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McDonald's product-quality campaign: Why Malta?

McDonald's has launched a product-quality campaign. Although it is marketing the campaign using broadcast and traditional media in most of the world, it is marketing the campaign in Malta with a 'quality' food truck.

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Vincent Yu/AP/File
A man talks on a mobile phone next to a downtown McDonald's in Hong Kong. McDonald's has launched a product-quality campaign, and it is marketing the campaign in Malta with a 'quality' food truck.

The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is one of McDonald’s Corp.’s smallest markets. Its franchisee operates only 10 stores in the country, which covers just 122 square miles and has a population of roughly a half-million. But that small size made it the perfect place for McDonald’s and agency TBWA/ANG to mount one of the most creative initiatives in the chain’s global product-quality campaign.

In most countries, McDonald’s is using broadcast, digital and media to tout the quality of its meat and produce. In Canada, for example, a dedicated “Our Food. Your Questions.” site addresses questions about food quality and offers behind the scenes videos (including one video—which has had 10 million-plus views—that answers the “Why does your food look better in ads than in the stores?” question).

But in Malta, McDonald’s literally took its quality campaign to the streets with what it called the Quality Truck, as reported by French magazine Creapills. The chain stocked a traditional Maltese produce truck with potatoes, onions, tomatoes and lettuce, painted it in McDonald’s colors and drove it to outdoor markets. Representatives of the chain passed out information on its fresh-foods commitment, answered questions and directed consumers to its mcdonalds.com.mt/quality website.

McDonald’s may not bring the Quality Truck to other markets, but it could use the “100% Real” tagline that appeared on the truck and in-store on tray liners promoting food quality.

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