McDonalds Corporation: History Essay Example

is to teach students about the operational procedures, quality service and unique cleanliness associated with the famous food chain. At that time, McDonald's had already included fries, milkshakes, ice cream and fried chicken on its menu. In October 1963, Ronald McDonald became the official mascot and national spokesperson for the company. Four years later it had amassed $100 million in assets and was one of the leading companies listed on New York Stock Exchange. However, Kroc's McDonald's aimed for even greater success; therefore they hired promotion company Needham, Harper and Steers in 1969 to launch TV commercials promoting their brand.

In 1955, Kroc launched his business and faced competition from already established food chains like A&W, Dairy Queen, Tastee-Freez, and Big Boy. To stand out, Kroc worked on differentiating his product. The following year, McDonalds aired its first TV commercial featuring characters such as Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and Officer Big Mac, which became popular with children (Daniels). Despite early struggles, McDonalds remains the world’s most popular food chain.

In the 1960s, the average sales earned by chain restaurants were $75 million, while McDonald's had an average earning of $159,000. Kroc's McDonald's was on the verge of bankruptcy. However, after raising funds and acquiring McDonald's from the previous owners, Kroc implemented several strategies to effectively promote the brand on a national level. One such strategy was national advertising.

In the 70s, McDonalds Corporation saw great success with the help of Ronald McDonald, who was introduced as their national campaigner. Children were immediately drawn to Ronald. During this time, the corporation expanded by opening restaurants in numerous industrialized countries including Japan, Holland, Germany, Guam, Panama and Australia.

This expansion continued into the 80s, with franchises opening in the Caribbean, Hong Kong, Latin America and New Zealand.

According to Gross, Kroc's achievement hinged on his approach towards his competitors. He viewed franchisees as more than just consumers but instead, as business partners. Merely offering his milkshake recipe and ice cream to franchisees was inadequate for Kroc, prompting him to provide them with branded food products and operations exclusive to McDonalds. Kroc's foresight of having an empire comprising 12,000 Golden Arches outposts was not just a daydream but a crucial facet of his future success.

Decades ago, Ray Kroc began an ambitious campaign. He faced personal hardship, such as the loss of his wife and nearly everything he owned. However, his dedication to achieving success propelled him, along with his partnership with franchisees. Eventually, Ray Kroc left his business empire on January 14, 1984 at the age of 81. In his honor, the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RHMC) was created. Today, McDonald's operates in over 120 countries worldwide and serves more than 54 million customers daily.