Posted on 07/06/2013 3:56:53 AM PDT by servo1969
McDonald's feeds 68 million people a day, 88 percent of the WORLD population recognizes the Golden Arches, and 1 in 8 Americans has worked there during his lifetime.
Is McDonald's a great restaurant? Not really. It wouldn't be on most people's Top 10. How many people have a favorite food that's on its menu? Again, probably not many. Yet, it represents one of the greatest success stories in the history of business and the Republican Party can learn a lot from McDonald’s.
1) McDonald’s entire business is focused on doing things for its customers: McDonald's doesn't tell people they should eat there to help small business. It doesn't tell its customer to eat McChicken sandwiches in order to make America a better place to live. It doesn't explain why you need to show up every week so it can keep its fry cooks employed. Instead, its ads suggest you should come to McDonald's because you're hungry and it will do a great job of feeding you. As an extra added bonus, if you're a parent, you can bring your kid and it will give him a toy and a place to play for an hour so you can relax for thirty minutes while your kid obsesses over the slide.
Ultimately, people vote for politicians because they want to MAKE THEIR LIFE BETTER. Sure, voters may also care about the Constitution, the country, and their kid's future, but most of them are going to vote for the politician they believe will change their life for the better in some fashion -- or at least not make it worse. So, what are Republicans going to offer? Will we cut the price of gas? Will we reduce energy costs? Will we stop crime in their area? Will we reduce their taxes? Will we save their health care? Principles and big themes matter, but ultimately, we're going to win elections by the same way McDonald's wins customers: by fulfilling the personal wants and needs of the voters.
2) McDonald’s delivers what it promises: Whether you go to a McDonald's in Charlotte or Chicago, New Orleans or New York, Detroit or Dallas, you're going to find the restaurant, the food, the menu and service is all basically the same. You don't find moose heads on the walls in Alaska and a Big Mac isn't actually a taco in Texas. McDonald's may not be the best restaurant in the world, but you at least know what you're getting.
Can we say the same thing about the Republican Party? Does it keep its promises to its constituents? Can you count on Republicans to fight for the core principles they stand for whether they're in or out of power? Can conservatives trust Republican leaders to make a good faith effort to implement our agenda the way liberals can trust Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid to implement their agenda? No, we can't and that lack of consistency is the biggest reason why Republicans sometimes seem to spend more time fighting each other than the Democrats.
3) Its advertising is focused on mass appeal: McDonald's goes out of its way not to antagonize anyone because angry, upset people don't buy hamburgers. McDonald’s doesn't use controversial figures in its advertising, it tries to stay away from contentious issues and it wants to be about as threatening as a newborn kitten to anyone who could possibly eat at the restaurant chain.
In politics, there are too many Republicans in office who've forgotten this lesson. Instead of framing an issue in a way designed to bring as many voters as possible over to our side, they act as if they're trying to get a gig as a fill-in talk radio host or columnist. Politicians should leave the bombastic language, highly controversial quips and potentially offensive comments to those of us who don't have to run for office and focus on being the principled guy everyone would like to have a beer with at a ballgame.
4) Everybody knows what McDonald’s stands for: Why do people go to McDonald's? Because they want reasonably good food that's cheap and served in a timely manner. Is it healthy food? Not really, although McDonald’s added a salad to the menu so the one guy who wants to eat healthy can chow on that while his friends eat McNuggets. Does McDonald’s try to be everything to everyone? Over the years, it’s worked coffee, wraps and a few other things into the rotation, but ultimately people go there to get hamburgers in a hurry. That works for McDonald’s.
The GOP has a working formula, too. We're the party of small, honest government, low taxes, law and order, and traditional American values. So, what happened when you read that list? Did you choke on some of those descriptions? Of course you did because all too often the GOP doesn't explain its principles, promote its principles or most importantly, live up to its principles anymore. If Republican politicians aren't willing to make the case for what they believe to the American people, who do they think is going to do it for them? Do they believe the New York Times is going to bend over backwards to fairly explain why they believe and what they believe about gay marriage, welfare or the minimum wage? The less Republicans tell people what we believe, the more opportunities Democrats have to do it for us and you can be sure that their explanation will center around Republicans hating people.
5) McDonald’s portrays itself as a fun, happy place for fun, happy people: McDonald's ads feature young, cool, ludicrously happy, attractive people having the time of their lives eating delicious food while they're served by courteous, likable wait staff. Is that true? Hell, no! No one is breaking into a joyous dance because a pimply faced teenager serves him a double cheeseburger that's been sitting under heat lamps for 10 minutes. But, it's the image McDonald’s pushes.
Barack Obama does the same thing. He's about as cool and smooth as your great aunt who forgets to put her teeth in and serves you the same 12 year old bowl of hard candy every time you go to her house. The GOP's rainbow Republican convention in 2012 and Ted Cruz's Twitter comic making fun of Barack Obama show that we're starting to figure this out. However, there's a lot more to be done. How is the GOP portraying itself to minority groups? Are we seen as the out-of-it old person's party or the young person's party? Are we seen as technologically savvy and cutting edge or behind the times? Are we seen as the party that's friendly to blacks, women, Hispanics, Muslims, Jews, and gays? Sure, we MAY BE just as friendly as the Democrats, but is that our image? If the image doesn't match up to the reality, then what steps are we going to take to change it? Maybe image SHOULDN'T MATTER, but in a world where the worst President in history has won two straight elections campaigning primarily on "hope and change" in 2008 and, "There's a war on women," in 2012, obviously it swings elections.
This author should be running “Team Building” programs for the RNC.
I have NEVER thought this way. If my life sucks it is up to me to make it better. Govt is a necessary evil to do things I just can't do for myself, like form an Army to fight an invasion., etc.
Did Karl Rove write this screed?
The GOPe attacked Gov. Palin under the command of
Mr. Willard RomneyCARE (RAT).
The RAT then did nothing as America as been assaulted
over and over.
The GOP is the party of the RAT and ObamaCARE/RomneyCARE.
NO MORE GOP. EVER.
And that, kids, is why I get my fast food from Burger King.
I’ve certainly eaten enough RINO burgers for one lifetime.
That was true once, but is no longer.
I don't trust pub-e's any more than I trust demorats.
The entire premise of this essay is false:
McDonalds product, no matter how they spin it, is rubbish.
Lowry accuses the GOP of being inconsistent, lacking core principles, and unable to communicate to all audiences. I find his column does not help me understand how both Olympia Snowe and Ted Cruz both fly the GOP banner yet probably could not find enough common ground for them to join in making a core principles stand for America on many issues. In truth, there are not many GOP members of that could sign Lowry’s manifesto without wanting some kind of codicil to give the member some wiggle room at election time.
The GOP is beyond being able to learn anything.
If you want cheap, fast with taste additives go to McDonalds. If you want quality and the chance to support a Godly business go to Chick Fil A.
Bottom line, this kid is a "open Tent" RINO
Mostly very good. The republican party needs to stand for something and be much much better at marketing. My only argument is in #3. His arguement about speaking inclusively is fine. We do need to to bring people in, but his comment about being bombastic and speaking like a talk show host is wrong. The problem is being to morally mouthed and consultant driven in order not to offend that is the problem. It is uninspiring. The vast majority of 2010 candidates sounded more like a talk show host than politician. They took bold stands, contrasted with Obama and pelosi, and inspired the voters. McCain and Romney tiptoed around speaking boldly and got crushed. Cruz was about the only one that ran in 2012 that sounded like our candidates in 2010. Reagan was extremely bold and ideological. Noisy listen to his speeches. Does anyone claim that Obama is always inclusive and does not incite. He calls out enemies, and goes way beyond anything I have ever heard from a nominee or sitting president.
We need bold candidates that challenge status who thinking. Sounding like a talk show host pulls people in. That’s why they build large audiences and regularly convert democrats to their thinking.
yeah but McD’s tastes better and it’s cheaper
I’d say the pubbies have learned the McD lessons quite well.
They’ve been advertising juicy fare forever and delivering garbage with mechanical efficiency. The products they deliver will prove fatal in the end and are little different from the competitors other than product name. Advertising seems to be their best product and their franchises are packed all across the nation filled with people hungry for good fare but duped by ease and hype. In the end, the consumer gets nothing of substance other than substandard swill concocted with ‘secret’ ingredients to make addicts and, thus, a stable full of complacent feeder pigs of their consumers. In short, their product is a lie; the pleasure is chemical and ephemeral; and the continual consumption of their fare is amortal danger to its willing customers.
Of course, I’m talking about Republican politics here . . .
Not for the price. I get a decent burger and an iced coffee for $2, in a matter of minutes. No surprises.
Wouldn’t Ruth’s Chris be a better goal?
PING
CC
What a freaking idiot, McDonalds goal is to make a profit.
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