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McDonald’s Goes Back to the Basics with Chalkboard Menus

— May 12, 2013 — Marketing
McDonald’s made Polish billboards unconventionally cutting-edge in its attempt to promote the freshness of its fast food with billboard-style, quirky, vintage chalk menus. Think of the folded colorful chalkboards many pubs and street restaurants place outside to alert people of the daily specials; McDonald’s embraced the idea of returning to more natural fast food and advertising.

With the help of designers from ‘DDB’ and graffiti artist Stefan Szwed-Stronzynski, McDonald’s abandoned its trademark red and yellow themes and immaculate burger photo ads for simple hand-drawn images and homemade calligraphy fonts. McDonald’s pushed its employers to change their chalk billboards with daily featured specials—another first in the usually fixed menu. The theme is au-natural and very basic—as McDonald’s promises its food is.

Trend Themes

  1. Hand-drawn Menus — Opportunity for restaurants to create unique and personalized menu designs using hand-drawn images and calligraphy fonts.
  2. Return to Natural Fast Food — Opportunity for fast food chains to promote the use of natural ingredients and advertise their commitment to healthier food options.
  3. Daily Featured Specials — Opportunity for restaurants to offer daily changing specials, creating a sense of excitement and novelty for customers.

Industry Implications

  1. Fast Food — Opportunity for fast food chains to innovate their advertising strategies and embrace more creative and authentic approaches.
  2. Design — Opportunity for designers to collaborate with food businesses in creating unique and eye-catching menu designs.
  3. Graffiti Art — Opportunity for graffiti artists to collaborate with businesses to create captivating and unconventional advertising campaigns.
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