Studies have shown that seeing images of food will make a person feel hungrier, and the McDonald's 'Train Timetable' stunt offers a fine example of this. The creative stunt, created by DDB Warsaw in Poland, reveals the powerful effect that simple imagery can have on our desire to consume fast food.
McDonald's and DDB Warsaw integrated a McDonald's menu into one of the train timetables at Central Station in Warsaw, Poland. Commuters would see not only the train's current schedule but also images of McDonald's products, which represented the length of time one had to wait for his or her train. For example, a 20-minute delay would showcase a McDonald's cheeseburger and fries and very short waits would be indicated by a McDonald's coffee.
The McDonald's Train Timetable stunt received acclaim at Cannes and also resulted in a whopping increase of 4,500 new customers at the McDonald's restaurant in Central Station.
What's Driving This Trend
- Visual Menu Integration
- The integration of visual menu displays in unlikely locations offers an opportunity for fast food chains to subliminally influence consumer food choices and increase revenue.
- Creative Advertising Stunts
- By thinking outside the box and implementing creative advertising stunts like the McDonald's Train Timetable, companies have the opportunity to generate buzz and increase brand awareness.
- Image-based Marketing
- Utilizing food imagery in marketing campaigns can create subconscious cravings within consumers and encourage them to visit fast food chains like McDonald's.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast Food
- Incorporating visually appealing and integrated menus presents opportunities for fast food chains to increase customer base and sales.
- Advertising
- Implementing unique and creative advertising stunts can draw attention and increase brand recognition for companies.
- Marketing
- Innovative image-based marketing campaigns can be effective at subconsciously influencing consumer choices and generating sales.
