Danes love coffee and have the third largest coffee consumption per capita in the world. At the same time, we have the highest price per cup of barista coffee in the world. This means a lot of Danes won’t pay for barista coffee and settle for cheaper low-quality coffee. McCafé made barista coffee accessible to Danes at a lower price and is a convenient to-go solution, which more and more Danes prefer. However, only 19% of Danes associated McDonald's with "Great for Coffee" and the perception was that McDonald's sold low-quality coffee. The challenge was simple (but not easy): How do you make McCafé as famous and liked as the Big Mac and fries?
We created the long-term platform idea McCafé – barista coffee at a fair price with two simple tracks of execution: Why McCafé and Buy McCafé, balancing brand and activation in harmony. Why McCafé focuses on building coffee credibility and consideration. Through humorous films and videos, we spotlight those relatable struggles with frustrating machines and to-go coffee. In our first campaign, we positioned ourselves as a superior alternative to convenience stores and gas stations. Same price, but better quality and convenience at McCafé. After gaining credibility, we launched our second campaign execution in 2023, targeting coffee house customers, showcasing that at McCafé, guests can also enjoy quality coffee, but faster and cheaper. Never downplaying the competition, just always make choosing McCafé feel like the smartest choice. Buy McCafé is all about tactical activation. With our distinctive yellow branding, latte art, and clear CTAs, we aim to create trials and build frequent visits.
The platforms has truly been a success story ever since it launched in 2021. McCafé awareness has soared to 83% among all Danes by 2023 69% of Danes are aware that McDonald's serves barista coffee by 2023 McCafé Consideration has jumped by 39%, with perceptions of great taste and value climbing 35% and 24%, respectively. Trials among Danes have increased by 126% And lastly, McDonald’s has boosted its coffee market share, jumping from 9,5% to 15% in the to-go category by end of 2023.