Yesterday, I wrote a little about brand awareness among architects (and, by extension, other artists).
Today, I offer you an article from BusinessWeek on remaking the McDonald’s brand:
The traditional McDonald’s yellow and red colors will remain, but the red will be muted to terra cotta and olive and sage green will be added to the mix. To warm up their look, the restaurants will have less plastic and more brick and wood, with modern hanging lights to produce a softer glow. Contemporary art or framed photographs will hang on the walls. Bob Dixon, a private school fund-raiser in Chicago, says of an Oak Brook (Ill.) restaurant that sports the new design: “It’s bright, it’s lively, it’s clean. It stunned me how beautiful it was.”
The dining area will be separated into three sections with distinct personalities. The “linger” zone will offer comfortable armchairs, sofas, and Wi-Fi connections. “The focus is on young adults who want to socialize, hang out, and linger,” says Dixon. Brand consultant Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a brand consulting firm, says that Starbucks has raised the bar: “A level has been set by Starbucks, which offers the experience of relaxed chairs and a clean environment where people feel comfortable hanging out even if it’s just over a cup of coffee.”
I haven’t had a burger at a McDonald’s since 1986, but my brother & I still consider the fry-dipped-in-strawberry-shake to be some sorta Proustian memory-trigger. Anyway, the article brings up issues of reducing brand-awareness in the name of hipness. I, for one, wonder how many diners at McDonald’s are that interested in wi-fi. I just don’t think you can be all things to all people.
There’s a slideshow that goes with the story, and it includes a shot of the new roof-style, which will replace the incredibly boring but effective brand-image of the mansard roof:
