McDonald’s is blasting “Sicko Mode” all the way to the bank. On Sept. 8, the Travis Scott meal took everyone by storm. The $6 meal, which includes a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon and lettuce, a medium fry with BBQ sauce and a Spirit, adds nothing new to the McDonald’s menu. So why has it done so well?
Celebrity endorsement is a commonly used marketing strategy that is proven to be very influential. Celebrities can easily reach a new and larger audience. Since people are so heavily influenced by celebrities and influencers through social media, I believe that the use of celebrity endorsements is most effective now more than ever.
Just six days before the Travis Scott meal was released, Dunkin released “The Charli.” Just like the Travis Scott meal, “The Charli” was not a new drink, but now with one of the most famous TikTokers, Charli D’Amelio’s name attached. However, I believe that drink was not as big of a success.
In its first few days, the drink was doing very well. People wanted to try it just to try it, or make TikToks of them ordering it. Although, this has since died down.
First, Dunkin’s target audience is people who drink coffee. I would say that most of Charlie’s loyal fanbase is young girls who are not even allowed to drink coffee.
Second, people realized you could order the same exact drink for a cheaper price!
Lastly, since most coffee drinkers are older, they feel silly and embarrassed ordering a drink named after a 16-year-old. This made it much easier for the Travis Scott meal to steal the spotlight.
The Travis Scott meal serves the perfect use of a celebrity to endorse a company.
“As a marketing student, I really found McDonald’s approach to the Travis Scott burger a great way to appeal to a younger group of people,” said junior student Daniel Troise.
“Throughout the past few years, many millennials and gen Z’s have found themselves choosing healthier and trendier alternatives. I know as soon as I found out about the burger, my friends and I went right away to see what the buzz was about.”
Scott is definitely one of the best outlets to reach teens and millennials – especially male. He has one of the most loyal and well-known followings.
His merchandise and concerts sell out quickly, and then are marked up to extreme prices. I would consider Scott to be one of the biggest celebrities in music for our generation.
Therefore, by slapping his name on something, people are going to want it. I am one of the biggest Travis Scott fans. Ironically, just days before the meal was announced, I told my friend that I don’t like McDonald’s food. After I heard the news, I felt like I had to get it just for the experience as a true Travis fan.
Another reason why the Travis Scott burger is doing so well is because it is a great deal. I was confused to see my brother, who does not care for Scott, bring home the meal on the first day.
I asked him why, and he said that he was at McDonalds and saw the great value of the meal. He has gotten the meal many times since then – way more than me. I can only imagine older folks, who don’t even know who Travis Scott is, getting the meal because of the great price.
The biggest success of the meal is how trendy it is. McDonald’s is getting the best marketing for free: being viral on TikTok. There are hundreds of viral videos of people pulling up to McDonalds playing “Sicko Mode” or saying, “you know why I am here.”
This is probably McDonald’s workers biggest headache each day. However, it does not stop there. People have been going to other drive throughs such as Dairy Queen and Dunkin doing the exact same thing.
It will be no shock that this meal will soon make its way to college marketing textbooks in the future, so be a part of history and get your Travis Scott Meal before it leaves on October 4th.
lgilliga@ramapo.edu