Pass Go and collect £200

It’s back! A promotion that started three decades ago has once again resurfaced for its annual appearance in people’s households across the world. Since 1987, the fast food chain has been offering cash and stuff prizes, this year ranging from gaming consoles to a brand new car. The contest wasn’t routinely annual until the 90’s, according to McDonalds archivist Mike Bullington.

Chance Card

There are three ways to win; instantly, by entering a code, or by collecting the game pieces. The game pieces are stickers of properties, just like in the original Monopoly, stuck onto selected food and drink items on the McDonalds Menu. Collecting all types of stickers of the same colour can win you a brand new car, cash, a games console or a free meal at McDonalds.

Every time you purchase an item with stickers, there will be one with a code on it. This code can be entered online for similar prizes to those you can get if you collect the game pieces.

Finally, you can have an instant win. This is a sticker that shows what you’ve won the second you peel it off the food or drink item on which it is stuck. This is where you can get discounts, free McFlurrys or Apple pie, Now TV passes (for a month) and other things which aren’t worth winning.

A marketing strategy like this one does not rely on something as uncertain and fluctuant as “customer loyalty”. Instead, it gives any member of the public an even chance to win some pretty desirable prizes. Personally I don’t often treat myself with a Big Mac, but I must say that in the last month I have purchased McDonald’s at least once or twice a week. One might argue that this strategy is sticky.

After conducting a study, The Marketing Store developed the campaign concept after discovering that the majority of McDonalds Customers value life experiences higher than material possessions. It was also discovered that people prefer to have a choice, which is something that was introduced at “every level of the prize pool”. Customers are able to choose their holiday destinations, type of car, or even just between a Cheeseburger or a McFlurry.

Go to Jail

There have been issues with this promotion in the past, where participants were held for “rigging” the contest so that a small group of people win the majority of prizes. They claimed millions in cash, a fleet of cars and various luxury vacations. Trading game pieces is a common (and legal) practice, however considering the sheer amount of stickers printed every year (500 million in 2016) faking a win by stealing game pieces can be easily done. The hype about this time of year has even gotten people digging through trash cans to find unpeeled stickers off other people’s food items.

Community Chest

Starting from a total of $40 million in 1987, McDonalds has come a long way and, according to a McDonalds Spokesperson, now offers a total of $1 billion available in cash and prizes.

Utility Rent

McDonald’s partnership with Hasbro (the Monopoly game developer) is now nearly perfect. After thirty years, these two businesses have managed to boost sales beyond compare for two months a year.

Normally, most people would purchase items off the £2 and under menu. Through this winning combination, McDonald’s have now encouraged customers to order off the “more expensive” menu, by letting people know that they are able to maximise their chances by ordering a bigger meal.

Railroad

This worldwide promotion is a huge business opportunity for other companies seeking not only to improve their customer loyalty, but also boost sales and catch the eye of irregular customers.

By maximising potential wins (even if the prize most won is food-related) and making this known to the public, especially the fact that anybody could win a brand new Mini Cooper of their own will get the general public buzzing. Everybody is talking about it, everybody knows it’s happening and it’s all over social media. This “game” gives any member of the public an “equal” chance of winning, and if all that is required is to purchase an item off the cheap McDonald’s menu, then sales will skyrocket without question.

This strategy can easily be compared to gambling, and I must admit that collecting the stickers and entering these little codes online is addictive to say the least. The introduction of new technology can be considered an enabler. This marketing strategy has allowed McDonald’s to:

1. Acquire customers by boosting interest in winning.
2. Retain customers – junk food can be just as addictive as gambling, meaning sometimes even “passing” customers may return.
3. Monetise customers – in order to play, customers must purchase items.

This kind of gambling can come under the term “social gambling”. It is a form of gambling which brings out the competitive side in the players – not only do we want to be the first to win, we also know that there is only a limited amount of each prize.

One could argue that the chances of winning “a prize worth winning” are minimal, but this hasn’t stopped the public from trying. Like they say in gambling, “you’ve got to play to win”.

Further Reading:

http://www.marcomm.news/monopoly-prize-choice-launches-at-mcdonalds-and-for-the-first-time-ever-winners-have-an-exciting-choice-to-make-with-every-single-prize/