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Uzone.id – Remember the global frenzy that erupted with the #BTSMealChallenge? In 2021, this viral trend captivated audiences everywhere as fans rushed to McDonald’s for the limited-edition BTS Meal, a collaboration with the famed South Korean boy band BTS.
From New York to Jakarta, extensive lines and surging delivery requests transformed McDonald’s locations into centers of enthusiasm. On launch day, hundreds of orders flooded in, with delivery drivers queuing up in large numbers to pick up the highly sought-after meal.
One menu package contains ten pieces of chicken McNuggets, french fries, cola, and two sauces: sweet chili and cajun sauce.
However, it is not the menu that makes this package viral; the special packaging was prepared due to the collaboration between BTS and McDonald’s. This phenomenon showcased the incredible influence of fandom –they’re called the ARMYs– and strategic marketing on a global scale.
For each package purchase, the buyer will receive the entire order in special packaging, starting with paper bags, nugget containers, and drinking places that are presented in purple and accompanied by the BTS logo on the packaging.
Impact #BTSMealChallenge
BTS Meal’s viral collaboration with McDonald’s has also received a lot of praise from experts in the field of marketing. With the main target of ARMYs estimated to be more than 18 million people, the BTS Meal campaign is called a brilliant tactic to deal with economic difficulties after the global pandemic.
McDonald’s, which is based in the US, said that BTS Meal managed to boost their sales in the last quarter of the year. McDonald’s reported that sales at the same store jumped up to 25,9% compared to the previous year and 14,9% compared to 2019.
On another continent, in South Korea, to be precise, McDonald’s reported that their NcNuggets sales skyrocketed with an average daily sales of 250 percent from four weeks after launch.
What can we learn from this campaign?
McDonald’s collaborations with various musicians are likely successful. One proof of this is that McDonald’s is able to expand and add value to their sales in a certain period.
Here are lessons that marketers who want to learn from what McDonald’s does:
Maintaining authenticity
In an interview, McDonald’s marketing executives revealed that maintaining authenticity is the key to the success of any McDonald’s campaign. They are constantly looking for public figures who like their products.
McDonald’s wants the celebrities they work with to be able to share their favorite orders so that people can feel more connected.
Tailor content to your audience
McDonald’s tailors its campaigns to their target audience, especially the ARMYs.
Before releasing the album, McDonald’s collaborated with BTS and used a marketing strategy similar to that of K-pop music agencies.
They shared teasers and release dates, organized pre-launch events (typically listening gatherings) before introducing products, and provided behind-the-scenes content across all their media channels.
Still maintaining local values
The contents of BTS Meal around the world are the same. However, what is different is that local marketing efforts must be aligned with each country’s specific regulations and requirements. To ensure this campaign succeeds in every country, McDonald’s focuses on communication between global, regional, and national leaders.
Strengthen marketing in each country is also different. For example, McDonald’s in South Korea is decorated with balloons and ribbons, a franchise in Morocco plays BTS music, and an outlet in India gives gifts in the form of flowers or balloons containing notes containing the lyrics of BTS songs to the first customer who orders BTS Meal.
Move quickly following the market
In an interview with Billboard News, BTS members were asked if the food ordered in the special edition of McDonald’s x BTS would be accompanied by a photocard (an official photo that fans usually collect).
In fact, at that time, there was no talk of a special photocard being given for every purchase of McDonald’s x BTS products.
However, McDonald’s and BTS’s marketing team quickly responded to this and shortly after announcing that every purchase of McDonald’s x BTS products would get a photocard.
Learning from what McDonald’s and BTS’s marketing teams are doing, a quick and precise response to what the market is asking for can improve the campaign’s success.
