Fastfood giants banking on love teams

MANILA, Philippines - The battle in the country’s highly competitive fastfood industry has gone beyond food and beverage offerings.?

Fastfood giants such as McDonald’s, Jollibee and KFC are now banking on a different tandem outside the typical hamburger-french fries combo or chicken-spaghetti duo to boost sales and attract more customers.?

“Having love teams as endorsers can contribute to the success of a product or promotion because of the affinity of Filipinos towards things that tug at one’s emotions. Specifically, the ‘kilig’ factor is what Filipinos appreciate,” McDonald’s Philippines marketing director Christina Lao told The STAR.?

McDonald’s Philippines, operated by Kenneth Yang’s Golden Arches Development Corp., has recently added to its roster of celebrity endorsers the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, known together as AlDub.?

“The fans of AlDub and McDonald’s customers were very much part of the decision to use this love team. We listened to fans’ clamor to get AlDub for McDonald’s and we responded quickly as the first brand to engage them for a campaign,” Lao said.?

“Aside from the fact that they have become hugely popular, McDonald’s chose AlDub because of their incredible ability to cut across demographics and social classes and they are fit to represent our new product offering, Chicken Fillet a la King,” she added.?

According to Lao, the impact of the AlDub team on McDonald’s sales has so far been incredible. ?Within 24 hours of posting, she said AlDub’s McDonald’s TV commercial was viewed more than 1.5 million times on the company’s Facebook page and has reached 5.9 million views to date.

More importantly, Lao said the product the tandem is endorsing has immediately exceeded sales target threefold upon airing of their TV commercial.

“The impact and influence that these endorsers have over Filipinos greatly help when McDonald’s wants to send or amplify a specific message,” Lao said.?

But McDonald’s is not the only fastfood chain in the country which has recognized the power these love teams have in increasing product attractiveness and store sales.?

Rivals Jollibee and KFC also have their own dose of popular love teams endorsing their products, namely James Reid and Nadine Lustre (JaDine) and Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo (KathNiel), respectively.?

“James and Nadine have such great chemistry and have a great following particularly among the target markets of the two Jollibee products that they have endorsed, namely Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Yum and more recently, Burger Steak,” Jollibee Philippines public relations director Arline Adeva told The STAR. ?

Although the listed homegrown fastfood giant declined to disclose specific sales impact of their popular endorsers, Adeva said the company has been very pleased with the overall outcome brought by the JaDine team.?

“Definitely, the competition in the local fastfood industry has evolved. In winning the hearts and minds of customers, brands try to offer not just the best products in terms of taste and value for money but also in delivering the best overall store and consumer experience. Consumers nowadays are also more particular when it comes to brands that they patronize so we need to keep them delighted, excited and engaged,” Adeva said.?