegren divorced on August 23, 2010.

Education

Woods studied at Stanford University, and won a number of amateur U.S. golf titles before turning professional in 1996.

Professional career

Woods became a professional golfer in August 1996, and immediately signed deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist that ranked as the most lucrative endorsement contracts in golf history at that time.

Woods won the U.S. Masters at Augusta in 1997 with a record score at the age of 21. He was the youngest man and first African American to earn the title. Two months later, he set the record for the fastest-ever ascent to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Achievements

Woods has won 79 official PGA Tour events including 14 majors. He is 14–1 when going into the final round of a major with at least a share of the lead. He has been heralded as "the greatest closer in history" by multiple golf experts.

Scandal

On Nov. 25, 2009, a story breaks in the National Enquirer alleging an affair between Tiger Woods and nightclub promoter Rachel Uchitel. On Dec. 11, 2009, in a statement posted on his website, Woods admits to and apologizes for his infidelity and announces he will take "an indefinite hiatus" from professional golf.Several days later, he lost his endorsement deal with management company, Accenture, and was suspended from his Gilette endorsement. Other companies, including Nike, Tag Heuer and EA Sports, continue to stand by Woods. On Jan. 16, 2010, Woods is reported to have become a patient at Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services, above, in Mississippi for sex addiction.

What meanings does celebrity endorsement bring to the brand in this advert?

In this advert, Tiger Woods' image is used as a marketing device to promote the brand TAG Heuer and the product. The product is the world's first professional golf watch developed by TAG Heuer collaborated with Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods is a well-educated professional golf player who studied at Stanford University, and has won 79 official PGA Tour events including 14 majors. In August 1997, at the age of 21, he won the U.S. Masters with a record score, which made him the youngest man and first African American to earn the title. 

Tiger Woods has multiracial heritage, he invented the word “Cablinasian” to describe his own ethnicity. “Cablinasian” is a combination of the words caucasion, black, Indian (Native American) and Asian. Thus, he is considered to be globally influential.

He has similar personalities to the brand. He is successful, professional, confident, ambitious, determined, intelligent and international, because of his achievements in his career and his multiracial heritage, which reinforces the brand identity of TAG Heuer.

Moreover, at that time, Tiger Woods was the world's No.1 golf player, he was at the top of his profession, meaning that TAG Heuer were considered to be the 'brand leader'.

Therefore, TAG Heuer watch can not only be purchased by successful wealthy people who enjoy playing golf, but also can be purchased by people who admire Tiger Woods or want to be as successful as him in their own profession globally.

Why do you think Nike was under pressure to drop him?

In 2000, Tiger Woods signed a 5-year, $105 million contract extension with Nike. It was the largest endorsing deal ever signed by an athlete at that time.

Woods' endorsement has been credited with playing a significant role in taking the Nike Golf brand from a "start-up" golf company earlier in the past decade, to becoming the leading golf apparel company in the world, as well as a major player in the equipment and golf ball market.

After the scandal in 2009 (the revelation that Tiger Woods had a string of extramarital affairs and divorced afterwards), Nike decided to stand firmly beside Tiger Woods while others such as Accenture and Gillette dropped him. It is because Tiger Woods has been one of Nike's most iconic athletes and has played an integral part in Nike Golf's growth since the very beginning.

Tiger Woods' value to Nike Golf is huge. His endorsement not only helped Nike resonate with consumers in the golf market, but also aided in recruiting other players to its tour staff, which is a vital component for achieving and maintaining authenticity.

Furthermore, Tiger Woods came back to golf and the position of World No.1 very quickly. Since there is only one World No.1 player and only one market leader, if Nike drops him, it is improbable to find another golf athlete as famous and successful as Tiger Woods who suits its brand identity, and can generate profits and market its golf products.

Therefore, in order to maintain the profit and the market, Nike didn’t drop Tiger Woods.

Brand Identity of McDonald's

McDonald's is a huge multi-national fast food restaurant chain which produces mainly hamburgers but also a variety of food such as chips, chicken, wraps, salads, milkshakes and desserts. It is one of the best known world brands. 

Personality

efficient, friendly,  accurate,  genuine,  fun,  wholesome

Ronald McDonald is a good representative of McDonald's personality

Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald. In TV commercials he inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and The Fry Kids. In recent years, McDonaldland has been largely phased out, and Ronald is instead shown interacting with normal kids in their everyday lives.


1995 commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdk0A-FyoCE

Recent comercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8DZc2PUUq0

Heritage and history

1940
Richard and Maurice McDonald began the business in 1940 with the McDonald's Barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California, which was a typical drive-in featuring a large menu and car hop service. 

1948
In 1948, the brothers reopened McDonald's as a self service drive-in restaurant, with only nine items in the reduced menu. 

1954
In 1954 Ray Kroc, a salesman for a company that made milkshake mixers, managed the franchising of the McDonalds' restaurant concept. And he bought the company at a cost of 2.7 million dollars. 

1960s
In the early 1960s, Kroc decided that the chain could make more money if it appealed to children, and so the company sponsored a kids' TV show called Bozo the Clown which were a success. 

1970s
With the Big Mac created in 1968, the McDonald's chain continued to grow. The franchise expanded overseas, with the first restaurant opening in Australia in 1971. The three thousandth restaurant of the chain, the first in Britain, was opened in London in 1974. 
1974 also witnessed start of the McDonald's Corporation's charitable efforts.

2014
Nowadays, McDonald's is serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries.

Slogans and Essence

1961 - Look for the Golden Arches

1971 - You deserve a break today

1975 - We do it all for you

1979 - Nobody can do it like McDonald's can

1984 - It's a good time for the great taste of McDonald's

1990 - Food, folks and fun

1993 - Do you believe in magic?

1995 - Have you had your break today?

1997 - Did somebody say McDonald's?

2000 - We love to see/make you smile

2000 - Put a smile on

2002 - Every time a good time

2003 - i'm lovin' it - The Justin Timberlake slogan song

2007 - Things that make you go 'mmm' - Breakfast us

From Reading these slogans, we can conclude that they want people to believe that "It's fun to dine in McDonald's." "McDonald's has good and efficient service and tasty food."

Values

cleanliness, convenience, efficiency, family is important, everyone needs to live a happy life

1 dollar = 1 portion of potato chips----so cheap

give our best to your family---- a good place for family gathering and family events

we do it all for you---- customers are our no.1 priority

free wifi served at all restaurants

Customers

The customers range from families to businessmen and teenagers because of the fast service, tasty food and affordable price.

For families (parents with little children), McDonald's can be a treat to their children because of the delicious food and promotional little toys with children's menu, also, it can be fun to dine in McDonald's. 

For teenagers, it is the cheapest place for gathering and eating, let alone free internet access available in all the restaurants. 

For businessmen, it is a good choice to visit McDonald's during the day as the service is fast, the food is tasty and the 'drive-through service' makes it possible to eat food in their cars without affecting the busy work schedule.

Benefits

Functional
good tasting food, affordable price, playground and promotional toys for children

Emotional
It makes people feel fun and excited to have a family gathering or birthday party in McDonald's. The warmth and excitement is reinforced by emotional advertising.

The big meal 
great deal for dinner
makes your stomach very happy---- big size, makes you feel full
not mention your wallet---- cheap

Rebranding

McDonald's has changed its brand-mark by abandoning the company name on the brand-mark, because the bright yellow 'M' in a bright red background is already recognizable.

Nowadays, more and more people are pursuing a healthier life style and healthier diet, McDonald's is facing the risk of losing customers since it has always been labelled as an unhealthy fast food restaurant.

Because of being criticized as the leading cause of obesity for providing unhealthy food, McDonald's has since then tried to rebrand itself as more health conscious with a greater variety of salads and other healthy meal options such as fish, wraps and sandwiches. 

Under the slogans "I'm lovin it," which featured an original tune by Justin Timberlake,  and the newer "what we're made of," families and young couples are seen enjoying their meals at McDonald's. 

The company is also going after the coffee crowd with its fancier and more expensive coffee in McCafe, which expands itself to a new market.

TV commercials

Although it is a fast food restaurant, in many TV commercials people appear to be enjoying the food slowly and leisurely. "It is not only a fast food restaurant, but also a fun place to relax and hold family events."

break the habit of a lunchtime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dva-11FzyTg


baby sleeping in car (this one is so sweet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXI2S13NUss


1980s little sister
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4P9DA_iNdw

                                         

Comparison between Casablanca(1942) and Lust,caution(2007)

Casablanca (1942)

Directed by	Michael Curtiz
Produced by	Hal B. Wallis
Screenplay by	Julius J. Epstein Philip G. Epstein Howard Koch Casey Robinson(uncredited)
Based on	Everybody Comes to Rick's by Murray Burnett Joan Alison
Starring	Humphrey Bogart Ingrid Bergman Paul Henreid
Music by	Max Steiner
Cinematography	Arthur Edeson
Editing by	Owen Marks
Studio	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	November 26, 1942(premiere) January 23, 1943(general release)
Running time	102 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$878,000[2]
Box office	$3.7 million (initial US release)

Lust, caution (2007)

Directed by	Ang Lee
Produced by	Ang Lee William Kong James Schamus
Screenplay by	Hui-Ling Wang James Schamus
Based on	Lust, Caution by Eileen Chang
Starring	Tony Leung Chiu-Wai Tang Wei Joan Chen Leehom Wang
Music by	Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography	Rodrigo Prieto
Editing by	Tim Squyres
Studio	River Road Entertainment Haishang Films Sil-Metropole Organisation
Distributed by	Focus Features
Release dates	August 30, 2007 (Venice) September 24, 2007(Taiwan) September 26, 2007(Hong Kong) September 28, 2007(United States) November 1, 2007 (China)
Running time	158 minutes[1]
Country	United States China Taiwan
Language	Mandarin Shanghainese Cantonese Japanese English Hindi
Budget	$15 million[2]
Box office	$67,091,915[2]

Story and narrative

• they both based on a wartime conflict background,

• they both include love and sacrifice

Casablanca

During World War II, Casablanca, Morocco is a waiting point for throngs of desperate refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe. Exit visas, which are necessary to leave the country, are at a premium. Rick obtained the letters (that will allow two people to leave Casablanca for Portugal and freedom) from the wheedling little black-marketeer Ugarte. The sudden reappearance of Ilsa reopens all of his old wounds, and breaks his carefully cultivated veneer of neutrality and indifference. Under the shadow of the German occupation, he arranged their escape, and believes she abandoned him, left him waiting in the rain at a train station with their tickets to freedom. When he hears her story, he realizes she has always loved him. But now she is with Laszlo.  He must choose between his love for the woman and helping her Czech Resistance leader husband escape the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis. Finally, he contrives a situation in which Ilsa and Laszlo escape together.

• The story of political and romantic espionage is set against the background of the wartime conflict between democracy and totalitarianism.

• love triangle

• sacrifice love for a higher purpose

• Hollywood fairy-tale 

Lust, caution

The story is mostly set in Hong Kong in 1938 and in Shanghai in 1942, when it was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army and ruled by the puppet government led by Wang Jingwei. It depicts a group of Chinese university students from the Lingnan University who plot to assassinate a high-ranking special agent and recruiter of the puppet government using an attractive young woman to lure him into a trap.

Wong Chia Chi is chosen to play this role,  the young and beautiful wife of a Hong Kong based trading company tycoon. She is to engage in an affair with Mr. Yee, and then lure him into an isolated area where the other students will kill him. however, she becomes embroiled in an inhuman emotional conflict as she emotionally bound to Mr. Yee and yet must kill him. Mr. Yee buys Chia Chi an expensive and extremely rare six carat pink diamond ring. Since he and Chia Chi enter the jewelry shop alone, the Chinese resistance foresee a chance to assassinate Mr. Yee. But when she sees the ring, she truly believes Mr. Yee's love for her, and tells him to flee. Mr. Yee runs out of the shop, escaping the assassination attempt. By the end of the day the resistance group including Chia Chi herself are captured. Mr. Yee signs their death warrants and the resistance group members, including Chia Chi, are shot and executed in the end. 

• the heroine sacrificed her virginity, which was necessary for her to play a married woman convincingly.

• the heroine falls in love with the villain

• In the end, the heroine are killed by the villain 

Theme

they both include love, sacrifice, conflict

Casablanca

• Love, 

• nobility,  

• conflict (wartime), 

• sacrifice (love for a higher purpose), 

• choice (between"love and virtue")

• Success (Laszlo finally escapes Casablanca with Rick’s help and Ugarte’s Letters of Transit, taking the woman he loves with him.)

• self-sacrificing ideology

Lust, caution

• sacrifice (virginity),

• patriotism,

• trust and betrayal (Chia Chi trusted her lover and saved him, but he betrayed and killed her)

• love (love is a commodity like a ring, something that's easily interchangeable and perishable.)

• sex (Chia Chi falls in love with the enemy because of their sexual relationship)

Main characters

Casablanca 

• a hero who is a white man with righteous and moral characteristic (Rick Blaine, the hard-drinking American running a nightclub in Casablanca when Morocco was a crossroads for spies, traitors, Nazis and the French Resistance. He helps the woman he loves and her husband escape, putting himself at risk.)

• a woman who falls in love with the hero, (Ilsa, the woman Rick loved years earlier in Paris. When they were escaping, didn't show up at the station. )

• the woman's husband, obscure of their love (Victor Laszlo, Czech Resistance leader,  fighting against the Nazis, enthusiastic, courageous, and outspoken.)

• none of the major characters is bad. Some are cynical, some lie, some kill, but all are redeemed

Lust, caution

• a young heroine, who also is a novice spy (Wong Chia Chi, a young student who falls in with a group of radical Chinese patriots and takes a key role in their hope of assassinating Mr. Yee. Her aim is to become Mr. Yee's lover and lure him into a trap. She becomes emotionally involved with her enemy)

• a villain, (Mr. Yee, a security police chief of the"puppet"regime )

Content

Casablanca

• NO nudity, sex scene, bad character,

• They escaped finally

Lust, caution

• full frontal nudity, 

• sex scene,

• ending: the bad lives, the good dies

Conventions

they both contain

• Continuity editing,

• obeying the 180 degree and 30 degree rules, 

• the use of flashbacks

Others

Music

The beautiful song "As Time Goes By" is the motif in Casablanca, however, in Lust, caution, there is no such a motif, but only diegetic sound in most of the time.