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What's wrong with McDonald's asking you do something in exchange for a hamburger? Were you expecting they wouldn't ask for something in return for value they ge

What's wrong with McDonald's asking you do something in exchange for a hamburger? Were you expecting they wouldn't ask for something in return for value they generated for you? I'd genuinely like to better understand this mindset.

astrodust 10y ago
I can't even count the number of times I have received free things on the street. Sometimes they just jam it into my hands, I don't even want it, and have to give it back. This is standard operating procedure with companies promoting samples of new products, or trying to broaden the appeal of an existing one. Not once have they forced me to do anything to recieve it. There are exceptions like alcohol give-aways where they card everyone, but they don't write down names or collect data from that, simply verify for legal reasons. It is always a transaction where they just give you the thing without hesitation. "...value they generated for you?" What "value" are they generating? They're asking me to try their product in the hopes that I might like it and buy more of it in the future. They're asking for my time, for my attention, to consider their product.
- jstandard 10y ago
  I see. Since several other companies have given you free, seemingly no-strings-attached samples it's created an expectation that other companies should do the same. While I don't share this experience or mindset, I can see how it may have been shaped for you. The value generated here seems quite clear to me though. They're giving food. Food is valuable. The degree of value differs from person to person, but McDonald's is taking a reasonable bet that new versions of one of the world's most popular fast foods is valuable to enough people for their marketing push to yield a positive ROI. There are also several other types of value generated. They've created a novel experience (hamburgers from an automated vending machine). The excitement gained from observing and trying a novel experience is also valuable.
  - astrodust 10y ago
    > They're giving food. That's where I disagree. They're marketing. They're giving away samples. McDonald's is not in the business of free food, they're in the business of getting people to pay for food. If they're trying to test the waters for vending-machine produced food, put a nominal price tag on it. A $2 price-tag signals that they're exploring this as a retail option and giving a friendly discount to early adopters. A "free but let us tweet for you" price-tag signals this was designed by the marketing department as some stunt. If you like paying for marketing with your own reputation, knock yourself out.
    - jstandard 10y ago
      They're doing both. They are marketing by giving food. Marketing and generating value for the person being marketed to aren't mutually exclusive. No company, aside from aid organizations, are in the business of giving away free anything. Your other points are critiques on whether you think their marketing execution will be successful and whether or not the net exchange of value is positive for you. I'm talking about whether McDonald's is generating value for people by giving them food. They are. It sounds like for you personally, the cost to obtain that value is too high and your net value is negative. That's okay. That equation balances differently for others, and that's what McDonald's is betting on. It doesn't mean they aren't generating value for some people though.
      - astrodust 10y ago
        Your twisty logic here is how marketing stunts like this happen in the first place, and why we're likely to see more of it in the future. "Take a selfie with our cam for a free burger!" (* May be used in marketing materials. All shots copyright McDonald's.) "Give a blood sample for a free burger!" (* Samples may be sold for medical research purposes. Interesting genes found may be patented. Blood sample becomes exclusive property of McDonald's.) Where do you draw the line? What's too invasive? This is marketing, it shouldn't demand things from people other than their attention.
        10y ago

astrodust 10y ago

I can't even count the number of times I have received free things on the street. Sometimes they just jam it into my hands, I don't even want it, and have to give it back. This is standard operating procedure with companies promoting samples of new products, or trying to broaden the appeal of an existing one. Not once have they forced me to do anything to recieve it. There are exceptions like alcohol give-aways where they card everyone, but they don't write down names or collect data from that, simply verify for legal reasons. It is always a transaction where they just give you the thing without hesitation. "...value they generated for you?" What "value" are they generating? They're asking me to try their product in the hopes that I might like it and buy more of it in the future. They're asking for my time, for my attention, to consider their product.

jstandard 10y ago
I see. Since several other companies have given you free, seemingly no-strings-attached samples it's created an expectation that other companies should do the same. While I don't share this experience or mindset, I can see how it may have been shaped for you. The value generated here seems quite clear to me though. They're giving food. Food is valuable. The degree of value differs from person to person, but McDonald's is taking a reasonable bet that new versions of one of the world's most popular fast foods is valuable to enough people for their marketing push to yield a positive ROI. There are also several other types of value generated. They've created a novel experience (hamburgers from an automated vending machine). The excitement gained from observing and trying a novel experience is also valuable.
- astrodust 10y ago
  > They're giving food. That's where I disagree. They're marketing. They're giving away samples. McDonald's is not in the business of free food, they're in the business of getting people to pay for food. If they're trying to test the waters for vending-machine produced food, put a nominal price tag on it. A $2 price-tag signals that they're exploring this as a retail option and giving a friendly discount to early adopters. A "free but let us tweet for you" price-tag signals this was designed by the marketing department as some stunt. If you like paying for marketing with your own reputation, knock yourself out.
  - jstandard 10y ago
    They're doing both. They are marketing by giving food. Marketing and generating value for the person being marketed to aren't mutually exclusive. No company, aside from aid organizations, are in the business of giving away free anything. Your other points are critiques on whether you think their marketing execution will be successful and whether or not the net exchange of value is positive for you. I'm talking about whether McDonald's is generating value for people by giving them food. They are. It sounds like for you personally, the cost to obtain that value is too high and your net value is negative. That's okay. That equation balances differently for others, and that's what McDonald's is betting on. It doesn't mean they aren't generating value for some people though.
    - astrodust 10y ago
      Your twisty logic here is how marketing stunts like this happen in the first place, and why we're likely to see more of it in the future. "Take a selfie with our cam for a free burger!" (* May be used in marketing materials. All shots copyright McDonald's.) "Give a blood sample for a free burger!" (* Samples may be sold for medical research purposes. Interesting genes found may be patented. Blood sample becomes exclusive property of McDonald's.) Where do you draw the line? What's too invasive? This is marketing, it shouldn't demand things from people other than their attention.
      - 10y ago