America as a brand is hurting overseas. Indeed if the United States had an ad agency, that shop would be fired, observed Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide, during a session at the recently concluded Advertising Week in New York. To come up with means to improve our country’s image abroad, Reinhard chaired two discussions–one with agency creatives asked to come up with viable campaigns; and the other to pick the brains of clients whose brands enjoy success in foreign nations.
In the latter session Mary Dillon, executive VP/global chief marketing officer for McDonald’s, identified three guiding principles for McDonald’s in foreign markets: being local; acting responsibly; and giving back. She related that being local is “not just about appreciating local culture and giving a nod to it.” Instead McDonald’s is viewed as a local restaurant in other countries because it is committed to having its local franchisees becoming “part of the local culture. The management teams of our restaurants are from that country.”
Dillon noted that franchisees embrace local customs. In Saudi Arabia, for example, McDonald’s closes five times a day for prayers. In China–which is very much a face-to-face culture–there are no drive-through orders forcing customers to talk to an audio speaker box.
For the Advertising Week gathering, Dillon screened a McDonald’s spot in which kids in different countries run about excitedly and say in their native languages that dad is making dinner tonight. Finally we hear that message in English as fathers of different nationalities and cultures bring home bags of McDonald’s food. Dillon described it as a global ad with local insight.
In terms of acting responsibly, Dillon defined this as understanding what perceptions of the brand aren’t positive and addressing them “head on.” For McDonald’s this principle primarily entails caring for its employees and for children. The latter involves taking on childhood obesity through alternative Happy Meals and marketing them in a responsible manner. While the notion of tying into Shrek the Third this year got some initial bad press, once the details of that campaign were disclosed, the media coverage turned positive. For example, getting kids to check on Shrek online led them to messages encouraging them to be active offline, getting out of the house, playing sports and having fun. And the Shrek campaign promoted Happy Meals with apple dippers, milk and proper portions.
As for employees, McDonald’s advances its workers to the point where 70,000 store managers today started out on restaurant crew. And every McDonald’s employee is found to drive the employment of someone else in jobs ranging from construction to transport, farming and ranching, positively influencing the local economy.
The third principle figuring in brand success outside the U.S. is “giving back” to local communities. For example, there are 270 Ronald McDonald Houses around the world providing accommodations for families of children who are seriously ill.
These three principles outlined by Dillon, said Reinhard, offer lessons for branding America globally. Reinhard should know; he founded Business for Diplomatic Action, which enlists U.S. business to help improve the perception of America around the world.
“Dune: Part Two,” “Wicked,” “The Wild Robot” and “Shลgun” Among Lumiere Award Winners
The Advanced Imaging Society has revealed the winners of the 2025 Lumiere Awards, recognizing outstanding creative and technical achievements in its 15th annual celebration. The awards honor the artists, engineers and innovators whose work continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and cinematic technology.
While the annual Lumiere Awards luncheon was scheduled to be celebrated at the Beverly Hills Hotel, once it became clear that the devastating Los Angeles fires were affecting not only the AIS community, but impacting so many in Southern California, the decision was made to announce and deliver the awards directly to the honorees, and to forgo the luncheon celebration. The Society has honored the results of this yearโs voting body and announced the 2025 Lumiere Award winners today, Feb. 7, the eventโs originally scheduled date.
AIS President Jim Chabin said, โOur hearts go out to everyone in our community impacted by these devastating fires. In recent weeks, weโve been deeply saddened to learn of friends and colleagues who have lost their homes and irreplaceable memories. Yet, amid this hardship, we have also been inspired by the incredible generosity of our members โ opening their homes, providing resources, and rallying together in support. This unwavering spirit of unity and compassion is a testament to the strength of our industry.โ
The Lumiere Awards recognize distinguished directors and professionals in film, television, and emerging media, voted for by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community. Technological advancements expand the possibilities of storytelling, and these awards celebrate their significance for all who love film and television. โOur awards have humorously been called the Oscars for... Read More