Persuasion refers to the use of signs occasionally together with images by one social individual with the intention of shifting or sustaining another collective person’s opinion or behavior (Aliaa & Julia, 2010). The earlier statement suggests a degree of urgency and consideration on the part of the communication creator, though not essentially a great deal of complexity. In fact, much persuasive discussion can be seen in unplanned reply to a perceived instant of opportunity. Additional persuasive efforts, mainly those of initiated by marketing unit and political campaigns, are carefully developed and intentionally coordinated. The description also gives a nod to the essentially social temperament of persuasion. Efforts are made to influence other people. When the same individuals make allusion to self-persuasion, they are discussing one’s decision making. The ability to alter the views of others people, is widely viewed as one of the most essential of social skills (Esther, 2012). McDonalds a burger-chain accomplishment in recent years has been unsurpassed by its conventional competitors. Wendy’s and Burger King have been trailing in market share as McDonald’s continues to advance, according to studies. Advertising certainly has something to do with all this achievement. The organization’s annual advertising budget has been projected to surpass $2 billion — making it unmatched in the industry. That allows McDonald’s to get to an audience far bigger than the one that’s exposed to negative persuasions from its critics.
One of the persuasions model is Entertainment Overcoming Resistance Model (EORM). The model alludes that the entertaining education promotes the narrative participation, social relations and identification with characters (Swol, 2011). This model is effective as it reduces reactions, counters arguments and perceptions of intention to persuade and increases: perceived susceptibility to the problem; individual efficiency to take action. This model’s concept is evident in MacDonald’s fondness to narrate Fields’ interesting story in public about how she ended up in the top from a humble start. It was through advertising that her zeal to make it at MacDonald’s and her rise through in-house promotions reduces. It indicates counter arguing about opportunity provided by the company and changes perceptions form just another advertising to a perceived good brand. It also increases perceived vulnerability by exposing and identifying their top executive as just another ordinary person who experienced difficulty at the start of her career. She temporarily entertained a thought of quitting, she said, but later reconsidered. Over the track of thirty years, she labored her way up. It’s a triumph story that, at McDonald’s nonetheless, isn’t all that strange; numerous other senior managers can relate to. Her personal story earns her and MacDonald’s the respect and influence of the general public.
Communication campaigns model relies broadly on argumentation, catchphrase and emotional appeals to shape public attitudes and change community policy, group appeal, non-commercial advantage, persuade and encourage behavior changes. It also encourages involvement of news and interpersonal constituent. The concepts notes conflicting interests with business interests can be contentious and target group are the most difficult to persuade. Its goal is to minimize the knowledge gap through informing & educating (Swol, 2011). By observing the influence the women bloggers, McDonald’s applies communication campaigns to through the executive mother to appeal emotionally, and persuade and motivate women’s attitude change. It is evident with Fields making herself available to mothers — particularly bloggers. Through her, the company reaches out to them and accords them access to company’s top executives and other resources essentially trying to influence the influencers in the blogosphere.
The premise of the strategy to invite popular bloggers, particularly, the mom bloggers is because they talk a more about the McDonalds. That would mean they are customers, and they have avid readers. By treating them to exclusive McDonalds behind the scene and executive hospitality, they are bound to write positive blogs about it. It’s advertisement, but not directly from the company, but from the people well known and trusted by the masses. This strategy is seen to prey on Social proof and persuasion. This concept is triggered by a fixed action pattern in that after a positive review from a number of blogs about their experiences in MacDonald’s. It offers social proof that everybody else is going and liking the experience at the burger joint successfully persuading the masses.
When it comes to the concept of social marketing in a micro marketing environment, it looks to persuade group through deeds of an entity that creates, funds and implements social change project. The micro-marketing approach unearths needs and wants that clients are or not aware of, problems that they have identified that necessitates solving, and desire they have individually and for others. The concept gives companies responsibility of sensing and identifying unmet desires, demands or issues and developing solutions that will benefit to both individuals and organization (Swol, 2011). Through this, opportunities are formed to both parties be it other individuals, digital and social media, or organization. This concept provides a platform for steering social marketing to a new social change. It is delve in marketing systems and the influence of marketing systems on the community as opposed to individual customers. Marketing system is an interconnection of people, groups or entities linked through a shared collective involvement aiming to create value for masses through use of products, shared experiences and ideas. McDonalds identifies problems of consumer’s perceptions of its products through online feedback. These perceptions are of shaped by popular bloggers who take to blogging to write much about McDonalds that culminates positive but mostly negative marketing depending on their individual perceptions. The company seeks to influence this bloggers who are using blogging -a powerful marketing system by creating and sponsoring enjoyment package to try and implement social change and benefit both parties. This offers the opportunity to the company to create value, change bloggers’ attitudes and perceptions through shared positive feedback to the masses of its products as a result of their experiences in the hands of the company.
Close interaction with the bloggers and listening to their queries and requests even if they don’t make sense to the company is aimed at increasing likeness to the masses. This is in the form of taking interest in the specific bloggers, actively listening to them, asking them questions to comprehend their point of view and speaking to their interests which most people enjoy. This good association positively influences how people react to something. This positive association is in form hosting bloggers to consecutive conferences is seen as a luncheon technique aimed to achieve persuasions. In the end McDonalds efforts to persuade seem to work as, it somehow manages to package its communications persuasively directly or indirectly.
References
Aliaa, D, Julia, H. (2010). Communication as a Human Right: A Blind Spot in Communication Research: International Communication Gazette.
Esther T., Rob, W, & Glenn, L. (2012) Experimental Methodology in Journalism and Mass Communication: Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.
Swol, L. V. (2011). Social Proof And Attitude Change. Cengage.
